When Kindness Becomes Barren
- Annelise Lords
- Aug 4
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 11
My Grandmother believes that when kindness and love don’t have a positive impact on anyone, it’s time to leave.
I enjoy watching the sun as it sets. So do many humans worldwide.
As I sat enjoying the sun, biding goodbye to my side of the world after a hard day’s work, a soft female voice nearby said, in the type of pain I could comprehend and feel as if it were my own, “I got home two hours ago, and there was nothing inside our home for you. You are leaving me?”
Like an animal in the forest at night, my ears turned up.
“How did you know I was here?” a fed-up male voice demanded.
I focused on the sea as it rages, ebbing and flowing, as if it, too, were fighting life, and it could feel the pain of humanity.
“I know you would be here because when you are mad at me, this is where you come,” she revealed.
Silence spoke briefly, and he edged close to her, because I could hear what he said clearly, and felt his pain too, “When I was eight years old, my grandmother had half an acre of land that nothing grew on. She and my grandfather tried chemical and natural Fertilizer. Weeds refused to grow on the land. She sent the soil to be examined by soil scientists, soil analysts, geotechnical engineers, and soil testing laboratories. They couldn’t find a reason why that soil would yield nothing after many extensive tests. So, they came to double-check why the land was barren, and it wasn’t desert land. They did more tests, and still that half-acre of land responded to nothing they tried, as the other pieces of land surrounding it grew everything that was planted on it. Life and plants prospered on the surrounding lands, but this piece of land was unresponsive to all treatments, both natural and chemical.”
My instincts notified me, I know humans like this, they are barren to kindness, love, thoughtfulness, patience, understanding, etc. They are barren to the good they take.
What could have caused that piece of land to be barren of life?
“What has that got to do with us?” she questioned.
I glance in their direction to see the sadness in his eyes as he continued, “All of the love and kindness I give doesn’t impact your heart, soul, mind, actions, choices, decisions, or intentions positively in any way. Nothing good grows from all of the generosity and affection I give to you, not even a smile or thank you,”
“Wow!” My heart cried silently.
“So, I am a piece of land that nothing grows on?” shot from her heart.
“My grandfather wanted her to sell the land. She said that would be like adding cruelty to a world already in crisis. If the land is barren, it will be useless to live on, because plants show life while they beautify a home. Planting a seed and seeing it come alive is happiness, showing a direct connection to the earth and our creator. The earth takes, but it always gives back through growing something that puts smiles on faces and heals hearts,” he explains.
“What did she do with that piece of land?” she questioned in anger.
“She refused to add cruelty to the earth, and selling a piece of barren land would be cruel because life must go on, and it doesn’t represent life. She didn’t want to give it away. She wanted to do something positive that would bring joy to many, even in the absence of life, love, and kindness. She donated it to the community to build a playground for children.”
“That was a good decision,” she said.
“She used innovation to create a place that brings love and happiness to others,” he clarified.
“Give me another chance,” she begs.
“I have been using innovation and creativity to teach you love and kindness for the three years we have been together, and it’s barren to your heart,” he said in reflection, sending the pain back with the many kind deeds and thoughts that returned no positive impact to him and their relationship.
Glancing in their direction again, her brows flew up as confusion lined her features. He informed, “Plants need water and sunlight to yield life. Some need more. If water and sunlight aren’t enough for a plant to grow, something unhealthy is wrong with that soil. She believes that if there is a heart that can’t grow love, then it’s time to leave.”
Silence broke doors, walls, and bridges, until he said, as she wept silently, “I am sorry, but if kindness and love can’t impact your heart, nothing will.”
He got up and walked away, as tears flowed from my eyes too.
Are there humans on our planet with hearts barren to kindness, love, understanding, patience, etc, all of the good things that make humans happy and healthy?
I know humans who take kindness and love, but it has no positive impact on their hearts, actions, or the life they live, which would allow them to share it with the world and live better lives. A world without love and kindness yields nothing, and starvation will follow, because love and kindness are soul foods.
Are there humans who are barren of love and kindness?
I want your love and kindness, so you are going to get mine. And if yours is barren to me, I still give it, then walk away.
Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.
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