Kindness that Heals
Does kindness heal? Does it have the power to do that? Kindness and healing are two different words that find each other time and again in the cycle of life. It is what we have witnessed at our home, Roshan. At Roshan, people have found healing through serving and being a part of a tight-knit community they can call their own.
Farzana, a Lower Primary teacher and GED student from Afghanistan, says, “Kindness to me means giving respect and getting back respect”. She talks about her first encounter with the Roshan community when she had just joined Roshan. She was very hesitant about joining Roshan as she didn’t feel motivated to go to school due to previous school experiences. Farzana says, when she came to Roshan, everything felt warm and nothing felt strange. She mentioned, “I felt respected at that time”. Farzana also cannot forget her experience with her English teacher at the time, Ariane Alana. Farzana says, “Ms. Ariane understood her students, how they were feeling, and when students were not comfortable.” Farzana was encouraged by Ariane to study and stay motivated to continue her learning. Farzana appreciates her teacher, Ariane's kindness and support, who has helped her with many things. Farzana says, no one should expect someone to be too kind or unkind. One should be kind no matter who someone is and what their background is.
After Farzana learned English, she decided to extend her kindness and knowledge to other community members at Roshan. She decided to take on teaching herself. Farzana says, “When I am teaching, I give all my knowledge to my students, and I feel very good deep down”. Farzana says that she has a reciprocal relationship with her students as she has also learned a lot from her students. She says she has a sense of comfort after ending each class with her students.
Marofa, an Elite student at Roshan, says, “Kindness to me means caring for people, having empathy with others without any conditions or expectations”. When asked about her experience with kindness at Roshan, Marofa says she has always experienced it at Roshan. “It is caring for others that Roshan does best”, she mentioned. She says Roshan has done a great job of being a family, providing care and support of all kinds. Marofa says that Roshan instills a sense of responsibility in their community members to be kind and extend that care to others in the community, a habit she has always had but continues it at Roshan as well.
Marofa talks about getting together with Elite friends virtually during the pandemic and discussing assignments, sharing problems, and listening to each other. She says caring for each other can be as simple as just talking and listening to friends. Farzana also says that during the pandemic, it was the small things that meant the most, like staying at home as much as possible so that you don’t affect loved ones and people outside home.
Both Marofa and Farzana think kindness takes work and the intention behind it is extremely important. Marofa mentioned, “In this world, being unkind is easier, showing no care has somehow become easier. I think that's why we all need to work to learn kindness and make an effort”.
A photo taken by Farzana.
A photo taken by Marofa.