Be Nice… and Be Kind!

“Be nice” is often heard as a parting shot from family and friends. Is one expected to be nice like the popular biscuit — crisp, sweet and sprinkled with sugar for added sweetness? Would you say you are a nice person? Your reply could well be: “Most often, yes, but not always.”

Nice is defined as “being pleasing, agreeable or courteous”. It is not always easy to be nice or agreeable with everyone. A popular advertisement shows a youngster approaching her father for approval to pursue her studies in another city. “I want to move ahead in life, there is so much more to do,” she quips. Her father suggested that she should pursue her dreams in the same town where similar opportunities exist. She was infuriated and withdrew with a sulk. Can she be nice to her father now? It is her father who now chooses to show understanding. He goes a step ahead by being kind to her and agreeing to her expectations.

Can you see the difference in being nice and being kind? Being kind is so much more; it means showing understanding or sympathy.

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