By Grace Bondad Nicolas
We live in a modern world — or at least, that’s what we like to think about this generation. But still, cruelty seems to have found a comfortable home, both online and in real life.
Social media has become a battleground of opinions and egos, while in the real world, we see groups forming, excluding, and judging others as if unkindness were a badge of superiority.
I belong to many groups, and yes, I’ve experienced bullying. The difference is, I can now look back at them with fierce and confident eyes.
People will look at you and talk behind your back.
Some will choose silence, refusing to acknowledge you even when you’re part of the same organization.
Others will act entitled, as if the world owes them validation.
And yes — I’m talking about you.
The irony is that many of these same people are also fighting their own battles — dealing with pain, insecurities, and fears. Yet instead of healing, they project their struggles outward, hurting others with the same pain they can’t face within themselves.
I have seen this, felt this, and lived through it.
But still, we must choose to be kind.
Not because it’s easy, but because it’s the harder, braver choice.
Kindness, for me, is not a reaction — it’s a decision.
It’s waking up each day and choosing peace, even when chaos surrounds me.
That’s why I love being in nature and caring for my furry babies — they remind me what unconditional love looks like.
It’s also understanding that hurt people often hurt others — and deciding not to be one of them.
There are moments when it feels lonely to be kind.
When silence feels safer than speaking up.
When grace feels like surrender.
When you wonder if being good still matters.
But I’ve learned that kindness isn’t weakness.
It’s quiet strength.
Here’s why we must continue to choose it, despite it all:
1. Kindness protects my peace.
When I respond with grace, I take control of my energy. I refuse to be consumed by anger or hate.
2. Kindness breaks the pattern.
I cannot control how others behave, but I can end the cycle of cruelty by refusing to mirror it.
3. Kindness defines who I am.
The way others treat me reveals their character; the way I respond reveals mine.
4. Kindness inspires hope.
In today’s world that’s growing colder, one act of compassion can remind others that goodness still exists.
5. Kindness heals me.
Every time I choose empathy over resentment, I grow lighter. I become free.
Oh, and did I mention I’ve stopped eating animals? That’s where my journey of kindness truly began.
People can be cruel, yes — but that doesn’t mean we should be.
I’d rather be remembered for my grace than for my grudges.
At the end of the day, how we treat others — especially when they don’t deserve it — says everything about who we truly are. The Golden Rule, we must not forget.
And so, even when the universe chooses cruelty, please continue to choose kindness.
Not because it’s easy, but because it’s right.
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Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas is the President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry–Los Baños (PCCI-LB), COO of Tag Media Group, and Publisher of Rising Tigers Magazine, InCharge Magazine, and TopNewsAsia. The first Filipina and Woman who became the President of American Association of the Philippines after 73 years. She continues to advocate leadership with compassion, inclusivity, and authenticity.
