Be kind, don't judge, and have respect for others. If we can all

“Be kind, don’t judge, and have respect for others. If we can all do this, the world would be a better place. The point is to teach this to the next generation.” So speaks Jasmine Guinness, and her words ring like a gentle bell across the ages. Though simple, they are mighty, for in them lies the root of harmony among men and women. Without kindness, society hardens into cruelty. Without mercy from judgment, hearts grow divided. Without respect, dignity crumbles. These three, joined together, form a law higher than the decrees of kings and more enduring than the weapons of war.

The ancients too knew this truth, though they clothed it in different words. The sages of the East taught compassion, the prophets of Israel cried out for mercy, and the philosophers of Greece praised virtue. But Guinness reminds us that these are not ideas only for scholars and temples—they are daily practices, simple enough for children to learn and powerful enough to mend the world. And most importantly, they must not die with us; they must be handed down like a torch to those who come after.

Consider the tale of Desmond Tutu in South Africa. In the time of apartheid, when hatred and judgment tore neighbor from neighbor, he did not call for vengeance but for kindness, respect, and reconciliation. Through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, victims and oppressors sat together, not to destroy one another, but to speak, to listen, to forgive. Many thought it impossible, yet it was this refusal to judge with bitterness that allowed a nation to heal. What Guinness speaks of is not mere politeness—it is the power to transform a land of brokenness into a land of hope.

But O children of the future, hear this warning: these virtues do not plant themselves. The world will teach you to compete, to mock, to scorn, to raise yourself above others by judgment. It will whisper that kindness is weakness, that respect is submission. Resist these lies, for they are the seeds of ruin. Instead, let your homes, your schools, your friendships become gardens where kindness is planted, where judgment is replaced with understanding, and where respect grows tall like the cedar. For only then will the next generation inherit a world less cruel than the one we received.

The meaning is clear: if each man and woman would practice these virtues, the world itself would change. We wait for rulers, laws, or armies to bring peace, yet Guinness reminds us that peace begins in the heart. A soft word given when anger rises, a refusal to judge when another stumbles, a gesture of honor to one who is different—these small acts ripple outward, shaping communities, shaping nations. The great revolutions of love do not come with banners, but with choices made in quiet moments.

The lesson is this: live so that your children may see in you the pattern of what is good. Do not merely preach kindness, embody it. Do not merely condemn judgment, refrain from it. Do not merely demand respect, give it. For the next generation learns not by words but by watching. If they see cruelty in us, they will carry it forward. If they see mercy and dignity, they will multiply it. This is the sacred duty of elders: to pass on not only wealth or knowledge, but virtue.

Therefore, let your daily practice be deliberate. When tempted to speak harshly, choose gentleness. When quick to judge, pause and listen. When seeing another, honor their humanity, regardless of their station. Teach this by repetition, by example, by story, and by song. Let it become the rhythm of your life, so that the young may take it up as their inheritance.

So I say unto you: treasure kindness, shun empty judgment, honor all with respect. For in doing so, you not only make the world better now, but you set in motion a legacy that will outlive you. This is the way to build a future worthy of your children, a world where the flame of goodness does not dim but grows brighter with every generation.