Thoughts about sincerity
I saw a school kid standing outside an entrance to the subway station. She was standing alone in the midday sun, holding on to a tinfoil canister and wearing a wry smile. I instinctively reached into my pockets for some small change and slot it into the can.
A small transaction, in exchange for a little sticker for my kind contribution.
I was pleased and honestly, it does make a difference to my day. As I stickered the piece onto my shirt, a thought came to mind.
Have you ever asked yourself if what you are doing comes from the bottom of your heart?
Or was it out of a moral standard that is well assimilated in society?
Either way, it means that you are doing it for you, in exchange for that good feeling.
Do you think that one is entitled to earn a good deed or rack up some karmic points from your action? Would God be pleased with your act of service?
That is something that I find it difficult to understand.
Definition
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary,
sincerity: is a state of mind; to be honest/ freedom of hypocrisy.
By definition, it is to achieve a state of being true to oneself. To give, without expecting anything in return.
On a metaphorical level, sincerity might very well be an idea. It can refer to an absolute benchmark where we, lofty wannabes can only aspire to.
The kinds of “sincerity” we observe
We all know these.
The ones who showed up in a charity reception for networking and mostly, because of the food.
The “sincerely yours” love letters. Stamped, signed and sealed, from your other half. The couples who want to settle down for their own selfish needs. They treat marriages like a business contract, with their prenups and the other self-assured formalities.
And of course, not forgetting the ones who give, only to elevate their status among their peers and score some bragging rights.
Sincerity is rare nowadays.
Because everyone expects something in return of their efforts.
Is there sincerity in its truest form or our understanding of it is totally flawed?
