It's interesting how many times people will sabotage their self interests by showing unkindnesses to others. Whether consciously or not is an unknown, of course; it makes no practical difference. I've known families where it would have taken a hacksaw to cut through the parents' antipathy--and the children returned the same.
On the other hand, take a good friend of mine named Sam who helped rear his stepson from age five until Sam's wife left him for someone else. For twenty years my friend showed loving-kindness toward his stepson. The boy's mother tended toward selfishness and resentment, but it did not alter my friend's attitude. The lad grew into a fine person, somewhat estranged from his mother. Following from Sam's teaching of charity and goodwill, he is raising his family as he was shown .
From the peaks of self-esteem
flowers of kindness are borne.
When seeds of goodwill and charity
are sown in fertile soil,
eternal merit blossoms.
Kind thoughts look toward Wisdom's light;
kind words inspire flights of confidence.
Since acts of kindness are gifts born of love,
giving with kindness wakens tenderness--
the way that empathy springs from the soul.
