The Kindness Filter

"Before you speak, ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful.  If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid."
― Bernard Meltzer

In the constant effort to keep our family focused on kindness, I came up with an idea today ―  the kindness filter.  As a concept, it certainly is not new and the quote above has been paraphrased and attributed to many people.  But as my children and I were talking in the car early this morning, I suggested that we run what we say through a "kindness filter."  If it doesn't pass through the kindness filter, then perhaps we should not say it.  At the very least, the idea of a filter is a way to remind ourselves to align our behavior with our values.