I get it. You’re busy. Too busy to slow down, to acknowledge, to care.

Someone stumbles? They’ll get up.
Someone’s struggling? Not your problem.
Someone just needs a moment of your time? Well, you’d love to help, but there’s just so much to do.

Because kindness - let’s be honest - is a hassle. An interruption. An unnecessary detour in the already exhausting task of existing.

Who has the luxury to stop and help when the world is moving at full speed?

The Heavy Burden of Basic Human Decency

Someone needs support with life, with work? Sorry, not my department.
Someone’s drowning under pressure? They’ll figure it out.
Someone’s exhausted but still pushing through? Well, we’re all struggling, aren’t we?

Holding a door open? 2.5 seconds you’ll never get back.
Listening when someone needs to talk? Could take a whole five minutes - the horror!
Checking in on a friend who’s been distant? Well, if they really needed help, they’d ask… right?

Because that’s how it works - people in pain always announce it, right? They send out calendar invites for their breakdowns, they draft formal requests before asking for kindness. If they’re really struggling, they’ll fill out the appropriate paperwork.

And if they don’t? Well, then it must not be that bad.

We love the idea of kindness - just not the inconvenience of it. We post quotes about being a good person, we share videos of strangers helping strangers, and we tear up at stories of generosity.

But when the moment comes “to actually be kind”, we hesitate. Because suddenly, we’re too busy.

Too busy scrolling.
Too busy rushing.
Too busy pretending not to notice.

Too busy being “important” people!

The Real Reason We Don’t Help

It’s not about time. It never was.

Helping doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s just acknowledging someone exists. Sometimes, it’s choosing not to look away.

But we don’t avoid kindness because it’s time-consuming. We avoid it because it requires effort. It forces us to engage. To step outside the comfortable bubble of “not my problem.”

And that’s the real inconvenience.

The Hard Truth

One day, you will be the one in need. You’ll be the one hoping that someone - anyone - pauses long enough to see you.

And maybe, just maybe, they’ll be too busy.