To the Editor:

Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber, said, “... at its core, we have a very kind and compassionate community.” [“Supervisor Barber: The state of the town is ‘compassionate’ as Guilderland emerges from pandemic and plans for future,” The Altamont Enterprise, Feb. 16, 2023]

I’m not sure that's yet true for all in our community.

Maybe being kind and compassionate should become the core of all our organizations, our businesses, our schools, our library, our police, our town departments, our media, our friendships, our families, and ourselves. And not just to ourselves and other people, but to the Earth and all that lives on it.

To be kind is to be friendly, generous, and considerate.

To be compassionate is to share another’s suffering and want to relieve it.

Maybe we could always ask: “How kind and compassionate was it?” about past actions; “How kind and compassionate is it?” about current conditions; and “How kind and compassionate will it be?” about future plans.

Universal kindness and compassion could become the vision, values, and goals for everything we do.

Then maybe we could all ultimately answer those questions, “Very!”

Andrew Genovese

Guilderland