--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kindness is an inner desire that makes us…" description: "\"Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png" --- # Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good… ![“Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want, and do.” quote by Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png) > “Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want, and do.” [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kindness stems from an inner desire to do good without expecting reward, enriching life and permeating thoughts, words, and actions. **In simple terms:** Kindness is a selfless inner drive to do good. Key Takeaway Cultivate selfless generosity. Themes kindness selflessness inner motivation Mood compassionate uplifting Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - volunteering - daily interactions - teaching - community service Key Concepts altruism joy moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your acts of kindness? - Can you practice kindness without any expectation? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can sometimes masquerade as kindness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-kindness-3288872/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Inner Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inner-desire-468104/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspirational kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-kindness/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Inner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-inner-2689259/) [Kindness Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-think-740354/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-good/) ## Related quotes > [“Is this all there is to life? Will I always feel the same? Do I not have some purpose to fulfill, some greater kindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/is-this-all-there-is-to-life-will-i-always-feel-the-same-do-i-not/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [The key point is kindness. With kindness one will have inner peace. Through inner peace, world peace can one day be a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-key-point-is-kindness-with-kindness-one-will-have-inner-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Aren't you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/aren-t-you-like-me-hoping-that-some-person-thing-or-event-will-come/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [There's an inner desire, something inside of me, that's always wanted to be great and leave a mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-trubisky/there-s-an-inner-desire-something-inside-of-me-that-s-always-wanted/) [Mitchell Trubisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-trubisky/) > [I am always interested in that relationship between outer reality and inner desire, and I think it is important to pay attention to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-esquivel/i-am-always-interested-in-that-relationship-between-outer-reality-and/) [Laura Esquivel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-esquivel/) > [“When there is a total understanding of need, the outward and the inner, then desire is not a torture. Then it has a quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-w-anderson/when-there-is-a-total-understanding-of-need-the-outward-and-the-inner/) [Allan W. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-w-anderson/) > [“in my heart is rooted in lovelessness and thanklessness… By contrast, every truly holy act, including even the inner desire to be holy, springs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-m-fitzpatrick/in-my-heart-is-rooted-in-lovelessness-and-thanklessness-by-contrast/) [Elyse M. Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-m-fitzpatrick/) > [“Your main character not only needs a goal, she need an inner desire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-williamson/your-main-character-not-only-needs-a-goal-she-need-an-inner-desire/) [Jill Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-williamson/) > [And what does every child believe every adult capable of doing? Of actually being able to bend the world to an inner desire, exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/and-what-does-every-child-believe-every-adult-capable-of-doing-of/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Let your inner desire lead your way out to the destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/let-your-inner-desire-lead-your-way-out-to-the-destination/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I can get my head turned by a good-looking guy as much as the next girl. But sexy doesn't impress me. Smart impresses me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/i-can-get-my-head-turned-by-a-good-looking-guy-as-much-as-the-next/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [Your child, your friend your neighbor, somebody looks up and says "You know what? I am going to move my life towards that type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-assaraf/your-child-your-friend-your-neighbor-somebody-looks-up-and-says-you/) [John Assaraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-assaraf/) > [As for "toothy kindness" - I think all traditions are full of this sort of tough kindness. If someone is on a wrong or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/as-for-toothy-kindness-i-think-all-traditions-are-full-of-this-sort/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Sometimes people don't trust the force of kindness. They think love or compassion or kindness will make you weak and kind of stupid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/sometimes-people-don-t-trust-the-force-of-kindness-they-think-love-or/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [“Kindness! I think that it is possible to kill with kindness…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-williamson/kindness-i-think-that-it-is-possible-to-kill-with-kindness/) [Penelope Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-williamson/) ## More by Emanuel Swedenborg > [The sky is an enormous man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/the-sky-is-an-enormous-man/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [Heaven is not located on high, but where the good of love is, and this resides within a person, wherever he or she might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/heaven-is-not-located-on-high-but-where-the-good-of-love-is-and-this/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [All union is effected by love, and love is not love without trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/all-union-is-effected-by-love-and-love-is-not-love-without-trust/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [What is true is true, and what is false is false...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/what-is-true-is-true-and-what-is-false-is-false/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [Seen in its own right, a loving person's inner spirit is an angel of heaven, and while we are living in the body we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/seen-in-its-own-right-a-loving-person-s-inner-spirit-is-an-angel-of/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [The human race is the basis on which heaven is founded, is because man was last created, and that which is last created is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/the-human-race-is-the-basis-on-which-heaven-is-founded-is-because-man/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [A person who knows all that is good and all that is true---as much as can be known---but does not resist evils, knows nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/a-person-who-knows-all-that-is-good-and-all-that-is-true-as-much-as/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [Adultery is an image of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/adultery-is-an-image-of-hell/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [Goodness and love mould the form into their own image, and cause the joy and beauty of love to shine forth from every part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/goodness-and-love-mould-the-form-into-their-own-image-and-cause-the/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [A life of kindness is the primary meaning of divine worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/a-life-of-kindness-is-the-primary-meaning-of-divine-worship/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [The essence of love is that what is ours should belong to someone else. Feeling the joy of someone else as joy within ourselves-that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/the-essence-of-love-is-that-what-is-ours-should-belong-to-someone/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [The Divine of the Lord in heaven is love, for the reason that love is receptive of all things of heaven, such as peace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/the-divine-of-the-lord-in-heaven-is-love-for-the-reason-that-love-is/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [Man is so created that as to his internal he cannot die; for he is capable of believing in God, and thus of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/man-is-so-created-that-as-to-his-internal-he-cannot-die-for-he-is/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [A person's life from infancy to old age is nothing else than an advance from the world towards heaven, the last stage of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/a-person-s-life-from-infancy-to-old-age-is-nothing-else-than-an/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) > [The church of the Lord is spread over all the globe, and is thus universal; and all those are in it who have lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/the-church-of-the-lord-is-spread-over-all-the-globe-and-is-thus/) [Emanuel Swedenborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) [Explore all 127 Emanuel Swedenborg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want, and do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emanuel Swedenborg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-us-want-to-do-good-things-even/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-us-want-to-do-good-things-even/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed9/emanuel-swedenborg-3577_desire_kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-u_1155989.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return…” — Emanuel Swedenborg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emanuel Swedenborg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-swedenborg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Kindness is an inner desire that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-us-want-to-do-good-things-even/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-swedenborg/kindness-is-an-inner-desire-that-makes-us-want-to-do-good-things-even/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```