--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kindness wasn’t a passive quality. It was…" description: "\"“Kindness wasn’t a passive quality. It was a choice one had to make, and right then, Ivy didn’t feel much like making it.”\" — Melissa Grey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/melissa-grey-65594_kindness_kindness-wasn-t-a-passive-quality-it-was_2426461.jpg" --- # Kindness wasn’t a passive quality. It was a choice one had… ![“Kindness wasn’t a passive quality. It was a choice one had to make, and right then, Ivy didn’t feel much like making it.” quote by Melissa Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/melissa-grey-65594_kindness_kindness-wasn-t-a-passive-quality-it-was_2426461.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/melissa-grey-65594_kindness_kindness-wasn-t-a-passive-quality-it-was_2426461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/melissa-grey-65594_kindness_kindness-wasn-t-a-passive-quality-it-was_2426461.jpg) > ““Kindness wasn’t a passive quality. It was a choice one had to make, and right then, Ivy didn’t feel much like making it.”” [Melissa Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-grey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kindness requires active decision‑making, not just a passive trait, especially when it feels difficult. **In simple terms:** Kindness is a conscious choice, not automatic. Key Takeaway Choose kindness even when it's hard. Themes choice kindness morality Mood reflective thoughtful Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - personal conflict - workplace tension - family disagreement - social interaction Key Concepts agency ethical decision empathy Questions to Reflect On - When have you avoided kindness? - What makes kindness feel like a sacrifice? A Different Perspective Kindness can be taxing and may conflict with self‑interest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-make-263347/) [Didn Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-feel-233915/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-wasn-2256200/) [Right Ivy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-ivy-2848095/) [Wasn Passive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-passive-4764404/) ## Related quotes > [For me, a muse is someone who looks glamorous but is quite passive, whereas I was very hard-working. I worked from 9am to sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loulou-de-la-falaise/for-me-a-muse-is-someone-who-looks-glamorous-but-is-quite-passive/) [Loulou de la Falaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loulou-de-la-falaise/) > [“Everything was right with Ivy. It was without her where things went wrong. So,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-benton/everything-was-right-with-ivy-it-was-without-her-where-things-went/) [Ren Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-benton/) > [“Such kindness wasn't a gift but a goad, scraping against one's skin like a yoke of thorns. She would have preferred him stiff, defensive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-willig/such-kindness-wasn-t-a-gift-but-a-goad-scraping-against-one-s-skin/) [Lauren Willig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-willig/) > [For every bad choice you make you learn to make a right one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/for-every-bad-choice-you-make-you-learn-to-make-a-right-one/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Every choice you make has higher stakes - or that's how it feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/every-choice-you-make-has-higher-stakes-or-that-s-how-it-feels/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/life-is-a-matter-of-choices-and-every-choice-you-make-makes-you/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [The Choice, after all, is ours to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-carson/the-choice-after-all-is-ours-to-make/) [Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-carson/) > [Habits are products of our choice; we are what we make of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-kenyon/habits-are-products-of-our-choice-we-are-what-we-make-of-ourselves/) [E. W. Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-kenyon/) > [I always live by the statement 'everything is what you make it.' There will always be difficult situations that occur in life but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-mcdermott/i-always-live-by-the-statement-everything-is-what-you-make-it-there/) [Zara McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-mcdermott/) > [“Happiness is a choice you make, regardless of the circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-etayeb/happiness-is-a-choice-you-make-regardless-of-the-circumstances/) [Mohammad Etayeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-etayeb/) > [“We change the future with every choice we make,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/we-change-the-future-with-every-choice-we-make/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [There's a choice you have to make in everything you do and you must always keep in mind the choice you make makes you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-choice-you-have-to-make-in-everything-you-do-and-you-must/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even by one choice u make,it could change the outcome of anything in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-williams/even-by-one-choice-u-make-it-could-change-the-outcome-of-anything-in/) [Craig Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-williams/) > [Know one can make you love yourself ... its a choice YOU have to make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/know-one-can-make-you-love-yourself-its-a-choice-you-have-to-make/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [“Choices are one thing, though. And in my humble opinion... Every choice I make will lead me to the one, at the right time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-grey/choices-are-one-thing-though-and-in-my-humble-opinion-every-choice-i/) [Marilyn Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-grey/) ## More by Melissa Grey > [“It’s the same nonsense for which all monuments are built: we fought, we bled, we died, and all in the name of glory. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-grey/it-s-the-same-nonsense-for-which-all-monuments-are-built-we-fought-we/) [Melissa Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-grey/) > [“I like to be around all these books. It’s like having a million friends, wrapped in paper and scrawled in ink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-grey/i-like-to-be-around-all-these-books-it-s-like-having-a-million/) [Melissa Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-grey/) > [“Hi, I’m the firebird, you may know me from folklore of various cultures all over the globe. And these are my friends, members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-grey/hi-i-m-the-firebird-you-may-know-me-from-folklore-of-various-cultures/) [Melissa Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-grey/) [Explore all 4 Melissa Grey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-grey/) ## More Kindness quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Kindness unlocks doors that were thought to be closed forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/kindness-unlocks-doors-that-were-thought-to-be-closed-forever/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-very-kind-and-very-intelligent-and-those-elements-are-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Praise will come to those whose kindness leaves you without debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-finn/praise-will-come-to-those-whose-kindness-leaves-you-without-debt/) [Neil Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-finn/) > [“A little bit of kindness goes a long way with women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/a-little-bit-of-kindness-goes-a-long-way-with-women/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [The smartest people are the ones who can bring a little bit of heaven to earth by using there kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/the-smartest-people-are-the-ones-who-can-bring-a-little-bit-of-heaven/) [IsiahNunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isiahnunn/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [“A man full of warm, speculative benevolence may wish his society otherwise constituted than he finds it; but a good patriot, and a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-man-full-of-warm-speculative-benevolence-may-wish-his-society/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 6,600 Kindness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Kindness wasn’t a passive quality. 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