Emotional Resonance in Acts of Kindness
When offering help to others, an individual experiences a profound emotional response formed through inner responsiveness and genuine engagement. These experiences correspond to an emotional resonance that can either strengthen or weaken personal attachments, depending on how pure and selfless the motives for helping remain. For example, one source notes:"Social connections are built or broken depending on our emotional closeness – and the deeper that closeness, the stronger and more productive the social interaction between people becomes. Based on emotional closeness, further mental exchange develops, minds interact, and unity in actions is created. The mystery of social bonding can be found in our emotional responsiveness—or, using the term mentioned above, in emotional resonance. […] The strength and durability of social bonds directly depend on the intensity of our feelings towards them." (source: link txt, page: 1)Thus, if help is provided with genuine compassion and inner attachment, it fosters improved emotional contact and strengthens relationships, as an atmosphere of sincere mutual understanding and support is created. This helps to form reliable personal bonds, as a person feels valued not only for the material assistance but also for the warmth and sensitivity of their spirit.However, the emotional experience accompanying an act of help can also take on a negative hue if it is demonstrative or burdened by a desire for personal exaltation. One source warns against publicizing one’s good deeds:"And even when helping your neighbors as much as you can, do not exalt yourself in their eyes, do not parade as a benefactor, do not boast about your good deeds! Know that there exists a base sense of ingratitude in the human heart toward those who show off their benevolence, who remind the beneficiaries of their deeds; this ingratitude serves as a punishment for a good deed that is performed not out of love for others, but solely to be praised and exalted as a benefactor. Therefore, strive to help those in need in such a way that, as far as possible, no one would know about it, and never remind those you have helped. Then, you too will be entitled to expect assistance when you are in need, and even while helping others, your acts will not be flaunted or evoke in you feelings of embittered ingratitude." (source: link txt, page: 1)It follows that the emotional experiences associated with helping are closely intertwined with personal attachments: sincere, modest, and selfless support contributes to strengthening interpersonal bonds, whereas demonstrative behavior may provoke rejection and diminish the quality of emotional contact. In this way, an emotional state marked by genuine involvement and empathy positively influences the development of trust and the reinforcement of bonds between people.