Harshness and unkindness are relative. The appearance of them may be the fruits of the greatest kindness.

In nature there's no blemish but the mind; None can be called deformed but the unkind.

O Regan, she hath tied Sharp-toothed unkindness, like a vulture, here.

Unkindness may do much; And his unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love.

We're all born with selfish desires, so we can all relate to those feelings in others. But kindness is something made individually by each person...so it's easy to misunderstand when others are trying to be kind to you.

Kindness in ourselves is the honey that blunts the sting of unkindness in another.