Kindness is in the forefront of my reality today.
Dave Rogers coach extraordinaire reminded me that today is a day for random acts of kindness. I don’t know if it is the official day but should every day not be the offical day for kindness?
And here is a poem called “Kindness” that touches my heart and brought tears to my eyes when I first read it.
Written by Palestinian American Naomi Shihab Nye ..
Kindness
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you every where
like a shadow or a friend.For her poems you can find them here.
This post links me to my mother.
Wise words to her daughters – ‘I don’t care who you marry, as long as he’s kind”.
(She also said: “Don’t come asking for permission too early, you’re never TOO OLD to marry”!)
Julia
I really think that kindness should be the forefront of everyone’s reality. This is not an easy task to accomplish. Every where I go people are butting in front of me, taking advantage of me, or I am unacknowledged. I am still kind and respectful but sometimes I want to behave just as they are. I feel that negative feelings are contagious and catch myself behaving just as others do towards me and often times I stop, take a deep breath, and continue with my business. Sometimes when others are acting unkind I am able to continue with my good mood, and in a way behave overly kind to these people. This makes them feel uncomfortable but I continue hoping they will take some kindness with them, as though I am just a host and kindness can spread to others.
I know that people who can let disappointments go and can except disappointments as a normal part of life, have compassion to others and can treat others kindly, have generally better health. Basically, treat others the way that you want to be treated and let things go. This is key to good mental health.
I will continue to try hard to think kind and be kind and maybe it will spread. This is my long term goal for my life. Better mental health in combination with good physical health can lead to a long happy healthy life.