Reflect on these words from Donna Cameron:
Being kind—truly kind—is hard. Nice requires little effort. I can be nice while also being indifferent, critical, and even sarcastic. But I can't be kind and be any of those things. Being kind means caring. It means making an effort. It means thinking about the impact I'm having in an interaction with someone and endeavoring to make it rich and meaningful—giving them what they need at that exact moment, without worrying about whether I get anything in return. It means letting go of my judgments and accepting people as they are. Kindness requires me to do something my upbringing discouraged—it demands that I reach out and that I take a risk . . . [that I] might be rebuffed, ignored, or disrespected.
A life of kindness is not something that I live only when it suits me. I'm not a kind person if I'm kind only when it's easy or convenient. A life of kindness means being kind when it's neither convenient nor easy—in fact, sometimes it might be terribly hard and tremendously inconvenient. That's when it matters most. That's when the need is greatest and transformation dances at the edge of possibility. That's the time to take a deep breath and invite kindness to dance.
(My thanks to Donna Cameron, via Awakin.org.)
The Gentle Nudge
No Rafter groups this week or next, as I’m out of studio. Be well!
It has been my experience that holding a “kindness focus” eventually “transforms” your brain, shall I say. It becomes an automatic response, not requiring ‘deciding’ to be kind…you just ARE kind & it carries over to every person you come in contact with & colors your life 🌈❤️🌈
Finding & becoming a member of the KindSpring community (kindspring .org) back in 2012 changed my life. Grateful 🙏
Very beautiful!