We Aren't Kind Enough

What is kindness? How might it operate in our daily lives? Why does it matter?

“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.”
― Khalil Gibran

Actively listening and observing can tell us a lot about what others are dealing with in life. We do not know what others are encountering on their paths. Many lives are fraught with sadness, grief, pain and despair to varying degrees. In our present day society kindness is not valued as it might be. While some people seem to be naturally kind I think that it is a quality that one can nurture in oneself.

When a person feels unheard, when he is left alone, oftener and longer than he would wish, it can be tough. Kindness can make life better and restore a person with hope, even momentary joy.

What does kindness look like?

Kindness is showing up in someone's life. Kindness is paying a past act of happiness forward to another person. Kindness is a hug, a meal and a willing ear lent graciously.  Kindness is a smile that reaches to the eyes, an interaction with someone that doesn't involve repeatedly looking at one's watch. Kindness can involve doing acts of service of any sort.

Kindness is a state of being and a state of mind. It is an act of holding space for someone unlike others in your life and trying to understand. Kindness is giving someone what he wants and not what you want.

Kindness involves not shaming people for their problems and privations.

I'm working on being kinder to myself and I hope that translate into my being kinder to others as well.

Existence and Mindfulness

I struggled with the mechanics of meditation for years. I stared at a candle flame but couldn't process how to let go. These days I am the sky and most thoughts are easily understood to be clouds. I can choose to watch them, see amusing shapes in them, ignore them or get swept up in the accompanying winds and precipitation. I can appreciate the warmth of the sunshine should it be that sort of day. I can struggle with the cold should that be what my mind works itself into.

I remind myself that this is the only moment that is tangibleand that life is simply a series of moments. I am trying to live in my moments instead of miring down into a past I cannot, often, understand or a future that I cannot predict. What happiness is there in being out of awareness?

How I came to be who I am "now" occasionally occupies my mind. I am relentlessly "coming to be" and yet find my preference is to shed who I am in danger of becoming. Listen here for an important perspective on existence from Alan Watts.

I concede that I am still an infant. The more I explore the more I realize I have more to explore.

I Plant Seeds

I plant seeds.

I have strong opinions on many things. Others? Meh. Here's a list.

1. We are stewards of the Earth. We don't live here rent free.
2. Women reign sovereign over their bodies.
3. Good character and Integrity are valuable assets.
4. Government must be accountable to the people.
5. Spying on citizens is wrong.
6. There is no one right religion.
7. Living in fear prevents a person from living fully.
8. "This" is the best moment of your life. Why? Because it's the moment you are living in. Being present is underrated and undervalued.
9. Death is something worth talking about.
10. Comparing oneself to the lived or curated appearance of the living of others is  a waste of time.
11. Kindess matters, to ourselves, and others.
12. No one child's life is more or less important than another.
13. There is evil in the world.
14. Most leaders in the United States have psychopathic tendencies.
15. Father doesn't know best, in the sense of patriarchy.
16. Religion can make peope stupid and hateful and dangerous.
17. Journalism is dead.
18. Racism exists.
19. Family can be any grouping of people who care for each other and have each other's back, so to speak.
20. Fake words and concepts masquerading as science are detrimental.