“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.â€ย – Dalai Lama
Is it me or am I the only one that thinks that so much of our thought process is “all about me? ” I suppose with so much negativity in the news and so much going on as we try to survive, our stress levels elevate and we forget to look outside of ourselves. Can we consciously start being more kind to one another? How about a simple act of kindness? Maybe a compliment, allowing someone to merge in front of you while in a traffic jam, using manners such as please and thank you. What about an award that you can give to your wife or husband for being the BEST spouse in the world. That will probably bring a smile to their face. ๐
Below is a story that I read (source unknown), that I’d like to share with you:
“While shopping at my local store I noticed a young girl ahead of me. She had with her what looked like a newborn infant in the cart along with diapers, formula, and other food items.
The cashier rung up her items and the girl gave the cashier her credit card. The credit card was declined and the girl looked at the cashier embarassed. The cashier gave the girl the option of keeping her items in the cart while the girl went to get the necessary money.
The girl left, to go get her money. I told myself that if the girl came back, that would be my signal to help her. The girl came back at the exact moment that the cashier was done ringing up my groceries. She told the cashier, ” I have some money but not enough, so I will have to return some stuff”
I stepped up and very quietly told the cashier that I would take care of it while handing her my check card. The girl said, “No, I’ve got it.” I said, “It’s ok, consider it a random act of kindness and pass it on. I know what it’s like to be a new Mom.” The bill came to over $150, but I know that that girl will never forget it and that maybe next time she saw someone in need, if she could, she would repeat the favor. “
Practice kindness one action at a time. “Every waterfall starts with a drop!”
There you have it my rant for this week!
Will you go out of your way to do a kind act?
I also wrote a guest post over at A Life Less Sweet if you have a chance to visit.
73 users commented in " Kindness "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback@Audrey McClelland, A wonderful act of kindness! Those are the moments that stick with us. Not so long….very nice! Thank you!
A lot of people in the Southern California hustle and bustle of life could do with taking a moment to read this. As for me, I’m going to step up in the RAOK area. Compassion is one of the keys to healthy, happy living.
@Mamasphere, Great goals! thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful, wonderful story! Thanks for sharing this!
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@Mama Zen, Thank you!
Volunteering and helping others helps US to stay connected, too. I was feeling kind of isolated; it’s amazing what a hurricane can do for a neighborhood (as opposed to just “TO a neighborhood”) – people who’ve never spoken before will wave and talk and help each other out.
@Holly Jahangiri, Great points! Thanks for sharing!
What an inspiring post. While I can’t say that I would go out of my way to perform an act of kindness, I do try to remember to be kind to my loved ones – and to strangers.
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@Vered, Very nice! Thank you!
Kind acts should not be so rare, but, sadly, they all too often are. Reading this post, as well as reading lots of other blogs daily, I am finding that there are amazing, kind people out there…we just need to look.
I like this quote:
Practice kindness one action at a time. “Every waterfall starts with a drop!â€ย
peace,
mike
livelife365
Streeeeeetch Your Life
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@Mike, Thank you for your words! Have a nice day!
It’s happened to me a few times in the last couple of weeks that I’ve noticed someone leaving behind a cell phone at a restaurant, or that their child’s jewelry has fallen under the table, and so on. All I do is point it out to them and you can see how relieved they are that the item was not lost and how grateful they are that I noticed and pointed it out to them. I don’t think we have to go out of our way in order to help others, I think that if we pay attention there are many little things we can do to help the people who come across our path.
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@Marelisa, Fantastic examples! Thank you for sharing!
So great is the Golden Rule : Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do to you but do to others what you want others to do unto you! Unfortunately, it’s so rare finding people with that virtue of great compassion. I wish there was more! I try to live my life that way but then sometimes, people are just born selfish. Such is life. To err is human?
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@Maricris, “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do to you but do to others what you want others to do unto you! ” Well stated!
I loved this story….and I think random acts of kindness are like angels on earth, a reminder of our better selves. It’s also amazing how good it feels to be one of those angels when the opportunity arises.
I’m also a big believer in keeping a gratitude journal as a means of reminding myself of the good in life.
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@Suzanne, Fantastic feedback! Thank you!
That’s great. My husband is great at paying for Sbux for the person behind us in a car fairly often.
Good luck this weekend!
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@Fit Mom, That is a nice gesture! Thank you!
Beautiful reminder. I find that the more I smile, the more smiles I get in return. Especially taking time to smile at the elderly and children. I always wave to the kids on my daughter’s school bus. They wait for it now–grinning at me as soon as it pulls up. I love that!
@KD @ A Bit Squirrelly, wonderful when the kids run into my arms after school…very nice I agree! Thanks for your comments!
It truly does make one feel good-to be nice!
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@Tipper, Yes it does.. ๐
Kindness is a language the whole world speaks. I try my very best to teach my children kindness as it seems so simple but often overlooked upon. Great post Mark…as always:~)
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@Brandi, Thank you for your kind words!
What a beautiful story! I always treat others the way that I would want to be treated. Being kind feels good and the best part is that it makes others feel good. I can’t imagine any other way to live.
@Talli van Sunder, So true! Thank you!
You’re right, Mark — I think we tend to get too caught up in ourselves and our own lives to show compassion to other people. It’s good to be reminded to step back and think about others.
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@Zandria, Thanks for your feedback! ๐
Kindness goes a long way. I think I need to start with being KIND to myself.
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@meleah rebeccah, Absolutely! Start with oneself. ๐
You are a sweetheart. I ran into Lance and then you, one right after the other and I am ending my day in a feel GOOD, feel HAPPY mood. I am so touched by what you did. Thank you from my heart. You have a beautiful blog and spirit. And it truly does make the world a better place. It heartens me to know there are people like you in the world. Thank you. Robin Easton http://nakedineden.com/nakedinedenblog/
@Robin, Thank you for your kind words!
Nice post, Mark!