Lately, I’ve resolved to see and contribute to small acts of kindness or simple friendliness. The news tells us every day about so much violence and cruelty that it is easy to conclude that meanness and terror is the general atmosphere in the world. I find it important to remind myself that there is much more going on in the world than violence. The human heart is inherently compassionate.
The past few days, I’ve experienced a number of small acts of kindness that have reminded me of this. At a gas station, the person at the pump next to me cleaning his car windows said with a smile, “We can see again. At least for a couple of minutes.” He laughed and I laughed with him. His comment brightened my day as I cleaned off the street grim from the car windows.
In the grocery store parking lot, when I was looking for a place to put my cart away, a woman walking by said, “I’ll take that.” She took the cart into the store with her to do her shopping.
A retreatant whose shower wasn’t working met me at the end of the day with a smile instead of a complaint. The inconvenience of using a different shower that night didn’t seem to bother him.
When the sisters went out to eat to celebrate Sister Mary David Walgenbach’s anniversary of profession, the waitress noticed Sister Mary David opening her cards and asked if it was her birthday. Sister Joanne Kollasch said, “It is a celebration.” So the waitress brought Sister Mary David a free piece of pie with a candle in it to contribute to the celebration. We were all blessed by her action.
Small acts of kindness or a simple smile can mean so much. Some years ago, doing random acts of kindness was popular. It seems like a good resolution for 2018. Our world can use more kindness.
Comments 5
Sister Lynne,
In my continuing reading of the Power of Joy, a dialogue of the Dalai Lama
and Archbishop Tutu, world religions’ creeds are best evangelized by its adherents
with acts of kind deeds and words of those disciples through out this world and planet of Earth..
Thanks for this comment, Michael. Christians were first known for their kindness to prisoners, widows and orphans.
Thank you for the reminder that the little things count. A neighbor brought over a piece of freshly baked cranberry cherry cake. Yummmm!!!
Today the Milwaukee Oblate Circle met and considered “unscripted” daily events which we find in abundance if we just open to them and which we are blessed by if we also just open to them. Acts of kindness fit right in to the discussion–both to do and to receive.
Small acts of kindness can help us keep our hope up and contribute positively to our world.