You Never Know

When you do an act of kindness you never know how much it affects the receipient. Sometimes a small act of kindness can make a big difference.

I know that many folks think that unless their act of kindness is big or expensive, it really doesn't count. But the little things do make a difference.

Consider this checkout clerk's act of kindness. The receipient was going through a rough time with her youngest child in the hospital. And it was the holiday season. She and her older son went grocery shopping. Weary from worry, she didn't expect to be treated special. Take a look, it's a short clip:

So, this clerk, who was probably dealing with all kinds of frazzeled shoppers during the holiday season, was attentive to her shopper and her shopper's child. And she took the time to treat them as special. It made all the difference.

So who might you treat as special today, or tomorrow, or the next day? Let's all practice paying it forward.

Pay It Forward

I looked for videos about paying it forward. Most of them were about paying money for someone's meal, coffee, purchase, etc. But most of us don't have much money to spare these days and we may beleive we can't participate in paying it forward.

But we'd be wrong. Paying it forward simply means doing a random act of kindness. And there are so many ways to do that. It just takes being aware of other people and what they might need at any given moment.

For instance, I was headed for my car from the grocery store and someone came over and offered to lift my bags into my trunk. I was grateful.

That's all it takes. I've had shoppers help me when I shop in the grocery store by reaching for things that are high up and hard to reach. I've had people help me find something on my list that I couldn't find. Simple.

Sometimes it is a simple as letting another driver into your lane in front of you. Or even something no one may even think of as an act of kindness. Sometimes I go to a store where the carts are returned in a haphazard fashion. I just take a minute or two to put them in neatly so the next shopper doesn't have to fight for a cart.

Or maybe you just smile and say hello to someone you may not know but looks kind of down. Or offer to share an umbrella with someone who hasn't one. Or you say "Thank you" to someone who seldom gets thanked.

Many folks say, why bother? The answer is that we each have the capacity to make the world better, one act of kindness at a time. Isn't that an important reason to take the time and thought to pay it forward?

Your Assignment - Change the world

It's possible.

Think about it.

If a child can do it, surely you can too.

Go forth and pay it forward.

I'm Recruiting for a Revolution

"Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come" 

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Are you in?

The time has come for us to rise up and make kindness the new normal. We've been witnessing one of the most unkind political campaigns in modern history. And we have watched how violence and division have spread throughout our country and the world. It is time for a change.

I've written in past posts about changing the world. Well, we can. And it isn't as hard as you might think. Anytime you change your behavior it changes the world that is immediately around you. What you do today creates your tomorrow.

When we sew seeds of kindness it changes things, often changes people. Kindness is contagious.  And it is also provides invaluable teaching for the children who witness it. So you can change the world around you simply by your kindness.

By keeping our hearts and minds open to the possibility of kindness we "come into our power, our personal power - the power of a kind heart with the courage to act on it's beliefs." (Margot Silk Forrest,  a short course in kindness,)

Have you ever considered how someone's world might change as a result of your kind action? Have you ever had one of those days when nothing seemed to go right? Your world seemed really challenging and your frustrations was driving you to anger? Then someone went out of their way to do something really kind and your whole perspective changed. The world no longer seemed so threatening. It was changed by that kind action. And, you became more kind yourself.

Even the smallest kind act sends out ripples of kindness. When enough of us are living kindness we can create a tsunami of kindness that washes away hate and heals the divisiveness. Really.

 Something as small as taking the empty grocery cart you see parked in a parking slot at the store back to the cart corral or the store doesn't seem like much to you. But to the person who has to round up all those stray carts, one less does make a difference. And for the person who tries to park their car in a slot but can't because of the cart someone thoughtlessly left there it eliminates one more thing that frustrates them that day. Often carts are left in the handicapped parking area because those folks can't walk them back to the store. This, though, makes it hard for the next handicapped person to park close to the store entrance. Why not just grab one of those carts when you go into the store and eliminate that frustration for them?

Don't think this would change the world? Consider how many kind acts might result because you are thinking more kindly, looking for opportunities to act kindly. The more kindness you act on the more likely you are to do other kind acts. Each time you take action to be kind it reinforces your kindness action and courage. So even if the other person is unaware of your kind act, you become more kind. And, like drops of water on the stone, your kindness changes your life and that of those around you.

Consider the chain reaction of "paying it forward". Someone at Starbucks pays for the car behind them in the drive through and the people receiving that kindness are likely to pay for the one behind them. It is contagious. Spread it around.

So, let's rise up and change the world. Look for kind actions that you can do. Take action and spread kindness to everyone. Imagine the result of this revolution!

Let's change the world. Are you in?

Disruption

So, how do we disrupt the old way of the world of separation? The best way to disrupt it at its foundation is giving people the experience of non-separation. This means each time we act with true "generosity, forgiveness, attention, truth or unconditional acceptance" (1) we offer the experience of connection and compassion.

This violates the old beliefs that "Everyone is out for themselves." It affirm the desire to give, create, love and play. It makes it o.k. for others to break through those old beliefs. While these acts can't make someone give up their old beliefs, it does invite others to at least consider that those beliefs may not be totally true. The most we can do isopen the door to a different perspective on the world.

We live in a time of self-rejection. How often do we hear someone declare that they, or someone they know, are their own worst critic. Your unconditional acceptance of others shows them a new possibility. This is a transformative power that we all have. This is an important way we can change the world. Don't underestimate the power of compassionate acts.

A way to multiply this power is to stand by those who "do the right thing." Just be silent witness to justice and compassion on the part of others. It is easier to act justly if you have the support of others. This is aother way we disrupt separation.

Consider, also, how the perspective of connectivity spreads compassion. Because we are all connected, everything we do influences everyone and everything else. So your generosity, your non-judgemental acceptance of others has a ripple effect. The "pay it forward" effect is evidence of this. Someone pays for the coffee of the car behind them in the drive-thru and others then do the same.

You smile at a stranger and she smiles back. She's then more likely to smile at someone else, who then also smiles. You forgive someone for some hurt and your healing advances - as does theirs. When one part of the web is mended, the entire web is stronger.

Yes, there will be times when someone is so stuck in the old ways of separation that they will reject your acts of compassion. While that is sad, it need not effect you. Don't let it influence you to fall back into old ways yourself.

And, of course, it begins with having love and compassion for yourself. For you cannot give away what you don't have. Nurture your inner being as you live in the more beautiful world.

Today's Daily Dozen To-do List:

• Make a list of ten things you like about yourself.
• Give something to someone - a smile, a hug, a kind word, a poem, a card, etc.
• Spend time with someone being creative - paint, do needlework, sing, dance, problem-solve.
• Tell someone you love them, but only if you mean it., Feel the love in your heart.
• Be silly with someone! Laugh. Play like children. Play with children.
• Tell a family member something you like/appreciate about them.
• Tell a friend something you like/appreciate about them.
• Tell an acquaintance something you like/appreciate about them.
• Make a list of things in your life that are evidence of abundance.
• Spend time with someone who is giving and accepting of others. Practice being like them.
• Think of someone who may have hurt you. Focus on forgiving them in order to heal your wound. Be love.
• Think of something you feel bad about having done to someone else. Focus on forgiving yourself with unconditional acceptance. Be love.