Extending kindness to those near and dear is natural and easy. Extending a smile or thank you to a stranger or a grocery checker becomes a habit. Donating food to the hungry feels good. When I reframe, I am able to think kindly about the driver who pulls into a parking stall just ahead of me. Perhaps that person carries a heavy load. Perhaps they need to get to work on time or home to a sick child or family member. As a wise friend once said, "There is no need to send my angst into the world." Being kind to myself is also part of the practice.
For me, the challenge is to extend kindness to an acquaintance who is annoying or irritating for some reason. Let's say, they don't recycle or they litter their yards with eyesores, or their political opinion is different from mine, or they monopolize a conversation with trivia, or, or, or. Here, as the saying goes, is "the rub" that creates a blister. However practicing kindness or trying to reframe a behavior makes me feel better. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail. Kindness is a practice, a process. I hope I don't sound like goody-two shoes here. I am far from perfect. I make mistakes but for me it's worth the effort. As I mull over a word for the new year I will carry kindness with me. Onward we go.
This is the poem I sent with our holiday greeting cards. Now I send it out to you.
Kindness *
Outside my window
junco shelters in the birch.
Around her, bark flutters
like a string of prayer flags.
The gale peels away
layers of roughness,
years of care that
protected the heart.
A flag frays, then falls,
a postcard of kindness
sent to a neighbor
just down the street.
What if we squared our shoulders,
bent our hearts to generous care?
What if we spoke nothing
but kindness to the prevailing wind?
*Copyright Jane A. Wolfe
Birch comes from Burg and means the tree whose bark is written upon.
Your poem goes straight to the heart. Thank you for the beautiful words.
ReplyDeleteEven though we've never met in person, I always think of you as a kind person, Jane. You are kind and gentle in your writing and I can see that it is a mindset. Your poem is lovely and I thank you for sharing it with us (more kindness)!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post, Jane. I love the way you embraced and celebrated KINDNESS this year -- going even deeper with the experience. I love the poem. It is evocative and flows so beautifully. Thank you for sharing it with us. (And those pink tutus are so wonderful.) XO
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful poem and a lovely reflection! I have loved reading how you've endeavored to make kindness a practice in your life. I've been actively trying to remember that kindness costs me nothing and yet can do so much when it's given to someone else. I think if we all showed more kindness to each other, the world would be a much better place.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem, Jane! And I agree with Bonny... I think that your kindness runs deep and the blessing is that you share your kindness with us with every post you share here!
ReplyDeleteI wish you an extra special New Year! XO
As a reader your blog exudes kindness - I love that word and how you've honed it as your own over the year. Love the poem!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to leave your word. Thanks you for your thoughtful post Jane
ReplyDeleteYour poem is lovely ... I read a book about kindness that framed it as a muscle - a practice we need to exercise even when it's hard, and maybe most especially then? It does seem like kindness is often going against the grain (and that last verse says all of that so beautifully). Thank you for modeling a kindness attitude!
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