Random Acts of Kindness

When a book by the same title as this blog came out, I was enchanted with the idea.  Since I was living in San Francisco at the time, paying for the person behind me at the bridge toll, became a regular thing I would do…Some days I would pick up garbage or open a door for someone.  It often made my day – thinking that I had perhaps made someone else’s day.  It was usually for people I did not know personally and that made it even more meaningful to me.  The look of surprise on their face was worth it all…

This week the book and the gestures came to mind as I watched the events in Israel where the conflicts had been quiet for some time.  I have traveled to that country that has frequently been at war and I have witnessed acts of kindness beyond beliefs and opinions.  It seems like now, more than ever, kindness is needed.  Whether the acts are random or intentional – seems less important than the motivation behind them.

I have had the privilege of seeing the Dalai Lama in person on a few occasions…always a delight to see his joyful countenance and open-heartedness.  He talked of his early dream in leaving Tibet, to bring mindfulness to the western world and make it a household word.  I was smiling at first because I thought…well you have certainly done that!  But then he dropped his head for a moment and said…if only I had made it compassion, we might be in a better place.  It might take being mindful to be compassionate, I am not sure – but he seemed concerned that we had won the battle and lost the war.

You know it’s important when you start to see ads on TV about acts of kindness.  From bullying in school to racial tension to gun shootings to prejudice on sexual orientation – we seem to be short on kindness.  It’s so simple and easy to be kind – a smile, a warm embrace, a small gift, a compliment- I could go on and on.  I took a mini survey this week on the subject and I got many replies in this vein…well I don’t want to intrude…well people may misunderstand my intentions ….well it’s too scary -what if it’s not received – you get the gist.

This week I challenge us all to be ambassadors of kindness – do at least one thing that pushes you out of your comfort zone and into the humane zone…the zone of you guessed it…LOVE. Open your heart ever wider to what the world needs now – Radical Kindness and Boundless compassion.  Do it to elevate your endorphins….do it on behalf of the Dalai Lama – do it cause your Moma said so…I don’t care why…as I heard Michael Jordan say recently …just do it.

Here is a voice that never quits and this song popped into my awareness as I was writing…enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H9HEyjzog4