What if we all were to choose to spend this holiday season living from the heart? What if we lived today or this moment with compassion? What if today we chose love instead of judgment? Instead of buying into the recent negativity in the social media, what if we decided to only spread kindness? Think of the impact, if this kindness were to continue to grow…what an epidemic that would be!
This Thanksgiving, I decided to start reading the book Random Acts of Kindness by The Editors of Conari Press, Daphne Rose Kingma, Dawna Markova. This book states, “Kindness is twice blessed. It blesses the one who gives it with a sense of his or her own capacity to love, and the person who receives it with a sense of the beneficence of the universe.”
Using kindness can create miracles and heal. It works like an anti-depressant for those in pain. It counterbalances the negative around us. It sends a shining light of peace, hope, and love. Isn’t that what the holidays are supposed to be about?
This year, during all of the holiday busyness, find time to do some random acts of kindness. Let someone cut in front of you in those long lines, who looks like they could use a break. Show some kindness to that cashier. Help someone who is struggling with their packages. Hold a door open. Smile and say hello. Carry spare change and drop it in those boxes by the cash register. Donate your old items to charity. Buy things on ebay or Amazon Smile and make a donation to charity while you shop. Remember that Tuesday is Giving Tuesday! When you send those Christmas Cards, put in a personal note and tell your recipients that they are special to you. One of the easiest things you can do is just to “listen deeply” to someone.
“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.” The Dalai Lama
Keep your light shining and pass it on!!
Kathi Ackerman, MSW, LGSW, LADC