“Kindness is free to give and priceless to receive.” -RAKtivist
We are moving into the Fall and Winter seasons. This time of year brings us a lot of holidays and reasons to celebrate.
It also brings with it the “need” to spend money on others to show we care or the sadness of the loss of someone important to our lives.
Most of us fall into one of these “categories.”
Our society and culture have continually reinforced the idea that if we aren’t buying lots of gifts for people we care about, we must not really care about them.
We have mostly forgotten the real purpose behind most of these holidays.
We are meant to celebrate each other, our connectedness, care, love, and support. We have often just forgotten how to do this without spending money.
When we do remember, often it’s because we no longer have someone we cared about with us during the holiday. This is when we start noticing that we are not sad about what we didn’t buy them, but that they are not there to spend time and share experiences with us.
What does kindness have to do with any of this?
Well, I think the beach, a storm, a starfish, and a stranger can help us understand.
YEARS ago when my kids were young, my family would go to the outer banks, rent a house together, and generally have a good time.
One year, a storm rolled through overnight (not like IAN), and in the morning when all of us went out to the beach, there were thousands (well, it seemed like thousands anyway) of starfish and shells on the beach.
As we walked down the beach looking for shells we could collect, we saw a man bending down, picking up starfish and throwing them back into the water.
My niece (the extrovert of the group), asked him why he was doing that. “After all, there is no way you can save them all,” she said.
He smiled at her and showed her a starfish he had picked up and then as he threw it into the water he said, “No, but I made a difference to this one.”
What a great way to show that kindness really does matter.
If we make a difference to one other person (or starfish) on the planet, then we have actually accomplished something of value.
Really, that is what the holidays of the next several months are all about. Showing kindness, concern, and care to each other and for each other.
And, no we do not have to spend lots of money to do this.
A smile to a stranger in the grocery line, a phone call to someone we are thinking about, just spending time with someone, or really listening to someone who needs to vent.
None of these things cost a dime.
But are all about kindness and making the world a better place for all of us.
We have to let go of our current behaviors to move forward in our lives.
We let go and create a new, kinder version of ourselves.
How is this related to our health?
Kindness spreads joy - to others and to ourselves. You will begin to feel a little happier every time you do something for someone else.
Whether they know you did it or not.
How awesome is that?
You get a positive boost and someone else does too!
Try it - do one thing today to spread a little kindness to someone else - and notice how you feel after you do it.
I hope you distribute bags full of kindness this October!
See you in class soon!
With much gratitude and joy,
Colleen “kindness” Moss
