Our Unseen Neighbors

Photo by Bryan Jones

Sometimes kindness requires that we step out of our comfort zone. At the Center for Spiritual Living in Santa Rosa, there is a photo exhibit of unsheltered, homeless people. Bryan Jones, the photographer, invites us to see them, they are our neighbors too.

Reflect on what holds you back. I remember being at a conference in Salt Lake City where I was going to attend a workshop on assisting the homeless. At breakfast I promised myself I would say hello to those I saw on my walk to the convention center. I was afraid that "they" would hound me for money. Not one of the four or five that I greeted and had a brief conversation with did. My regret was that I had set out without a lot of time to visit and had to be on my way to my meeting.

This week's kindness practice is to see and say hello to those you may ignore, choose not to see. You'll find this invitation to be kind under the tab above.

Mud Pies and Smiles

This morning, I find myself in a bit of grumbliness. Stayed up late, have too much on my schedule, even cranky that I am late writing this post. So, for me, and those of you who choose to practice with me, this week's commitment, be gentle with yourself.

There's a phrase, "No mud, no lotus." It reminds us that the beautiful lotus that floats on the surface of a pond has roots in the gunk below. Without the nourishment of that mud, there is no flower.

I can "should" on myself, should have gone to sleep earlier, should have scheduled this blog to post earlier this week, should be more "together." Naw, today, I choose to bless my whole self, mud, stem and blossom; I am what I am, grateful for it all.

That's this week's practice -- have a look at the tab above for the short version.

Noticing

Every now and then, I find myself driving to work when that wasn't my destination. The route is so familiar that I do it without thinking, on autopilot.

This week, join me in not using plastic bags, or at least, noticing when you do so. You may be surprised. Before I sat down to write this post, I noticed that I had a very ripe banana. It's now in the freezer for a future smoothie, and it's in a plastic bag. I actually thought about putting it in one of my glass containers, then convinced myself that one bag didn't matter, that it would fit better in my freezer. That rationalization is what birthed this post.

"Just one" bag probably doesn't matter, except that I'm not the only one using them. Let's make this a week of being kinder to our dear Mother Earth and all its creatures; make room in the freezer for a glass container, remember to bring mesh bags to the grocery store for your veggies, and more.

If you have an aha, or a creative way to avoid plastic bags, please share it in a comment. 

Kindness Is As Kindness Does

Photo by Guy Basabose on Unsplash

This week's practice invites us to pay attention to why we do things, not just anything (though that's a powerful practice), what motivates us to be kind. Gift someone with a kind word, a bit of help, some small thing -- without expecting anything in return. Click on the Weekly Kindness Practice tab above.

Sometimes we do things because it will get us something, earning respect, being appreciated, feeling important, putting someone in our debt. Although those acts may benefit others, they are more like business deals -- I do this, you do that -- than bits of kindness. 

There's another sticky wicket in practicing kindness. It doesn't come from a should. If you're sitting with, "I really should do these practices," rather than do them, you might want to settle into your heart and love yourself up a bit. See where the pushback is, where the "should" lives. Bless it and know that there is more to you than what you think you have to do.

Here's to kindness, just for the joy of it.

Let's Begin - Weekly Kindness Practice

Today we invite you to begin a weekly kindness practice. Know that others are joining you in this practice and that it ripples out into our community and our world.

You'll find today's practice, for the week beginning Monday, July 1, at the tab above labeled "Weekly Kindness Practice." Just click on it to find this week's invitation. Your comments and suggestions for future practices are most welcome.