Kindness Matters

Green, the color of June, abounds on the drive into Wyoming on Highway 287.

"Kindness and politeness are not overrated at all.

They're underused."
               -  Tommy Lee Jones

The other night as we watched the evening news, it seemed that all the happenings in the world were so dark and grim--except for the little spark of light at the end of the newscast in which a random act of kindness was reported in brief detail.

A poppy blooms bright orange at my
folk's cabin high in the mountains.

For 28 minutes I had endured reports about political machinations, threats made between countries, senseless murders, cover-ups and a barrage of commercials that included some for drugs with side affects that sounded so dire one would prefer to suffer with the original diagnosis.

But, it was during the final two minutes in which kindness was highlighted that brought tears to my eyes and reminded me that

where there is kindness, there is goodness.  Where there is goodness there is magic. 

Hot days in Colorado when it's 101 in the shade!

It's a tough thing to be kind sometimes.  It's hard to practice kindness on those hot days when I-25 is gridlocked with vehicles and drivers who are weary and impatient and "forget" to yield. Or to those drivers who pretend yellow lights do not exist and red lights do not apply to them.

Contrails create wonderful sky patterns.

"The world is full of genuinely nice and kind people.  

If you can't find one, be one.

One small act of kindness goes farther than you think."
          -- The Goodvibe Company

Bright columbines bloom with abundance in June.

I would like to think that throughout my life I have been kind.  Certainly, I have appreciated the kindness of others.

But, a couple of years ago I really began to see that any act of kindness on my part--no matter how small--could be my way of trying to make the world a little better.

I decided to Practice the Art of Kindness
beginning with drivers I considered rude, thoughtless or careless.  I came up with a 
BLESSING:

Please bless this car.
Let them (the car, driver and any passengers) get to their destination safely and cause no harm.




On the one hand a simple blessing was an easy response that was kind, cost me nothing but a few minutes of my time and hopefully allowed that driver to get home safely without causing an accident.

I quickly realized, though, that compassion is a two-way street.

My roses fill the yard with fragrance!

"Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you."
      -- Princess Diana

We are human, all in this journey of life together. Although we each travel different paths, I am reminded of this message:

"Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something." 
          -- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Earlier this week I was driving on Highway 392, not in a particular hurry but trying to avoid the long line of cars waiting to get onto I-25.  I surmised that there must be a turning lane ahead and, in my desire to get out of this congestion mistook a lane leading into a neighborhood as a lane for drivers wanting to turn right.

After I passed the neighborhood entrance the lane disappeared and I realized that I was stuck outside the long single lane of cars--all just as impatient as I was and likely not feeling all that compassionate about a rogue driver trying to enjoy an end-run while they inched forward.

I took a deep fortifying breath and turned around to look behind me in hopes of persuading the driver to allow me to re-enter the lane.  To my astonishment he was smiling and already waving me "free entrance."

I couldn't believe my luck!  Although it was clearly my mistake, here was a driver who was waving, "it's okay."   

The Snowy Mountains emerge to the west of Lake Hatte outside of
Laramie, Wyoming.

Maybe it wasn't "luck."
Maybe it was simply "kindness."

I would like to think so.

And, I would like to encourage you to join me in Practicing Random Acts of Kindness.

I may not be able to stop terrorism or pass an affordable health care bill, but I can...

*be tolerant and kind in my driving
*smile at everyone
*compliment without hesitation
*disagree with respect
*remember to use my words wisely
*let kindness lead my actions...

I'm sure you get the drift of how this works.

Right now with everyone seemingly so angry, let's practice kindness and inspire others to do the same.  

A double rainbow enjoyed at an intersection in Fort Collins.

"Remember, there's no such thing as a small act of kindness.

Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."
         
         -- Scott Adams,
             Creator of the Dilbert
             comic strip