I woke up quite early on Sunday with a determined zeal to get to church earlier than usual. Approaching the neighbourhood, I stopped at the junction to pick people in a usual burst of kindness and save them the trouble of walking the distance. As I neatly parked in the corner of the car park and stretched to buckle my sandals, I had a loud snap sound. It then dawned on me that I finally had the bragging right of embracing a wardrobe malfunction for the first time in almost a decade.
As I sat confused and pondering on the next line of action, a silver coloured SUV parked beside me and out walked Lawrence. He wore a truly kind look and was focused on his strides when I stopped him in his tracks with a thoroughly weird request. I asked in the best voice I could muster if he could lend me his jacket. He was quite puzzled and without much ado, removed it and handed it to me and sauntered on his way. As he started walking away and I raced to him and insisted he gave me his mobile number so I can call him to return the jacket.
That in a nutshell can describe how my week started on a spectacular note. Random acts of kindness can communicate how not-so-hopeless the world is. There are really great folks that abound and offer assistance to others in one way or the other. Some might have the passion to share their jackets and others might even have an extra jacket to spare. Some might just be in the corner offering nods of acknowledgement and reassurance.
In any space we find ourselves, the words of the novelist, Henry James should always come to mind; “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” I have long come to realize that being kind to others is as important as allowing ourselves to receive kindness from others.
We might in an attempt to become all-sufficient, find ourselves rebuffing kindness when it is offered to us in whatever form. The mind to embrace love and kindness is an empowering one and expands our mind’s ability to have a positive mindset about folks around us.
While we are yet at the beginning of the last week in November, 2017, I will encourage us to pay particular heed to the words of John Wesley that admonished us to do all the good we can; by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can. At all the times you can, to all the people we can and as long as we ever can.
I celebrate everyone that has joined me on this weekly journey and if you are new to the fun, please click here to enjoy the prior takes.
