Every genuine act of kindness you perform is actually a kindness to yourself. In planning and considering your acts you are focusing on something positive. Coming from a true place within, you become an adult version of the child who is so excited in the days leading up to Christmas. Truth be told, I think kindness is our fountain of youth. I think it gets at the religious concept of being like little children.
The concluding week’s theme, to do something kind for a good friend, is one I like to offer early in the class as an opportunity to be more mindful about something we may already be doing on a regular basis, that is being kind to those close to us. But we may take for granted some of the kind things we do, especially those that may seem small.
On that subject, you’ll hear me say again and again that the small acts of kindness are often the most significant. Small acts for those closest to us require paying careful attention, which helps us be in the moment. Keep looking for those small acts of kindness you can do for your friends and family members. As I said above and last week, these definitely come back as kind acts to yourself.
Synchronicity can also be a factor in kindness. I think intersecting stories are the Universe’s way of pointing us in a particular direction. Take note of these and, if you’re willing, please take the time to share them, even if they seem small or insignificant, and even if they happen in your lives in ways not connected to this class. I am fascinated by these and believe there is something significant taking place when they occur.
We’re getting in the groove now! I hope you’re all having fun.
Kind Living 
First, I love Fish Astronaut’s drawing for this post – the dropping of hearts along a sidewalk – isn’t that our challenge? To drop our kind acts upon people we interact with and surprise and please them. I find I am no longer very good at planning specific opportunities to do a kind act each week, partially because I am so much more kind on a daily basis now, but…. to fulfill the kind act for this week, I have a plan — something I really have to actively pursue to make it happen. But it will not happen this week. It is part of a process started on Jan 11.
My husband celebrates his 70th birthday on February 11th. Secretly I have already arranged for a good friend of ours to come visit for four days over his birthday weekend. She will be here on his birthday which falls on a Monday. But the other scheme I have hatched is to see if I can arrange for him to recieve 70 birthday greetings, from family, friends, former classmates, neighbors, etc…. I am really excited about it, but not sure I can reach 70 people. If I only had access to the blogs he reads… but I will do my best to surprise and please him!!!!
Linda – I am so grateful that you participate in these classes :-). I am always inspired by your outlook on life. I think that idea for your husband is wonderful!! What a thoughtful gift to give him – I can’t imagine anything more special than that. For him to hear from the people he holds dearest on his birthday. I can’t wait to hear how it goes! 🙂
For me I was able to perform another act of kindness this week. This time for my ex-husband.
It was his 40th birthday on Saturday, and he had already planned to come to visit our son, and spend time with him. Because it was a special day, I offered to shout him dinner – chinese takeout. Just before dinner time, he took my son out for a little while. And it suddenly occurred to me that I would like to make him a birthday cake. That it would be an act of kindness towards him, and something nice for my son to be part of (blowing out the candles).
I realised I had very little time though, and as I was standing in the kitchen pondering what to do, I remembered I had a sponge cake in the freezer. It was on special at the supermarket that week, and I had bought it on a whim, and put it in the freezer. So I grabbed it out, put jam between it, and dusted it with icing sugar. By the time they arrived back 45 minutes later, it was defrosted and looking lovely.
I don’t know how my ex-husband felt about it in the end. As he didn’t say anything. But that was okay. Because it felt very right for me to do it, and I am glad that I did 🙂