Selectively Juggling

In all honesty I still have some faith or belief in people and by extension the human race. I get to see awe inspiring ordinariness every single day – that is compassionate people doing their best. I noticed the small things, the warm soul to soul smiles, the warmth inflected in a “hello”. I witness this on a daily basis , the acceptance and empathy of ordinary people doing ordinary things. I don’t need to see grandiose displays- in all fairness I’m more unlikely to believe the authenticity of a person needing to broadcast their well orchestrated displays.

At the end of the day, I see kindness as an incredibly enabling and healing energy or force. Not saccharine sweet performative niceness, but real heartfelt and considered kindness.

I know that there is so much hate, toxicity and violence swirling in the ether – like the nothing from ‘The NeverEnding Story’. I see the political, social and environmental violence and destruction- the continued march of the alt-right wing hate machine. But I also see on a daily basis real human connection, care and deeper driven purpose. I experience moments of joy, kindness and connection on a daily basis. This makes me wealthy beyond my imagination.

I’m the type of person who walks with her head held straight ahead – high, eyes straight ahead and able to look and smile at strangers. I don’t do superficial small talk – never have, but yet even a simple, but genuine smile has enough energy to transform a stranger’s moment or day.

Kindness is like skimming positivity across the surface of the universe, effectively creating ripples of change. Often we are unsure where these ripples will start or end. Yet if enough people become practitioners of kindness, the toxicity and dark undercurrent of humanity will soon dissolve, being replaced by genuine care and compassion.

Today, all you need to do to be a card carrying member of the kindness army, is simply smile at a stranger. At least that’s a start. Oh, and kindness isn’t weakness or mushiness- but rather it’s amazing just how much stronger and galvanised you become when you start practicing radical empathy, kindness and compassion. It’s remarkable how self-kindness, self-compassion and self-love can lead to stronger emotional and social boundaries. The kinder I become, the less willing I am to accept and ignore the toxicity and hate (or social injustices) towards myself and others.