When Dr. Repassy of Repassy Medical in Natick, MA started a "kindness tree" in her office, people would write a little blurb on a piece of paper about how one's kindness affected them, or how they were kind to another and pin it on the branches. Each piece of paper with the different sentiments now fill the tree with leaves of kindness. The following is something I wrote a month or two ago but pinned on the tree today. I'll post pictures soon to show how the quotes and stories give life and leaves to the tree.
Merriam-Webster online dictionary describes Kindness this way: the quality or state of being kind.
Kindness is synonymous with benevolence, grace, and service.
No behavior is greater or superior than a life of service to others. We do not have to give a lot in order to be kind to another or to serve. Sometimes the little things have the most impact. A couple words spoken with sincerity over a moment’s time can really improve another’s mental and physical health. A few well-chosen words can remove all doubt. They have the power turn stress into a vapor. They can lift us up and encourage us to achieve great success.
A few years ago I was just having a terrible day. It seemed that nothing was going to make me happy. I felt that at any moment I would spit acid and breathe fire on anyone who looked at me the wrong. That was before I walked through the front door of 7-11 to pay for my gas. A man, around my own age, stopped me for a second on his way out, “Hey, nice tee shirt!” I was wearing one of my favorite tee shirts that day, and for a brief moment I wanted to yell at him, to tell him to get out of my way, but his nice comment was genuine and it distracted me from my rotten mood long enough that a smile broke across my face. “Thanks!” The day ended a hundred times better than it had started. He had no idea what a great thing he did for me. His kind gesture made me feel really good. It is now eight years later and the story continues to make me smile. The lesson I learned was that that my words and actions no matter how large or small can make someone’s day.
Kindness is synonymous with benevolence, grace, and service.
No behavior is greater or superior than a life of service to others. We do not have to give a lot in order to be kind to another or to serve. Sometimes the little things have the most impact. A couple words spoken with sincerity over a moment’s time can really improve another’s mental and physical health. A few well-chosen words can remove all doubt. They have the power turn stress into a vapor. They can lift us up and encourage us to achieve great success.
A few years ago I was just having a terrible day. It seemed that nothing was going to make me happy. I felt that at any moment I would spit acid and breathe fire on anyone who looked at me the wrong. That was before I walked through the front door of 7-11 to pay for my gas. A man, around my own age, stopped me for a second on his way out, “Hey, nice tee shirt!” I was wearing one of my favorite tee shirts that day, and for a brief moment I wanted to yell at him, to tell him to get out of my way, but his nice comment was genuine and it distracted me from my rotten mood long enough that a smile broke across my face. “Thanks!” The day ended a hundred times better than it had started. He had no idea what a great thing he did for me. His kind gesture made me feel really good. It is now eight years later and the story continues to make me smile. The lesson I learned was that that my words and actions no matter how large or small can make someone’s day.
RSS Feed