WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
DAY 30: “Kindness Is My Super Power”
Passing along kindness, smiles and sharing laughter comes from the heart and compassion of simply being human….. and intimately interconnected. One might not realize because of our focus on mainstream media that this goes on every single second around the world, but it does.
On this next to last day of the 31-Days of Joy and Laughter Project the article from Good News, along with the video below, came to my attention. It sparked something within me. That part who consciously chooses to participate in one act of kindness and share laughter/humor with at least one person every time I go out into my community. A practice I have taken to heart for many years now and benefited greatly from.
Though it doesn’t always happen, when it does the kindness or humor shared invariably shifts my perspective and almost always opens connection and possibility for and with others.
It is a simple practice. I find an open heart, self trust and a keen awareness ever present for opportunities important. A willingness to leap out of your own concerns to embrace another living being with your kind and curious attention. Most often it is spontaneous and in the moment, but sometimes there is a specific intention set.
If a wise being, perhaps your “guardian angel” as in the classic movie “It’s A Wonderful Life”, showed you how impactful your kindness was and what a difference it made in others lives you would make a vow to be ever aware and practice daily. And of course help your guardian angel to get his wings!
You may never know the impact it will have, but that is part of the mystery that keeps kindness energy going. Actually, Jimmy Stewart in that movie, in real life, had just returned from combat in WWII with PTSD, or as they called it then “shell shock”. The scene where he breaks down crying as he was seriously considering suicide was very, very real for him.
Sebbie Hall in the video below vowed at the beginning of the pandemic to help young people who are isolated because of disadvantage/disability by doing daily acts of kindness for random strangers. This eventually turned out to positively impact many lives, including Sebbie’s, and turned into the Just Giving organization in the UK.
“Sebbie has a rare chromosome anomaly resulting in learning and physical difficulties. Doctors said he would never walk or talk. Seb spent his life watching others achieve whilst he struggled with normal daily life skills. Sebbie has achieved kindness. The greatest achievement of all.”
Good News Article about Sebbie: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/teen-has-performed-a-random-act-of-kindness-every-day-since-the-start-of-the-pandemic/
“Kindness is my Super Power” as Sebbie says. Absolutely! Pass it on…..
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
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You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: http://wildlyfreeelder.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/30/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder