Kindness, Why, Why, Why?, Isn't it Obvious
Good Morning from Prince Edward Island,
Another glorious day on the Island. (we do need the rain though)
Put the kettle on, hope you have time for tea. Just a quick visit today.
“The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort, and refinement.” – Arthur Gray
This summer has been a busy one. Every day I witness acts of kindness between total strangers and it does my heart good.
Habitat for Humanity is a well-known organization for their kindness. It is on display again with people coming from all around the world to help build a home for a complete stranger on Lennox Island, Prince Edward Island. Story here.
Whether it is a child’s expression of delight when a butterfly lands on their little piece of orange. The donkey running up to them to say hi. The bunnies expressing their timid exuberance & joy in front of the families. Seeing parents being patient is an act of kindness that will do no harm.
"Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is." Blaise Pascal, Writer
Kindness starts with us being nice to ourselves. Sure, you screwed up, I screwed up. Everyone screws up at one time or another.
Perfection is unattainable, but excellence is. One thought and one action at a time.
Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection. Mark Twain
If we get ourselves to a place where we forgive ourselves and others, we break the chains that bind to hurt and pain. Freedom is attainable.
To move forward accepting empathy as a tool in life’s toolbox goes a long way towards peace of mind.
Empathy—people’s ability to share and understand one another’s emotions—has declined sharply in the 21st century. If it dies out, technology will probably be charged with the murder. The clues are all there: People in countries with a greater Internet penetrance report lower empathy. Simply leaving a phone between two strangers as they talk lessens their resulting trust. The prosecution’s case writes itself: while apparently serving us, technology quietly poisoned the connections that keep us human. Jamil Zaki
Jamil Zaki is an associate professor of psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory. He has written an interesting article in the Scientific Amerian journal. The Technology of Kindness - How social media can rebuild our empathy—and why it must.
At their request, tomorrow, I am to speak and share with 50 Buddhists why Shirley and I do what we do.
Why the Gardens of Hope? Why the Respite Cottage? Why and how deal with the stresses of running a hyper-active business?
Looking forward to sharing my Christian perspective with love & kindness. It is only through this worldview have I been able to personally feel the chains of hurt, guilt and shame removed. But it is not technical, it is not strategic it is relational.
We do not exist for ourselves alone, and it is only when we are fully convinced of this fact that we begin to love ourselves properly and thus also love others. Thomas Merton
I hope you enjoy this video. Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.
Nature’s beauty can be fleeting -- but not through Louie Schwartzberg’s lens. His stunning time-lapse photography, accompanied by powerful words from Benedictine monk Brother David Steindl-Rast, serves as a meditation on being grateful for every day.
Thank you for taking the time with me today.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, one where you notice what is good.
With love from Prince Edward Island,
Bruce
ps.
A friend was doing a crossword puzzle...
"What's a 7-letter word for 'easily perceived or understood' that starts with 'O'?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"It should be, but I can't figure it out. That's why I'm asking."
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