Ah, yes. What a time to clean our kindness faucet. Thanks.
Some culture (Can’t recall whose.) has this blessing: “May you live in interesting times.”
These are certainly that. Yet challenging, and seemingly a calculated “way too interesting” - moving toward absurd and chaotic. And that’s assaulting, isn’t it? Insecure at best.
And so we pull in or, as you write, “sometimes indifference walks the corridors of our daily lives.” And there’s the danger. If our actions are blunted by daily insecurity of thought, the consequences could be indifference - just to maintain a sense of sanity. ( I think that teenaged years tend to feign cool indifference as we attempt to move from the innocence of childhood to the often absurd behavior of “adults.” And some folks get stuck there; arrested adolescence. Thinking the only secure option is focusing on oneself. Being indifferent to … perhaps the fear of chaos.)
Perhaps Maitri, loving kindness, begins with us so we’ll be able to look beyond fear, experience our own yucky behavior, acknowledge, even appreciate ourselves, and therefore EMBRACE others.
In that light, kindness is a minor act. Full out Mother Theresa mode might befall our hearts…at least now and then. 🤫
Oh, how I cherish how your One Good Thing sparks thoughts to explore…
I know many people who are numb right now, and understandably so. I also know plenty of people who are pointing fingers here, there, and everywhere to cast blame. I understand both reactions (and feel them myself at times!), but I hope we all (myself included) move past them, because we have work to do. Numbness (simiilar to indifference) will not help us to move forward. Pointing fingers will be so divisive we won't get anywhere. My hope is that people (again -- including me!) will honor their feelings now -- get them all out there -- then clear the slate and move on, with kindness as a guide.
See? I really do write posts that I need to hear myself!
Ah, yes. What a time to clean our kindness faucet. Thanks.
Some culture (Can’t recall whose.) has this blessing: “May you live in interesting times.”
These are certainly that. Yet challenging, and seemingly a calculated “way too interesting” - moving toward absurd and chaotic. And that’s assaulting, isn’t it? Insecure at best.
And so we pull in or, as you write, “sometimes indifference walks the corridors of our daily lives.” And there’s the danger. If our actions are blunted by daily insecurity of thought, the consequences could be indifference - just to maintain a sense of sanity. ( I think that teenaged years tend to feign cool indifference as we attempt to move from the innocence of childhood to the often absurd behavior of “adults.” And some folks get stuck there; arrested adolescence. Thinking the only secure option is focusing on oneself. Being indifferent to … perhaps the fear of chaos.)
Perhaps Maitri, loving kindness, begins with us so we’ll be able to look beyond fear, experience our own yucky behavior, acknowledge, even appreciate ourselves, and therefore EMBRACE others.
In that light, kindness is a minor act. Full out Mother Theresa mode might befall our hearts…at least now and then. 🤫
Oh, how I cherish how your One Good Thing sparks thoughts to explore…
And I love how you explore those thoughts!
I know many people who are numb right now, and understandably so. I also know plenty of people who are pointing fingers here, there, and everywhere to cast blame. I understand both reactions (and feel them myself at times!), but I hope we all (myself included) move past them, because we have work to do. Numbness (simiilar to indifference) will not help us to move forward. Pointing fingers will be so divisive we won't get anywhere. My hope is that people (again -- including me!) will honor their feelings now -- get them all out there -- then clear the slate and move on, with kindness as a guide.
See? I really do write posts that I need to hear myself!
Thank you, Maryli!
And we all benefit from the focus you share. Blessed be, Sylvie.
Thank you again Sylvia for reminding me of what’s still important, regardless of my fear, anger and disappointment. Namaste
Thank you, Carol. Isn't it amazing that the human heart can carry the fear, anger, and disappointment and STILL we can find our way to being kind?
Sylvia, I loved your entry today. It was very helpful to remember the importance of kindness in these dark days.
Thank you so much. As usual, I wrote something I needed to hear and remember for myself!