First, we watched the movie Pay it Forward. While it made me cry it also made me think. How often do I just think about doing something nice for someone, but then forget about it or think it would be too hard or generally talk myself out of it.
Next, one of my amazing sisters-in-law posted this article about being kind to others as a way to improve yourself. http://positive-thoughts.typepad.com/positive-thoughts/2011/02/kindness-.html In addition I have been reading up on thinking positive and finding out that the vibes you send out are the ones you get in return. Which makes complete sense, I just needed a reminder.
I want all the good vibes in the world to come my way, so I'm trying really hard to be grateful for what I have now and look forward to a time when I have something even better. Which is super easy when it comes to stuff like my husband...he's easy to be kind too and be incredibly grateful for. But not so easy when it comes to stuff like my non-winter friendly house. But luckily, the house is temporary and the husband is permanent so I do have that going for me!
Have you ever looked at an old person and known immediately if they had a life of happiness or sadness, or if they were interminably grumpy? Their wrinkles really tell the story of their lives, did they smile more or were they frowning all the time. I really want happy wrinkles.
So I have this game I like to play. Whenever I go to a store I try and make the check out clerk smile. I want to make their day a little bit better than before I stepped up to pay. I haven't been playing it as much lately and I'm not exactly sure why. So this weekend I am going to get back in the groove and see what I can do. It always makes me feel better, and I'm hoping the person on the other end feels a bit better as well. Only one time has it backfired...I was back east visiting my parents and I went to the movies. I was being super friendly and nice to the ticket guy and I swear he thought I was going to kidnap him or something. It was pretty funny to see the fear on his face because someone was being kind. Funny but sad as well. I remember when I first moved to the South a guy started chatting with me in the pet food aisle at the grocery store. I was terrified that he was going to do something terrible to me. Now I have turned into that chatty person and love striking up a conversation with most anyone. I much prefer living in a place that friendliness is accepted not feared.
I do wrestle with something though. How kind is too kind? Or is there any such thing as too kind? Should we stand up for ourselves at times rather than being walked all over by someone who takes advantage of your kindness? Or is there a way to be kind while standing up for yourself. I would love your opinion on this. Also I would love to hear about a time when someone was kind to you and it made a huge difference in your day. I need some inspiration as I embark on my quest to be more kind to everyone.
Really well written I stopped to think of the last time someone was randomly kind to me, and could not remember anything recent. Sad, that.
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