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Daily Question, August 23

What kindnesses have I experienced?

  • Kit

    to always leave footprints of kindness wherever you go

  • hazelnut

    Every kindness is a gift that I receive with gratefulness. A smile returned, feeling mutual love in a hug, shared supportive words, listening to their perspective or opinion in friendship. Kindness for myself and for others is the essence of belonging to the human race.

  • Paul Y

    Every time I go to confession I’ve experienced kindness from our Lord that He loves me and forgives my faults. Recently a friend of ours gave us some money with no strings attached to help pay some bills because I haven’t worked due to my recent hip replacement.

  • Loving_Kindness

    I feel embraced with an indescribable level of kindness during Catholic mass when you exchange “Peace be with you” statements and sentiments with perfect strangers. It never ceases to amaze me how much joy I feel from this simple interaction. Truly a blessing!

  • Trevor

    Innumerable pardons for transgressions committed out of selfishness. Too many pardons.

  • KC

    I have no idea where to begin to name the kindnesses I have experienced. Perhaps now is a good time to begin...

    The poem Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye touches on my experience of awakening to kindness. I appreciate Kevin's touching on the notion of reciprocity, which is somewhere in the fabric of the subtle energies and exchanges of kindness. Perhaps this relates to karma as well?

    Kindness
    Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952

    Before you know what kindness really is
    you must lose things,
    f...

    I have no idea where to begin to name the kindnesses I have experienced. Perhaps now is a good time to begin…

    The poem Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye touches on my experience of awakening to kindness. I appreciate Kevin’s touching on the notion of reciprocity, which is somewhere in the fabric of the subtle energies and exchanges of kindness. Perhaps this relates to karma as well?

    Kindness
    Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952

    Before you know what kindness really is
    you must lose things,
    feel the future dissolve in a moment
    like salt in a weakened broth.
    What you held in your hand,
    what you counted and carefully saved,
    all this must go so you know
    how desolate the landscape can be
    between the regions of kindness.
    How you ride and ride
    thinking the bus will never stop,
    the passengers eating maize and chicken
    will stare out the window forever.

    Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
    you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
    lies dead by the side of the road.
    You must see how this could be you,
    how he too was someone
    who journeyed through the night with plans
    and the simple breath that kept him alive.

    Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
    you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
    You must wake up with sorrow.
    You must speak to it till your voice
    catches the thread of all sorrows
    and you see the size of the cloth.
    Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
    only kindness that ties your shoes
    and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
    only kindness that raises its head
    from the crowd of the world to say
    It is I you have been looking for,
    and then goes with you everywhere
    like a shadow or a friend.

    Read More
  • Malag

    This question and all the responses so far make me pause to realise the value of noticing kindness. It’s so ease to rush past it.

    • KC

      So true, Malag. So, so true …

  • Aine

    A phone call from a friend.

  • Hot Sauce

    People have been talking with me and have been happy to see me these first couple days of classes. I am very grateful for Doane University’s tight-knit community.

  • SeeAreLow

    Witnessing people who care for people who they don’t even know .. knowing that love is abundant.

  • Deb

    OMG!! Too many to enumerate! Every day. I probably have not even noticed some although I am on the lookout. Some kindness is intentional, some the natural outgrowth of a reality that surrounds me (and everyone). I am thankful and pass it on .

  • kathleen

    Kindness in my view covers a wide area and is not to be confused with co dependency. Tolerant, merciful, generous, decent, friendly, courteous, polite, warm, considerate, concerned, pleasant all from the dictionary. The big question for me is how to be aligned internally so that these can be extended to all living beings.

  • Ed Schulte

    What kindnesses have I experienced?

    It is "there" every time I have show kindness by being kind to another being and all the way through to ....pausing to appreciate nature. And this giving it is immediately reflected back.... but 7 times stronger.

    A site which is built off of the good works of Illuminated humans such as Brother David must surely acknowledge the reflective nature of our Being-ness ....giving kindness is putting "Creator Spirit" into the "Go" of Br D's...."Stop, Look, Go" a...

    What kindnesses have I experienced?

    It is “there” every time I have show kindness by being kind to another being and all the way through to ….pausing to appreciate nature. And this giving it is immediately reflected back…. but 7 times stronger.

    A site which is built off of the good works of Illuminated humans such as Brother David must surely acknowledge the reflective nature of our Being-ness ….giving kindness is putting “Creator Spirit” into the “Go” of Br D’s….”Stop, Look, Go” and the “fruits” are returned in a “marvellous unfolding” as Br. David graciously expresses it here …..

    Quoting from “Deeper then Worlds – Living the Apostles’ Creed ”

    “as humans we need to plug into the creative power that achieves this marvelous unfolding by saying our willing “Yes!” to belonging. Christian tradition calls this Creative Power “the Holy Spirit”-the “Creator Spirit.”

    “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

    Imagine a society that brings forth fruit of this kind.

    END QUOTE

    Read More
  • Kathleen Bellinger

    my parents i what kindness i have expericenced

  • Michael

    from day one on earth at home and every day since then wherever I am. I do believe that initial and subsequent kindness towards me from so many angles formed me into a kindness giving person. the cycle of kindness is powerful.

  • K

    So much kindness comes towards me from strangers–the many who willingly pay taxes so I receive clean water, libraries, open spaces even between buildings. And there are kind strangers in my past who I sometimes gather in my mind and thank. They had no reason to be kind to me, no personal profit from that generous gaze that still warms me. I try to return that gaze and pass it on.

  • BeccaH7

    to be kind is generous and cherishable. its not adorable. its gracious and heart felt at times and other times its common. being kind is from good breeding. if your truly kind your not evil spirited, you don’t have meanness in your bones because kindness overrides it, usually. not reflecting on exact kindnesses received just the overall quality.

  • Rufus

    From my parents. They did their best. They failed, often. They failed and failed and failed, but they are still there for me and they did their best.

  • Kevin

    Many, and probably too many to even remember them all. Most seem to come in the flow of a two way exchange. Whenever my actions are deemed kind by another, kindness flows back in return. Now and then when a kind act or word comes from another person unexpectedly, I make a point of replying, “You are very kind. Thank you.” It’s important that Kindnesses like these be named.
    – Kevin

    • KC

      Thanks Kevin. Yes, the two way exchange is such a key thing…. Also noticing others’ kindness when it if freely offered. Beautiful. KC

  • Antoinette

    I experience kindness and understanding all the time and I’m grateful for the support I have.
    I hope that I can serve others as well by showing loving kindness and compassion.

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