I had a beautiful experience the other day. A stranger smiled (with their eyes of course) and held the door open for me. I said thank you and remarked on her little daughter’s pretty flowered dress, and the little girl smiled with her eyes too, and the mother said thank you.
If I told this story 5 months ago, it may not seem like much, but in today’s climate, it was big for me. It really made my day.
Right now, it might be my imagination, but I feel like, out there in the world, tensions are high. Changes are constant with regard to restrictions and things “opening up” and people are doing their best to cope but, as we know, it is difficult to cope with change in the best of circumstances, without the multi-layered reality of our present situation.
So I guess all I want to say today is: be good to one another, be kind to one another, be good to yourself, too. Treat each other with the acknowledgment that we are all under stress of one kind or another. No one knows what a person is dealing with behind their mask. We all have burdens and heavy hearts. It doesn’t take much to make another person feel good. Just a simple kind gesture can make someone’s day.
So make time for those little things that mean so much.
Slow down, let go of the worries for a moment.
Seek peace of mind and those experiences that elevate you beyond the present burden of the day.
Take a big breath, think about the people around you, and be kind.
The podcast below was shared with me several weeks ago by one of our volunteers, Susan B., and I was waiting for the right time to share it. It is a very thought-provoking interview with Frank Ostaseski, co-founder of the Zen Hospice in San Francisco. You will need to give yourself some time to listen, as it is about 60 minutes in length. It is an excellent podcast, full of very helpful information and tremendous insight on what it is like to live with and support someone with a palliative diagnosis as well as those who are grieving. (So you might want to have a pad and pen handy). Even more, this podcast is a wonderful resource on understanding and seeking ways to thrive within this ever-changing reality we call the human condition– with all its joys and limitations. I hope you enjoy it!
https://www.rickhanson.net/being-well-podcast-living-and-dying-well-with-frank-ostaseski/
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