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Thursday, December 02, 2010

A Spirit of Kindness

I must be missing my parents.  It's only a few years since they passed on from this planet, and at this time of the year that's natural.  It's always natural.
Last post was on truth.  They certainly drummed that into us.  And this one is about Kindness.   Another essential in our family.
I later got ribbed for it mercilessly by boyfriends, who were more used to a family where 'taking the p....' was a given, where teasing was the norm and where pranks and cruelty were commonplace.  I'm serious - it was just not allowed.  We were required to be nice to each other - and we were taught how to be kind to others. 
I'm in Santa Barbara at the moment, courtesy of one of the world's greatest teachers of survival and kindness - W. Mitchell.  He's in Molokai, enjoying his well-deserved vacation - while he continues to inspire people by his very existence. 
I'm struck by the normality of courtesy and kindness that I experience when I travel.  People genuinely go out of their way to take care of me,  and I so value it.  I'm wondering if there is a 'spin-off' mood of goodheartedness in America following the Thanksgiving holiday that flows through to the Holiday season.  Whereas in my British-settled part of the world we always began November by remembering a Guy who tried to blow up the Parliament - and that led us into complaining about our Christmas obligations.  Shopping, cooking, hosting, spending, repaying, etc. etc. 
Let's get over it.  Let's celebrate kindness.  It truly is a beautiful way to live.  I'm loving it.