Understanding Kindness
Years ago my son, Jason, presented me with a Mother's Day plaque:
KINDNESS
KINDNESS in words creates confidence.
KINDNESS in thinking creates profoundness.
KINDNESS in giving creates love.
Tao Te Ching
It hangs in my house, and I read it often since it means a lot to me. I think he truly understands my motivation for a lot of the wild and crazy things I do.
I see "Kindness" as a sort of understanding of another person, and acting in a caring manner toward them. A kindness can be 'gift giving', or 'tough love' or a caring kindness in between. It can be scratching the cat's ears, or feeding the dog. It is a way of thinking.
Kindness is a way of looking for meaning in life.
It is by being considerate to others that we are kind in words. Do we let the coach know when our child is not going to be at practice? Do we tell our child please and thank you, and teach these polite terms to them? Do we honestly tell our child when they are really making progress, or just spew out "Good Job" at anything they do, so that they end up not listening at all? Do we yell insults at others, setting examples for our children that are not kind?
To think in kind ways makes us dig deeper. Can we share our water at the game? Can we share the position with another team mate? Can we stand by and sing "Happy Birthday" to another person, not feeling left out. Can we be happy for an other's success, and cheer them on?
To give with kindness teaches us to love. Giving a lesson on batting teaches the child to love the game and connects with a ball and another person. Giving time to children in the field throwing the ball builds not only muscles but bonds of respect and models of kindness. It teaches children how to learn, how to teach, and how to spend time of value with another person, without electronic intervention.
I try to live by the values of KINDNESS, to my family, to my friends, to my fish, to my dog, and yes even to to my property.
KINDNESS
KINDNESS in words creates confidence.
KINDNESS in thinking creates profoundness.
KINDNESS in giving creates love.
Tao Te Ching
It hangs in my house, and I read it often since it means a lot to me. I think he truly understands my motivation for a lot of the wild and crazy things I do.
I see "Kindness" as a sort of understanding of another person, and acting in a caring manner toward them. A kindness can be 'gift giving', or 'tough love' or a caring kindness in between. It can be scratching the cat's ears, or feeding the dog. It is a way of thinking.
Kindness is a way of looking for meaning in life.
It is by being considerate to others that we are kind in words. Do we let the coach know when our child is not going to be at practice? Do we tell our child please and thank you, and teach these polite terms to them? Do we honestly tell our child when they are really making progress, or just spew out "Good Job" at anything they do, so that they end up not listening at all? Do we yell insults at others, setting examples for our children that are not kind?
To think in kind ways makes us dig deeper. Can we share our water at the game? Can we share the position with another team mate? Can we stand by and sing "Happy Birthday" to another person, not feeling left out. Can we be happy for an other's success, and cheer them on?
To give with kindness teaches us to love. Giving a lesson on batting teaches the child to love the game and connects with a ball and another person. Giving time to children in the field throwing the ball builds not only muscles but bonds of respect and models of kindness. It teaches children how to learn, how to teach, and how to spend time of value with another person, without electronic intervention.
I try to live by the values of KINDNESS, to my family, to my friends, to my fish, to my dog, and yes even to to my property.
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