Act in Kindness

A thought experiment to consider, prompted by a classic question. Are you the sum total of your life experiences? What comes to mind when you read that? If you are like many of us, then the question as it is given might make you reflect on things you have done. Or not done. Going all the way back to childhood, you might start thinking of "life experiences" and their "sum total" as a curious kind of karmic list. Bad things, good things, and things in between. People you helped. And incidents you would likely prefer not to remember. Sometimes my mind starts racing, remembering all the things that have happened, and obsessing over certain reactions and details. Snippets start flowing, and once they get going, it's hard to stop the cascading effect. "Is she still mad that I said that? It was years ago, so I hope she forgot. But it's true, I still remember." "Oh, I hope that my old colleague doesn't remember that one time, in the airport,...

I like to write posts on kindness when I have recently battled rage. Especially when I have experienced that unique rage that gets directed at incompetence. You know the type. Themes include: "Why can't I get anyone in customer service to explain what's happening, after being on hold for 20 minutes? Don't they know how to do their jobs? They're getting paid to talk to me, not the other way around!" Yes, undergoing a rage attack really brings into perspective: the gap between current state and desired future state in cultivating kindness. You see, as I was writing this post initially, yours truly was sitting on the runway at Newark, waiting for my flight to get underway. It was a flight from Newark to Houston. Except that I began the day at Boston Logan, and aimed to end up in Memphis. The interim stop in Houston was unplanned. Ah, United Airlines! They had a few tricks up their sleeves for me. I found myself getting very caught up in the minutiae of v...

I never could stand the gritted-teeth tones of Election Day coverage. "Will she or won't she win, in light of the surge in negative ads?" "What will be the impact of fake Facebook groups?" "Is big money going to prevail?" "Can voters overcome the false claims that Trump is making, and choose for themselves?" It's not so much the content, though there's plenty to be outraged about (and we should be). I'm against fake news, voter suppression, big money in politics, and falsehoods of every type. It's just that on Election Day, it's time to make history, not read reporting on it. It's time to seize control over anxiety and DO something. Gather your loved ones and go to the polls. Talk about what matters. Then, tell them you love them. You may be wondering: Where does kindness come in? Only everywhere. Bring a neighbor to the polls. Take donuts to the poll watchers and election judges. While you're at it, g...