Rambling on about my Year of Kindness, and the struggle it has been thus far…

I stopped years ago making “New Year’s resolutions ” and instead chose a task, a mission, or a dream to fulfill .. FOR ME. Sounds a bit crazy, a bit strange, but to me it makes sense. I like to do, to plan, or have a plan, and to push myself to solve things or be a blessing or answer to others. 

This year, knowing I was headed into a year that would be filled with uncertainty, struggles unknown, and a layer of energy rising that was clothed in vile and ignorant ideology, I chose to speak kindness, spread it in any way I could… I know tall order in the current chaos of the world, especially for an ole’ woman who often feels quite invisible in the world. But I have tried… still am trying.

I have lived through struggle years more often than I wish, but looking over my shoulder, I see the God moments, see how my survival, led me to go further and thrive in my circumstances.  BLESSED, not lucky I say. There are many things I can’t do or fix, but my heart holds a measure of hope that seems to never shrink. Instead, I think, go on just speak, just smile…  Say the thing, speak the goodness, make them laugh, comfort them, you feel their pain, joy, and struggle, give a spark, a bit of light, a dose of humor, or a God Whisper. It’s yours to share… He gave it to you.

I work part-time in a job that most see as nothing special. I am a customer service person, at the Dairy Queen near me. It keeps me social, being a widow who has watched her grandkids grow up, her kids become older, and her friends die and grow old too is life-changing. But that is the way of life… changing, always an evolution. The job offers me a potential opportunity to meet people and in a short time, give them a chance to feel better, laugh, smile, or at times unload their darkness or pain and breathe deep. In the process of giving kind words, smiles, making people laugh, or just feeling a bit of relief from stress, I myself have been blessed deeply.

My mission to Be Kind, has given me hope enough to continue on my journey this year. I admit there are dark days, some I struggle to come to terms with the chaos and evil but then someone tells me, I have made their day, helped their heart feel happy, they come back again to see me because something I said made them hope I would be there again. So I have spread kindness, I have been kind, I have prayed with people, for them, I have been told, I have been prayed for. I have felt it, in my mind, heart, and soul… the kindness given and kindness returned.. blessings.

There are 2 more months in the year… I will not be stopping my mission. I challenge you, try to spread a bit of it, kindness, it’s so very needed in the darkening world. Kindness inspires hope, and hope inspires us to love one another as we love ourselves. The world needs more of us to be Good Samaritans as in Luke 10: 25-37 it is how Jesus told us to live… letters written in red as I say… they are what we need to live by. My kindness mission has given me much more than I ever imagined, I have been blessed and have been a blessing.

Kindness matters, it is a gift that comes back to you.. Try it and see.