During my teaching career, I realized an enigmatic name identified me. It is my family’s name, and the curiosity never occurred to one of us! We pronounce this lovely Norwegian name “K(short ‘i’)ndberg. When I began to substitute teach, one day, I realized that the youngest kids would find it easier to call me- “Miss KIND!” Easier for them, a little bit funny, causing tiny giggles, and a reminder to me to interact with kindness and softness. Fragile. Handle with care. Sometimes a precocious child would approach with a look of suspicion and say, “ Hey. That’s not your real name- is it?” LOL!
References to Mary Oliver frequently appear in my essays because I think she had her finger on the pulse of life. Sifting out the necessary and burdensome, she allowed herself to be in touch with nature, and spirituality through nature. She always cut to the chase. Simplifying everything until she experienced perfect peace. I recently read a cute post of someone supposedly complaining to Mary about her difficult life. Mary responded, “But have you been paying attention to the moss lately?” You are enveloped in a world of kindness when you read her poems and essays.
A beautiful quality of kindness is its power of connectivity. A single kind act sets up a ripple effect. The gestures don’t have to be grand. They simply need to pass on the spirit that builds with each subsequent act of kindness. It is a thread that you don’t want to break.
There is a child’s book, “Passing Kindness On,” by Crystal Knutson. The main character is an upbeat, curious, and friendly little boy named Charlie. One day, he went to the park to fly his kite. He noticed an older lady, Mrs. Jones sitting on a park bench alone. Charlie greeted her and invited her to come with him and fly his kite. She resisted, but Charlie insisted that it would be so much fun that she finally agreed. “Great! Let’s go to the field where the trees aren’t going to stop us!” He was now holding her hand. In his other hand was his big red kite.”
The joy and friendship rippled on as Mrs. Jones left and walked past another older woman on a park bench. Overflowing with kindness, Mrs. Jones invited the new woman to share a cup of tea. Modeling Charlie’s charm, Mrs. Jones convinced the lady to go to tea with her. “You are never too old to have new friends. Come, let’s have tea!” With those kind words, a new friendship was born, and the kindness and caring continued forward.”
Kindness is a conviction born of a good heart and the joy of life. Do you want to do something nice for everyone you meet? If so, you are a kind person. And you can know for sure that you have initiated a circle of kindness. When you toss a pebble in a pond, it causes the water to ripple outward.
That is how kindness works. It is also true that you can calm meanness with a kind word or gesture. Kindness is one of the fruits of the spirit spoken of in the Bible: :
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5. I’ve known people who pick one “fruit” a week and conscientiously practice it.
Well, I know I whipped you around, from Mary Oliver to a child’s book to a Bible verse. It seems that kindness is all around us! Apply generously!
“Let’s all be kind. Shall we?”
I like the idea of a fruit a week - think I’ll try it and of course…. Love that Mary Oliver and her little answer about the moss!