A Space for Kindness

We live in mean times.

As a news and political junkie, I’ve started turning off the TV and closing Facebook. I rarely watch the news anymore, and politely decline (mostly) to discuss anything of controversy with anyone beyond my immediate family.

Don’t get me wrong, I still feel passionate about the environment and women’s rights…but my spark for yelling it from the rooftops has changed.

It has morphed into something a bit more gentle and muted.

Maybe it’s age.

Maybe it comes with having a child.

Lately, instead of arguing, I’ve been more interested in finding ways to interject kindness into our lives. I often look at my own child and ask: “What is something kind that you did today?”

What is something kind that I’VE done today? It’s a really good question!

My son is over three now, so I think it’s a good year to start doing active acts of kindness. And the holidays are a great place to start.

I found a group in England that makes Kindness Elves. It’s a sort of response to Elf on the Shelf. I didn’t really want to start that tradition, so I started looking for something to replace it with.

Kindness Elves are all about doing good. They leave notes for kids as a reminder to do something good and to be kind.

Pretty simple.

Pretty powerful.

Some ideas include:

• Bake cookies for your elderly neighbor
• Donate your old toys to a child in need
• Read a story to your Mommy and Daddy
• Pick up trash during a walk
• Give blankets and food to an animal shelter

I LOVE the idea of Kindness Elves!

Ours are on the way. I’ve been talking about them with my son. “Charlotte and Harry are special guests that show up in December. And they’re really looking forward to meeting you! They can’t wait to be kind with you!”

Since he’s so young, I’m not going to make it too complicated this year. Maybe just three or four things that we can do as a family and as a way to interject more kindness into our lives.

I know this time won’t last forever.

I know things change.

I just want to make sure that when I look back, when I reflect on this time, that I can unequivocally say I did all I could to make it a bit more kind and loving.

Did I open a door for someone? Did I let that person merge into traffic without honking my horn? Did I listen? Did I love?

Big questions, I know.

There’s a lot to overcome. I’m not naive; I know that climate change is altering the world. Poverty and inequality is still rampant. And what about opioid addiction and suicide, and….

Oh boy, the list is endless.

I cannot change it all. I wish I could.

So today, I must choose something that I CAN do. Instead of putting my proverbial head in the sand, I must choose something else that brings a bit of healing and kindness.

So I choose the Kindness Elves.

And I choose to love.

And I choose to recycle.

And I choose to consume less.

And I choose to get up and do the next right thing in my own life.

Imagine the power! Imagine what would happen if we all chose kindness and love over the vitriol of Washington politics and Trump-like tweets.

Just stop and imagine that…for just a moment.

I, dear friends, think that’s where the real power lies: with us and with our acts of kindness.

Call to Action: What is one act of kindness that you will do this holiday season?