Kindness # 5 & # 6

It always seems that the shortest month of the year tends to feel like the longest. I acknowledge that i have not been following my weekly goal of posting on my blog. No excuses - just life getting in the way. This however, has not stopped me from remaining conscious of my levels of kindness or my random acts that i have performed. I would love to say that i was able to give hours of my time this month to volunteering, or donate a significant about financially to a charity, but this is not the case. I do however find pleasure in the smaller, less elaborate acts that have the same level of worth in my eyes.

Kindness # 5 This is somewhat of a funny story. A month back my oldest daughter was eating an apple. She wasn't wanting to share with her sister (which we are working on) and decided to take the apple and dispose of it in one of the toilets. Well suffice to say, after flushing the toilet it became plugged and a plummer needed to be called. The plumbing company was awesome (a little mom & pop business) and instead of collecting payment at the time of arrival, they chose to send me a bill in the mail. I promptly wrote out a cheque for the service provide and had an idea about delivering it personally to their business rather than send it back in the mail. I had appreciated their promptness and understanding in coming out and fixing my toilet, that when i delivered the payment to them, i decided to put together a fruit basket for them. I wrote a little note expressing my appreciation. When i dropped it off, the "lady" that runs the business laughed and laughed when she saw the basket. She called me the "apple lady" and remarked by saying "none of these have been in the toilet have they". We both had a chuckle and she was thankful for me generosity. Sometimes a small act can be just as fulfilling.

Kindness # 6 In the 21st century it seems that the majority of us live a technology based existence, whether that be facebook, blogging, twitter etc... Social networking has become the norm and has established online friendships that in the past might not have existed without technology. My intentional act this week was to take an hour out of my day and write a letter to a friend the old fashioned way (with pen and paper). In my letter, i expressed how much i missed her and her family. I reminised about old memories, and touched on new things in my life (which she likely has read on facebook). I ended my letter, expressing why i chose to write to her in this form rather than send a message. I asked her to write back the same way, that way when i go to the mailbox i have something to look forward to rather than opening the endless cycle of bills. I wanted her to know that i care and love our friendship. I just hope that my letter puts a smile on her face when she opens up her mailbox.

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” ~Mother Teresa.

Kindness # 4 "Ten Tiny Deeds For My Family"

My intentional acts of kindness have been put on the back burner for a period of time. There is no excuse why this has happened, life has just taken presedence and i haven't found the right opportunities to sieze my moments. With that being said, i need to remember that it isn't always about the "big acts" of kindess that need to stand out. Sometimes just taking the time to focus on what is important in my life, and make those in my life feel special, loved and care for, is just as important.

With that being said my Kindness #4 act is filled with a number of small details that have made my family feel special. I will call this ten tiny deeds that i have done this past week for my family:
1) Gave my husband a back massage for 15 minutes after his long and tiring day of work.
2) Daily "potty" dances with Sierra as encouragement for her toilet training.
3) Ticking Breana's back after prayers as she falls to sleep.
4) Grooming my dogs and spending time each day giving them the affection they strive for.
5) Spent time with Breana on her alphabet stickers, that was suppose to be used as her quiet time (turned into Mommy and Brea time).
6) Admitting that i was wrong. This may not seem like an act of kindness, but knowing and acknowledging that i was wrong diminished fighting and kept hubby and I happy.
7) Taking some personal time outs when my stress level rose. This helped diffuse tension and arguements between myself and my four year old.
8) Really LISTENING to my girls and sincerely commenting on their remarks. It is so easy to hear and not fully engage and listen - this was a focus on mine this week.
9) Turning negative comments into something positive. Focusing on the positive provides a higher level of energy and warms the soul!
10) Trying to be the person that the Lords see me to be in all aspects, with friends, family, strangers and acquaintances.

Eight Kindness Gifts

I came across this wonderful post on a website that struck a chord with me. I felt the need to share these Eight Gifts of Kindness.

The Gift of Listening...

But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response, just listening.
The Gift of Affection...
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.
The Gift of Laughter...
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."
The Gifts of a Written Note...
It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, hand-written note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.
The Gift of a Compliment...
A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.
The Gift of a Favor...
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.
The Gift of Solitude...
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.
The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition...
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it's not that hard to say, "Hello" or "Thank you."

- by Isaac Ng, Singapore

Although these gifts seems rather simple, it so easy to see how they can be overlooked. I know there are many times within a day that we "hear" what others have to say, but do we "listen"? When giving a compliment make it sincere and appropriate. The gift of joy and cheerfulness comes from satisfactions and love within ourselves.

For those of you reading this - take a moment and re-read the eight gifts of kindess and pick one to reflect on others!