There are events in our lives that sometimes provide us with a new focus; an understanding as to how others impact our lives, and how we may be influencing others by our actions and our words. I overheard a deacon speaking to a group of parishioners regarding how we demonstrate our love for one another, when one of his parishioners noted that his talk appeared hypocritical, in that he talked about how we should practice kindness toward one another, but in reality, he exhibited very little in the way of kindness toward others. When he heard this, he was shocked, and asked the person to explain what was missing in his behavior, and the individual said, you speak of kindness as an expression of love for one another, but you demonstrate very little in the way of kindness toward others. The individual went on to say that simple acts of kindness had major impacts on others, and this deacon, this “man of the cloth,” did not seem to understand how this was missing in his own interactions. This caused him to reflect on his behavior, and to his surprise he was bothered by his lack of attentiveness to others, his ability to spread kindness to others, especially when they were in need. His reflection on his behavior changed his life, and he now finds himself more attentive to the needs of others.
After sharing this story of his personal reflection and the change it had on his life, I spent time reflecting on my own personal interactions. Did I really attend to the possible needs of others, were my actions just perfunctory, or was there real meaning in the way I responded to others. That personal reflection truly impacted me, and I now give more thought to my interactions with others, and my hope is that I will always be attuned to their needs. I have now chosen a new motto which was written by Clare Pooley, that has great meaning in my life. I hope it is something that you will consider when you reflect upon your interactions with others: “In a world in which you could be anything, be kind.”