Sunday, May 13, 2018
Sunday Reflection: Kindnesses
Kindness is not a strong human instinct; it is easily overwhelmed by our desires for retribution, advantage and superiority. No one needs to teach us to be be greedy, but we do need to be taught to be generous.
I don't remember disappointing my mom a lot as a kid. It's not that I was perfect, but rather that she seemed pretty accepting and forgiving. That makes the times I did disappoint her stand out more starkly in my memory.
And how did I disappoint her?
By unkindness, or when I wished a hardship to befall someone else. It was in those moments that she was almost sharp with me, and told me exactly what was wrong with my attitude.
And what came of it? Even now, decades later, I hear her voice in my head when I have that kind of thought, pushing me back towards a generous spirit (and, of course, sometimes it is not a voice in my head-- it is her actual voice, telling me to get my head on straight!).
How lucky am I?
I don't remember disappointing my mom a lot as a kid. It's not that I was perfect, but rather that she seemed pretty accepting and forgiving. That makes the times I did disappoint her stand out more starkly in my memory.
And how did I disappoint her?
By unkindness, or when I wished a hardship to befall someone else. It was in those moments that she was almost sharp with me, and told me exactly what was wrong with my attitude.
And what came of it? Even now, decades later, I hear her voice in my head when I have that kind of thought, pushing me back towards a generous spirit (and, of course, sometimes it is not a voice in my head-- it is her actual voice, telling me to get my head on straight!).
How lucky am I?
