WHAT IF ONES LIFE PURPOSE WAS SIMPLY TO BE KIND?
WOULD IT BE THAT SIMPLE?

Kindness seems a simple word: ordinary, short, an every day type of word, easy to toss into any conversation. It’s unlike seemingly loaded words, such as ‘success’ ‘forgiveness’ ‘abundance’ ‘emotion’ ‘commitment’.

I investigated the WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD dictionary:
Kind (kind) n (OE cynd) 1. natural group or division 2. essential character 3. sort; variety; class. ---adj. sympathetic, gentle, benevolent

Fascinating I pondered, that the ‘being kind’ concept, the emotion of ‘kind’ was listed last; that it seems to be most often observable in others; that it appears to be more powerful, through action. Hummmmm, (this is me musing on paper).

Canada, as true Canadians know, is a land where one may need both a bathing suit and a parka in the same day. We thrive, it seems on variety! And so, several days ago, April 7th, 2009, in fact, I awakened to a beautiful artistic display of deep mid-winter landscape once again~! Some blessings come too often~!

I was delighted to hear Vince’s snowplough outside, as he’s been most obliging this winter, waiting as I search for my car hiding under mounds of sparkling white. He then quickly cleans my spot and I drive back in, saving me much time and labour. This day, rather than returning to work, I drove to the local coffee shop, purchased a coffee for me and a Gift Card for Vince. As I offered it to him with thanks you, he smiled and said:” You don’t have to do that!” “I know”, I smiled. “But, I wanted to!”

Arriving at my lakeside coffee spot, I intended to watch the beauty of the ice breaking into shattering crystal shards. My soul breathes differently when the lake is free once more to visibly flow and sparkle, to rest and reflect, much like me. Water watching in all forms is one of my favourite meditations.

In only a moment I realized this viewpoint was not a good choice at the bottom of a medium hill. I was now sliding on the icy surface beneath the snow, stranded. On the hilltop, I noticed a car and thought they may have remembered to bring a cell phone, unlike me. Walking up the hill, I watched them turn and drive away. Well I thought they must have been afraid I would ask them to push me out. ‘Wow’, my Observer self said: ‘I’m certainly moving to less reactivity in my situations and this is a good thing’!

Okay, ‘all that is’, I vocalized. (my prayers come in all shapes, sounds and forms.) ‘I know it. I have made a not so great choice and I can begin the long cold walk home, but is there another possibility?

No kidding! In 5 more steps a van pulled up! Really! Approaching, I sensed I was safe, waved to the man, rolling down his window and said: “Hi’, you don’t know me, I’m Linda and I can’t get my car up the hill, would you have a cell phone I could use?”

“Linda”, he said “hop in the van”.

You would have to know me, to realize that it is very unlike me ordinarily to concur, but this time I chose listen deeply to the intuitive voice of my gut. ‘Go ahead’, I sensed, ‘you are very safe here.’ So into his van, I stepped.

In short, I called CAA for roadside assistance, thanked him and reached for the door handle. “What if you give me the keys and I will give it a try. What have you got to lose?” I laughed into his gentle eyes and handed over the keys. Shortly thereafter, my Freedomobile nudged to hilltop; me high five-ing and him, one of those seasoned people who have innate driving skills within, grinning widely.

Calling CAA back, the representative laughed when I told her I had gone to get a gift card to thank someone, gotten stranded having my coffee, had met a complete stranger who ‘rescued’ me and so I no longer needed assistance. My new stranger, friend was laughing listening to how I had ended up in my predicament, I was laughing in the telling of my story, my new CAA friend was laughing, saying, “There really are great people in the world, aren’t there!”

There are, for certain.

Finally asking his name I shook hands with Nick, who was only on that very hill because he had gotten lost on his way to help someone else! I told him I was a writer and asked his permission to tell our story. His nod and his smile was my affirmation. “Nick”, I said, “I would like to pay you”.

He reached out and patted my shoulder, saying “Linda, HAPPY EASTER.”

Some people are only in our lives for a short time. We never truly know when or how come they appear. Often they are there when we most need them. Sometimes they are the bringers of quiet miracles: most always in a form of kindness. Kindness, I have observed, goes round and round in circles, blessing both the receiver and the giver in mystical, magical moments.

And me? This incident brought to me the gift of deeper awareness. The gift of being present for self kindness: in this case, by remembering my cell phone. By being lovingly responsible for myself.

Kindness after all, must begin from within. We cannot give to others, that which we have not given to our self, kindly.

It’s really that simple.