The Thing About Kindness
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” — Paul McCartney. a FOUR-MINUTE thought
A man walking down the beach, notices that the tidal sand is covered with fish – hundreds of fish, cast up by the sea and left stranded to die at the receding tide line. They’re flopping about, frantically gasping to stay alive.
A young woman up ahead on the deserted beach, picks up a fish and throws it as far as she can back into the sea. She throws another, and another, returning them to the surf to swim away. She’s making a determined attempt to save them.
Curious, the man approaches. “What are you doing? You’re wearing yourself out! Can’t you see there are just too many dying fish here? You can’t possibly make a difference.”
Holding up a fish, she smiles at the man. “I can make a difference to this one.” She tosses it into the water and bends down for another. He thinks for a few seconds, then he, too, bends down and picks up a fish.
At the start of this new year — a year that’s beginning with wide-spread catastrophe and loss, so many people are in need and we often feel we can’t help because the problem is just too big, too overwhelming. — and so we’re tempted to excuse ourselves and do nothing.
You and I probably can’t make a difference on a global scale, no, maybe not even on a local scale, but we can make a difference to one person.
Let’s ask ourselves, what do people need and how can help?
FOOD: I can cook something for someone and say, “I was thinking about you today and made this soup for you.” I can help a needy family sign up for free deliveries from the local grocery store. Or take someone to the local food bank once a week. Or share zucchini from my garden.
FRIENDSHIP: What friendly thing can I do for a neighbor who might be lonely? I can call, visit, send a card. I can take him a small potted plant or a few magazines. Invite her to lunch. Take them to a movie. Walk a dog together. Offer taxi service to an appointment.
FAMILY: Who in my family would like to see or hear from me today? What family member needs to be reminded about how special they are to me? What can I thank them for? What family memory could I share to cheer her up? What old photograph would bring a smile to his face?
SAFETY: Is there anything I can do to help someone feel more safe? What handy gadget could I recommend? Could I install grab bars in a shower? Mend a wobbly chair? Could I help them subscribe to a medical alert system, change the batteries in their smoke alarms, or teach them how to recognize email scams.
SHELTER: What can I do to help someone find shelter? What agencies are available that I could help them access? Could I volunteer or donate to Habitat for Humanity? Find someone to patch a roof or repair a window. Could I offer a room for rent in my house?
PLAY: How can I inspire someone to laugh today? Or dance or sing or exercise or play? I could send a funny joke in an email, practice Tai Chi together to a Youtube video, make cookies together. How about sharing a crossword, playing a card game, watching a funny film?
LEARNING: Can I teach someone something today? We could read a book together or take a class together. I could give her a lift to the library, and show him how to do something important on the computer.
Food, friends, family, safety, shelter, play, learning - just a few basic human needs. Let’s remind ourselves today that making a difference doesn’t have to be huge. Any little thoughtfulness or kindness or joy we can bring to one other person can have a positive effect.
It really does make a difference, to them and to ourselves.
Good post, Sharron. You know, there's a Jewish proverb: The work is not for you to complete, but neither are you free to not take part in it.
Very good Sharron. Kindness is catching. As you said, so many people are starting the new year with utter loss and catastrophe. My heart goes out to those affected by the fires.