Kind Meetings

Day 73: Kind Meetings

“With every person who crosses your path, make it your intention to leave them better than you found them.” – Chris Michaels & Edward Viljoen

I love the above quote and I aspire to and intend to learn how to leave every person I meet better than I found them. It may seem effortless to be kind and give to others when we like them or they are pleasant, but what about the unpleasant moments and people that cross our paths? Can we intentionally, with great purpose and adequate practice, leave those people better than we found them? If we are present and willing to accept the moment, the person, or situation as it is, being kind to those people and situations that are unpleasant, will become effortless and perhaps even rewarding. It is the challenging situations and people that will be our most profound and deeply felt lessons and teachers.

 Kindness to Self:

Can we leave ourselves better than we currently find ourselves? Absolutely! By giving others what we desire and want, we will certainly receive the bounty of kind giving.

Kindness to Others and Strangers:

Have the intention this week, or even just this day, to leave every person you meet better than you found them. Notice what happens, notice any changes in your self, in your day or even the people around you. If you come across a challenging or unpleasant person or situation, check in and become very aware of the present moment. This way it is unlikely that you will react, instead you will be able smile and offer assistance.  In doing this, we will leave the person better than we found them.

Kindness to Our Planet:

Always leave a place better than you found it. Let us all go out of our way to educate the children around us to clean up and be responsible for their garbage, so that the next generation will leave this planet better than it currently is. Local schools, parks and communities often organize beautification and clean up days. Check in with your local community to see how you can help.

Jennifer Palazzo

Photo Courtesy of FreeImages.com and The Very Kind Piotr Pastusiak