Good day my friends.
I want to speak briefly today about acts of kindness. Though maybe not in the way you think.
When we conjure to mind acts of kindness. We are thinking about helping someone across the street, mowing a sick neighbor’s lawn, etc. Kindness is not always about doing something for someone, sometimes it is stopping yourself from doing something overtly kind to have the person grow or learn.
Life is full of lessons that can only be learned, not taught. There are many differing schools of thought on how to approach these kinds of lessons:
-Coaching – where you give some advice and let them go at it
-Throw them in the deep end – just let them go after it and they must muddle through it.
-Find them a group of people so there is support
In the end, it is up to our judgement when we see the opportunity and act (or not). Which leads to the next step: We must decide well on how we will treat the person learning after.
I recommend we follow teaching 16: Compassion; and teaching 17: Empathetic Joy.
By doing so, we are ready to remind them that the Force does not judge on failure or success. It is a constant companion. It is there as a source of strength and wisdom when we allow it to be.
Many of us have struggled in our beginnings; coming from different backgrounds, raised in different beliefs. Myself, I came from a Roman Catholic family, and I was well steeped in it’s lore from childhood. Coming to the temple was an idle internet search. My first talks with people here were somewhat lack luster. In my case, I was expecting too much. I met my Master and she is what helped me connect the dots. She also let me fail. Her questions challenged me in a way the reading material didn’t.
It was hard at some times. It was her kindness in letting me sink but never letting me drown.
This kindness is something I hope you will keep in mind. Acts of kindness aren’t just doing things for others. It is a judgement and a commitment to who we are kind to.
MTFBWYA
