Well folks, it’s “Valentine’s Day” weekend. For some, a weekend filled with over the top gestures – roses, chocolates, wine, bubble baths, expensive jewelry… It has always seemed so odd to me. It’s like…someone one day said, “Hey guys? You want to make February 14th the day where we cram a bunch of lovey dovey shit into the agenda to prove how much we love someone??” …hold on! Now we can also rub it in everyone’s faces on social media! UGH
Kinda like when Santa brings one kid a Playstation, and another a pair of shitty socks. SMH. We all know people who both love and despise this holiday. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a cynic. Love is sweet and may we all feel it in many ways. May we all be able to find it from within, as well as with others. We should focus on making those we care for feel important…cherished…LOVED… now THAT is something we ALL should be doing on a daily basis. Through kind words… through small gestures… through random acts of kindness; listening, encouraging, lifting up…showing up – THAT’s what LOVE is all about! There is nothing better than feeling like you are not alone in this crazy world.
Someone in our village, maybe a few people, leaves these rocks…these little random acts of kindness around for others to discover. Beautiful hand painted rocks with hearts and words of encouragement…just because. I’ve found three so far. The one above on a table I had for sale outside the shop, another on my window sill that said PEACE, and one in the flower bed by the Fire Station. I didn’t even go and pick it up. Just seeing it from afar was enough for me. I kept the first…this heart. It’s in my car so I see it daily as a reminder of the good in the world. I left the others so they could be discovered and hopefully lift a few spirits.
Imagine how much love we could all spread with purposeful, authentic, yet simple random acts of kindness? A friend of mine made a post on Facebook recently that really resonated. “Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery – Joyce Brothers. So very true, and the friend who shared it really walks the walk. Think about it…the act of simply LISTENING may not seem like much to you, but it sure can be a lifeline for someone truly struggling. It may just lead someone back to a better path. It may save a life.
I came across a book “The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember”. Man…he was wise beyond his years. There I found a common thread about the importance of LISTENING.
In one post, he wrote “The purpose of life is to listen – to yourself, to your neighbor, to your world and to God and, when the time comes, to respond in as helpful a way as you can find…from within and without.”
Later, he wrote “More and more I’ve come to understand that listening is one of the most important things we can do for one another. Whether the other be an adult or a child, our engagement in listening to who that person is can often be our greatest gift. Whether that person is speaking or playing or dancing, building or singing or painting, if we care, we can listen.
As you go into each day, think about how you can show yourself and others Love, Respect, and Kindness. It may be just by simply listening.