Blooming Kindness

Posted on by Miriam

Sometimes it’s the little things that have the biggest impact.  This week the Kindness Challenge was all about observing kindness around us.  With my own personal focus on being mindful this month it was a great prompt to keep my eyes open to what was going on around me.

And here’s what I found.

Kindness at the Shops

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These two ladies at my local Bakers Delight love their jobs and the people they serve.  And it shows.  Every single time I walk in there I’m greeted like an old friend.

It’s my favorite bakery.  Not because they offer loyalty cards and samples, not because they give away all the left over bread to soup kitchens and dog shelters.  But because they always serve everyone with a smile.   Yes, it’s their job but you don’t find it everywhere.  There’s such a happy and friendly vibe that is instantly contagious.

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Kindness across the Ocean

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Coins for Providence India  Photo courtesy Marita Stretch

At my son’s secondary school they held a day recently with activities organised to raise money for charity, their brother school in Providence India. Every dollar and cent counted.

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Photo courtesy Marita Stretch

This is my son’s tutor group teacher with her class in India last year.  And this is where the money they raised went to.  I love their smiling faces and knowing the efforts of my son’s house raising money is making a difference in educating children across the world.

And all over the world

The kindness that I see and read from others, not just on my own blog but when I visit others, makes me realise what an amazing community we’re part of.

Where else can strangers, from across the ocean, who have never met each other in person, support, guide, inspire and cheer each other on, in the good times and in challenging times.  And become friends.  Words are so incredibly powerful.

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Kindness at Home

Here at home there were subtle moments of kindness.  It can be easy to take the little things for granted.  But I stayed mindful of the small things:  long hugs from hubby when he got home from work, him ringing me during the day to see how I was doing.

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My son unexpectedly massaged his shoulders one night after dinner as he saw how tired he was.  My daughter clipped the nails of her guinea pigs when she noticed them getting long and didn’t want them to be in pain.  Small things.

Feeding animals, cleaning cages without being asked.  Cups of tea made selflessly.  Words of encouragement.  Everyone pitching in to help around the house.

Kindness on our doorstep

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I had an unexpected knock on the door about a week ago.  It was my gorgeous neighbor from across the road. Holding a bunch of flowers for me.  She said she’d been thinking of me since Mothers Day and thought I might have been sad.  I was so touched.

During the course of the week the flowers have opened and bloomed and it feels symbolic.

I feel as though my heart is expanding.  Like there’s a shift happening.

I didn’t watch the news.  I stayed away from negativity and listened to music and an upbeat radio station.  I wrote every day, went to Zumba and spent time with my mum.

If we keep our eyes open there’s kindness everywhere.  It’s what we focus on that grows, and will keep growing and blooming.  Especially if we all do our bit.

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Wishing you all a kind and mindful day as we move purposefully forward into a new week.

This is in response to the Kindness Challenge – Week 2 – Observing Kindness around us

71 thoughts on “Blooming Kindness”

  2. Every day a small bit of kindness makes its way around the world falling gently on those that take the time to notice and pass it along.

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  5. The school I am principal of has just 13 children. We did the St. Vinnies Winter Appeal and covered a ‘T’ for Tantanoola 2 cans high in cans. Kindness and gratitude are worth teaching and experiencing.

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  9. What a lovely post Miriam! I love how you incorporated the pictures, the ladies at the bakery do look so nice! How precious is the photo of the class of children?! What a lovely unexpected gift from your neighbor! The flowers are absolutely stunning! What a great week Miriam! I’m so glad this could compliment your mindful intention so well. What a great point! As much as I love music sometimes I forget that I use it as a tool to pick me up! Sounds like there are some amazing things happening in your life right now Miriam. I’m so happy for you! I hope you have a great week ahead!

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    1. Hey Niki, your comment got a bit lost but I’m glad I found it … better late than never! Hope your week 3 has been a good one for you. Here it’s grey and cold and very rainy outside which makes me just want to curl up inside and do very little! 🙂

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      1. Oh no worries! I’m glad you found it 🙂 It has, thank you 🙂 Oh I love it when the weather is like that every now and then. Currently like that here too…just makes me want to curl up on the couch by the window with a good book 🙂 Can’t wait to read about week 3! 🙂

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    1. So true Anne, which is why this kindness challenge has been so good. Kind of reminds us to watch out for the positive things around us …

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  27. I like that idea of observing kindess around us. As a former teacher I used to do random acts of kindness for the pupils in my school. It was a large secondary school and I would just have a kind word or a chubba chop for a random student I met in the corridor or playground. It was interesting to see their response as kindness seems to be lacking in many people and often the recipient doesn’t know how to react to kindness. On the whole the students seem to be touched by the kind words.

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    1. Hey Heather, thanks for reminiscing, it’s true that sometimes people don’t know how to react, which is kind of sad, but I think on the whole most people respond to a smile and caring acts. Thanks again.

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  32. Pingback: Blooming Kindness | jimbohenderson

  33. It’s those little things that make such a huge difference. Bit by bit out lives are impacted by the little things, or we can impact someone else’s by the little things. They are like the links in a chain, the kind of chain that holds a beautiful diamond dangling from it.

    *hugs*

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