Birthday Kindness

Today is the Dalai Lama’s 75th birthday. Se’lah of Necessary Room had a beautiful idea in celebration of this milestone. In building a bridge of love, many of us in the blogosphere are practicing random acts of kindness today. A simple concept of Thich Nhat Hanh has resonated with me.

"Breathing in I calm my body. Breathing out I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment!"                                    Thich Nhat Hanh

This is certainly not a new or crazy idea. Whether it’s something large or small, every kind act helps to make someone’s day better. We are such a busy society, never having time to wait a split second. There is a need for immediate gratification and seems to be no patience. A great example of this can be seen daily on our roads. Everyone has such tunnel vision, only seeing where they need to go with no interference. Many wouldn’t even consider the courtesy of letting another merge in traffic. Why not take a momentary breath, smile and wave someone in?

Today I was dealing with a customer service manager regarding a business problem. Instead of laying into her, I took the opposite approach and turned what could have been a negative situation into a positive one. Which on this day after a holiday weekend, I’m sure made it easier for her to face her next client interaction.

So many times a good deed, a good thought, paying a kindness forward and exacting positive change on those around you, is simply a breath and a smile away.