The gift of kindness

Giving and receiving kindness are easy ways to feel good and to help others feel good too. People, organizations, and societies thrive when they are grounded in a culture of kindness.

~ Vivek Murthy

Having the privilege of parents still in our lives, my husband and I continue to bring together a growing extended family.

At a recent celebration, we took part in a Polish Christmas tradition. We broke tiny pieces of a thin, flat wafer called an oplatek, and shared a sliver with each family member while expressing why we value their presence in our lives.

That night, I had a beautiful dream. I felt universal love. It was fleeting but addictive.

Family gatherings can trigger unresolved emotional issues. Unless we feel at peace and comfortable in our own skin, we may be triggered by what someone says or does. 

Awareness that the people who irritate us the most have come into our lives to teach us what we most need to learn, helps increase tolerance.

And, as Doctor Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States, writes in Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World,

Empathy is choosing to see ourselves in another despite our differences. It's recognizing that the same humanity - the same desire for meaning, fulfillment and security - exists in each of us, even if it's expressed uniquely.