A great friend of mine is the mother of a special needs child.  A few days ago she posted a plea on Facebook for kindness.  It was my intention to write about kindness for my Sunday journal, but I don’t think I can make the point better than she did.

“ALWAYS show kindness to people because you just never know what they may be going through...people only see the surface of other’s lives, when in reality, many people live with struggles that most people are unaware of and things unfathomable to the typical person or family. For us, most people see our precious family as happy, happy, happy, which we ARE and we are blessed BUT...no one knows the struggles, meltdowns, battles, etc. that often occur when trying to get to church, work, family functions, the barber or anywhere! People don’t understand the disruptive behavior that can often ruin a function, family or otherwise...people don’t understand that, as the parents of a special needs child with autism and active seizures, who will always be a child no matter his age (24), we literally live every day with our hearts half shattered with pain as we navigate this life doing the best we know how to protect, love and care for this gift of a child we’ve been blessed with. That said, there are tons of parents in this world living through worse situations than we are, tons of people with unspoken struggles that they keep private...KINDNESS is free and can make a huge difference in someone’s day, hour and life!”

Perhaps our greatest gift is the ability to be kind.  There is not one person on earth without this inherent capability.  How then do we tap into it at times when we are angry, disappointed, dismissed or rejected?  It is the matter of a conscious decision to reach into our hearts and offer it.  We can do this.  Everyone is fighting difficulties and suffers in their own way despite what might be seen in their demeanor.  Those we touch with tender kindness will be restored and renewed.  We will be remembered for the beauty that we leave behind and our actions will be the talk of generations to come.

“Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.” ~ George Sand

Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse.In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers.His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.

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