Small Kindnesses
Why we chose 'Small Kindnesses' as a driving thought?
Small Kindnesses are a reminder that our everyday life is strewn with small kindnesses of others. Ones that help us with our journey forward, ones that bring ease into our lives, ones that bring a smile to our face, warms our hearts, give us hope and strength to move forward, infact provides gentle nourishment for our souls. No wonder, Mohammad (peace be upon him) calls 'Smile' a charity. You cannot measure the result a genuine smile brings. It is all that and more.
Even though we realize in our lives the value of small kindnesses, we may not be motivated to do small acts of kindness, because their is no 'material value' attached to it. It is 'small', we may say, almost neglible. We underestimate them. I would like to share some stories from real lives where the value of a small kindness is almost tangible; It is priceless.
But before sharing these stories, we have all experienced the power of the most valued small kindness, one that we all need from time to time, infact most frequently; A Kind Word.
God says, 'A good word is like a good tree, firmly in the ground and it's branches high in the sky"-Al- Quran
Our presence is the most beautiful act of honoring another. Our attention, a keen ear, listening with our hearts, make up our presence. Whether we are able to do anything to ease the difficulty of another or not is secondary, and in most cases irrelevant. Kindness starts with making yourself available for another, and it starts with our families, our children. We value families and friends because they make themselves available for us.
We have seen often how simply listening to someone intently, has relieved another of anxiety and pain. In the most difficult of situations that is the foremost need for another. Give your presence and attention to who needs it, as a life long habit of showing small kindnesses. Let us not underestimate the power of being. The power God gave us in our beings, of an open heart, an intent ear, a forgiving insight, a gracious humble demeanor are the most precious and valued gifts.