thank you for this "kindness" booster Jane. in december i was passing out the poem "Small Kindnesses" by Danusha Laméris (https://poets.org/poem/small-kindnesses) to folks in meetings, at the grocery store, friends, wherever i ventured. a reminder more to me to remain kind wherever i plant my feet and heart. i even had a dream where a friend created post-it notes that said "all be kind." we don't know when an act of kindness can shift the tone of someone's day (our own?)...or at least let them know they matter.
i hope you are being offered an abundance of kindness today.
Holy smokes, that poem!! It's astounding. Thank you for sharing, anne. I feel those gorgeous, potent words in every cell in my body! And, YES, "all be kind." Just before my mom died she said, "There's no reason not to love everyone. Everyone must be loved." Of course, I struggle to apply this to "everyone!!" But acts of kindness sure do help!
It is such a gorgeous poem by Danusha Laméris! One of my favourites too. Beautiful in its ”simplicity”. Back in October when I was teaching a yoga class on menopause and spoke of the value of “one degree turns” I vowed to be walking around my city (Montreal) with open eyes, making eye contact and really seeing, and acknowledging people you tend to overlook, like the cashier, the bus driver, etc. I make sure to practice it especially now, when we are hiding under the hoodies of our big coats and pass by people we actually know without noticing. And, it has increased my levels of joy exponentially! I highly recommend it.
This is a much appreciated and beautiful share. Thank you, Jane, and the authors interviewed here. My heart breaks at what's happening in the US right now, and around the globe. It's terrifying. Music helps me. I've been listening to Hozier on repeat. He's such a gorgeous poet and human. Going for coffees with my kind and gentle father has been a balm. Meditation. I recently took a trip with my husband, to beautiful Lanzarote. We spent all of our time outdoors, in nature and by the ocean. Nature helps immensely. We took deep breaths by the sea. 💦💙
We would be lost without music, right? I've only heard one or two songs by Hozier. I will check him out more!! I'm so happy you had the time with your beloved father. It must be such a shock to your nervous system to be back here. And I feel like you need to write a poem/song/short story/novel/memoir and call it "We Took Deep Breaths By The Sea." Oh, and, yes, nature, thank god. xx
I'm obsessed with his second album Wasteland, Baby! It's incredible! 🩷 Please do listen, and let me know what you think. And yes, my US return is an assault to my already disregulated nervous system. 🥺 Grateful for my loving, intelligent friends here, like you Jane and all the good ones. Kindness wins.
We're grateful for you! I started listening and I liked it! I somehow started thinking about Richard Ashcroft and then went down a Verve hole! Haha. I'll listen again today!
Dear Jane...thank you so much for this beautiful post when life in the world indeed feels terrifying. There are so many nuggets of wisdom and remembrances to be reminded of in the passages you referenced above, as we navigate uncertainty and increasing aggression. Kindness, community, finding your own abundance, and look for the light at the centre....are the messages that I will take from this piece. And to end with Sinéad O'Connor's hauntingly gorgeous voice and timeless lyrics reminds me that history repeats itself again and again.
Thank you for this beautiful compilation. Perfect way to start the day. I also think of Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem, “Kindness.” https://poets.org/poem/kindness
Thank you for this, Jane. It helped. This I’ll carry with me: Kindness is the way out. It’s the thing that stops the spin of the anxiety. Even if you do nothing more than learn to speak kindly to yourself in your own mind.”
I am excited to go on a treasure hunt with your offerings. Living into this paradox of life where darkness and light coexist. To reflect upon and write about what still keeps our pilot ignited IS the antidote. So we show up, and splash our hearts 💞 upon the page. Gentle and loving care to us all.
thank you for this "kindness" booster Jane. in december i was passing out the poem "Small Kindnesses" by Danusha Laméris (https://poets.org/poem/small-kindnesses) to folks in meetings, at the grocery store, friends, wherever i ventured. a reminder more to me to remain kind wherever i plant my feet and heart. i even had a dream where a friend created post-it notes that said "all be kind." we don't know when an act of kindness can shift the tone of someone's day (our own?)...or at least let them know they matter.
i hope you are being offered an abundance of kindness today.
Holy smokes, that poem!! It's astounding. Thank you for sharing, anne. I feel those gorgeous, potent words in every cell in my body! And, YES, "all be kind." Just before my mom died she said, "There's no reason not to love everyone. Everyone must be loved." Of course, I struggle to apply this to "everyone!!" But acts of kindness sure do help!
I don’t know what it is when beauty makes me cry but I’m grateful that it does and I’m grateful for your sharing.
Saaaaammmmeee!! xx
It is such a gorgeous poem by Danusha Laméris! One of my favourites too. Beautiful in its ”simplicity”. Back in October when I was teaching a yoga class on menopause and spoke of the value of “one degree turns” I vowed to be walking around my city (Montreal) with open eyes, making eye contact and really seeing, and acknowledging people you tend to overlook, like the cashier, the bus driver, etc. I make sure to practice it especially now, when we are hiding under the hoodies of our big coats and pass by people we actually know without noticing. And, it has increased my levels of joy exponentially! I highly recommend it.
What a beautiful practice, Imola!!
what a beautiful practice! thank you for sharing.
Beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing it, Anne.
This is a much appreciated and beautiful share. Thank you, Jane, and the authors interviewed here. My heart breaks at what's happening in the US right now, and around the globe. It's terrifying. Music helps me. I've been listening to Hozier on repeat. He's such a gorgeous poet and human. Going for coffees with my kind and gentle father has been a balm. Meditation. I recently took a trip with my husband, to beautiful Lanzarote. We spent all of our time outdoors, in nature and by the ocean. Nature helps immensely. We took deep breaths by the sea. 💦💙
We would be lost without music, right? I've only heard one or two songs by Hozier. I will check him out more!! I'm so happy you had the time with your beloved father. It must be such a shock to your nervous system to be back here. And I feel like you need to write a poem/song/short story/novel/memoir and call it "We Took Deep Breaths By The Sea." Oh, and, yes, nature, thank god. xx
I'm obsessed with his second album Wasteland, Baby! It's incredible! 🩷 Please do listen, and let me know what you think. And yes, my US return is an assault to my already disregulated nervous system. 🥺 Grateful for my loving, intelligent friends here, like you Jane and all the good ones. Kindness wins.
We're grateful for you! I started listening and I liked it! I somehow started thinking about Richard Ashcroft and then went down a Verve hole! Haha. I'll listen again today!
Dear Jane...thank you so much for this beautiful post when life in the world indeed feels terrifying. There are so many nuggets of wisdom and remembrances to be reminded of in the passages you referenced above, as we navigate uncertainty and increasing aggression. Kindness, community, finding your own abundance, and look for the light at the centre....are the messages that I will take from this piece. And to end with Sinéad O'Connor's hauntingly gorgeous voice and timeless lyrics reminds me that history repeats itself again and again.
Yes to all you wrote, Jo-Anne! ❤️
Thank you Jane for the kindest space on Substack. I can finally breathe…
Oooooh, thank you, Imola!! ❤️
Thank you for this beautiful compilation. Perfect way to start the day. I also think of Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem, “Kindness.” https://poets.org/poem/kindness
I looove that poem! I used to be able to recite that by heart. Hmm. Perhaps time to relearn it! ❤️
What a lovely idea.
I love this poem!
Thank you, friend. Much needed tonight. 🩵🩵🩵
I'm so glad! The times we're in. ❤️❤️❤️
Beautiful, Jane. Thank you for this reminder of the power of kindness.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Holly! It's so hard to know what the fuck to write in the midst of all this. xx
You’re some kind of wonderful Jane. Thank you for what you do.
Oh, thank you so very much, Julie! ❤️
We shall not be split...
Empathy, kindness. Full stop.
“Light at the center.”
❤️
Thank you for this, Jane. It helped. This I’ll carry with me: Kindness is the way out. It’s the thing that stops the spin of the anxiety. Even if you do nothing more than learn to speak kindly to yourself in your own mind.”
I'm so glad, Amy! And isn't that beautiful, what Martha said! And so true!! xx
I am excited to go on a treasure hunt with your offerings. Living into this paradox of life where darkness and light coexist. To reflect upon and write about what still keeps our pilot ignited IS the antidote. So we show up, and splash our hearts 💞 upon the page. Gentle and loving care to us all.
This is so dang beautiful, Joanie: "So we show up, and splash our hearts 💞 upon the page." Yes! xx