Category Archives: Kindness

“Life is mostly froth and bubble…”

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“Life is mostly froth and bubble, two things stand like stone. Kindness in another’s trouble, courage in your own.”

—Adam Lindsay Gordon, 19th century Australian poet, jockey and politician

Photo from Flickr by Ross Elliott

Photo from Flickr by Ross Elliott

We all know the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff…” In today’s quote, Gordon equates the small stuff with “froth and bubble,” making clear that the small stuff has little or no substance.

But what about the important stuff – the things that require our full attention and commitment?

Gordon is clear in this: be there for others when they are in need, and summon the courage to live our lives to the fullest.

Exercise:

Examine your own life for areas of “froth and bubble,” and choose instead to strengthen the two foundation stones of kindness and courage.

“Kindness causes us to learn, and to forget, many things.”

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“Kindness causes us to learn, and to forget, many things.”

– Madame Swetchine, 18th Century Russian Mystic & Writer

Photo from Flickr by Margaret Almon

Photo from Flickr by Margaret Almon

What would happen if we lived in a much kinder world?

Today’s quote suggests first that we would learn more, perhaps due to the openness and receptivity kindness provides.

We would also forget many of life’s speed bumps because kindness has the capacity to help us forgive others and jettison the memories that hold us back.

EXERCISE

How can you intentionally and generously expand your level of kindness to those in your professional and personal worlds?

Notice what this effort helps you learn, and perhaps forget, through the process.

“Constant kindness can accomplish much…”

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“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate.”

– Albert Schweitzer, theologian and philosopher

Here in Michigan, we are preparing for the upcoming winter seasons. The leaves are changing color and starting to fall, and our mornings are beginning to get crisp and cool.

I personally like the idea of kindness as a proverbial defroster that we can use whenever we wish to bring greater warmth into our worlds.

Exercise:

Where (and to whom) can you extend greater kindness today, to increase your capacity to accomplish much?