About three weeks ago my mother died and the importance of kindness was reaffirmed for me. I was blown away by the recent notes of condolence received from a distant relative, life-long friends in other states as well as new  Facebook and Twitter "friends" - people I only know virtually. Those acts of kindness and words of support helped me during a challenging time. I was also surprised by the people who didn't acknowledge what I was going through.

My life has had its ups and downs for the last 10 years. Unfortunately there have been more lows than highs. (Don't throw a pity party for me. I'm moving forward in a positive direction.)  I  knew I'd written in my journal about the value of kindness approximately five years ago.  So I searched and found what I wrote. I was struck by its relevance to my current situation and the truth it contained. I thought the journal entry was worth sharing to encourage you to recognize the difference you can make in somebody's life just by being kind. Below is an excerpt from what I wrote. May it inspire you to pick up the phone or send a message to somebody who's going through tough times. It only takes a minute and can truly make a huge difference in the person's life.  
                                                          
"The last few years have been very challenging for me and I’m very appreciative of every act of kindness expressed to me by a friend, family member or a stranger. A random act of kindness goes a long way and a smile or a wave feels wonderful.

I've basically been housebound for nine months. I finished channeling a book, stood up, and noticed that my right arm was very bruised. (A year earlier I dislocated my left shoulder – ouch!) Within a couple of days, my upper arm from my elbow to my shoulder was totally black. Things just kept getting worse and my life became very limited and challenging. 

For the first six months, there were days when I couldn't get out of bed because there was no way to do it without a great deal of  pain. I couldn't work, drive, blow dry my hair, etc. It was hell and I never knew how my arm would function at any point in time. I was in constant pain. My chiropractor came to my apartment seven days a week and called to see how I was doing if he was out of town. I was extremely grateful for his kindness. There were several months when he was the only person I saw or talked to and that made me sad. Where were my friends?

Towards the end of that year, my best friend in AZ died of pancreatic cancer and I was one of her care givers. Another friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and I was part of her support network. I was glad to be of assistance and, at the same time, still concerned about who was there to help me because I only had limited use of my arm. 

I soon found out. Taken together everything I was going through directly and indirectly just seemed like too much for one person to handle. Besides being on an emotional roller coaster and in physical pain, I still had to make living and take care of basic needs like laundry, marketing, fixing something to eat.

My friends in California and Arizona as well as on the east coast knew what I was going through, including my having to use all my savings and my 401K to survive. A number of them were nowhere to be found — too busy with their own stuff or too afraid to see my raw emotions and pain or just not knowing what to do. The funny thing is that I really didn’t want them to do anything except sit with me, hug me or call me and let me know that I wasn’t alone. I was disappointed.

Other group of people dropped me like a hot potato when I no longer was willing to listen to their problems, write their resumes, or to use any of my other talents without getting paid something or having an exchange/barter of some sort. I  didn't care what it was but I could no longer do things for nothing until my cup was overflowing with divine nectar. This second group of people only wanted to be on the receiving end of the equation. They weren't interested in creating win/win outcomes. Another disappointment.

Thank heavens there was a third group of people - thoughtful, generous, compassionate individuals. They jumped right in to be of help without having to be asked.They were very kind and helpful:  preparing meals, picking up prescriptions, doing my marketing and a husband and wife actually came over and cleaned my apartment. Knowing I had a support team and emotionally available cheerleaders really  made a huge difference in my recovery and in my life...

After my mom's death, I'm very grateful that there were some very thoughtful people. They made a difference. 

Rereading my journal entry reminded me that I've always been compassionate and now I truly understand  what it feels like to be on the receiving end of kindness. That third group of people from the past and the friends in present taught me first-hand the value of kindness.  As a result, when I learn that somebody's going through a tough time, I'm amongst the first to send a card, make a call, dash off an email or do whatever I can to be of support for that person. I feel as though I'm "paying the kindness forward" and it's a tribute to those who've been there to support me. Kindness makes the world a gentler place.