It is almost a new year, and although I don't usually believe in making resolutions, I do believe in Mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh writes of this, "Every breath we take can be filled with peace, joy and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment... The foundation of a good community is a daily life that is joyful and happy. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it."
For several months I have been on a personal quest to find joy in the world - in all things, large and small. I hoped that gathering small secrets and evidence of joy would help to dispel the sadness and conflict that I see in so much of our world today. It has been a worthwhile (and continuing) endeavor. It serves as a way to place everyday miracles in the cosmic scale when so much seems to be tipping us toward darkness.
But I find that my search has been selfish. Mindfulness for me has become a stockpiling mechanism by which I save up the warm fuzzies gathered from daily observations. I have been shoring up my own psychic foundation and building my own protective barrier. But what about my community?
Recently I have been moved by kindness. Not necessarily big, conceptual, capital "K" kindness, but rather, selfless acts that contribute to the "good community." A stranger stopping to offer a ride during a downpour; the get well care package left on the doorstep; a new friend patiently allowing an unprovoked rant without judgement; an unexpected gift of homemade chocolate.
I am beginning to think of the continuum this way: Mindfulness is the practice of being aware and open. Kindness is letting peace, joy and serenity pass through to others. Kindness passing through us does not diminish its benefit. It magnifies it. For everyone.
So for the new year, I hope to balance the other side of the Mindfulness equation with Kindness. It is a practice and a discipline. Join me and we can help one another along the way.
Happy, Joyful, Kind New Year!
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