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<\/a>There\u2019s nothing like a campaign season to remind us of the worst of humanity. It\u2019s not unusual to catch a bit of a stump speech and think, is that person part of the same human race that I am? This week it\u2019s Ann Coulter stumping for Donald Trump, and while I try not to give the woman any oxygen or air time in my life, her words are so horrifically hateful and so gleefully delivered, that I really kind of lose my mind.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s happened to us that we\u2019ve become such a people of hate? What\u2019s happened to us that we live in such fear and hatred instead of love and kindness toward each other? And I start to wonder, further \u2026\u00a0when did it become so unusual to be kind and decent toward one another? I mean, the simple act of smiling at someone you don\u2019t know almost seems old-fashioned and ridiculous these days, doesn\u2019t it? When did that happen?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s times like these that I find myself doubling down on kindness. It\u2019s my instinctual response to hate; my way of\u00a0reminding myself that the little choices we make all day long are stabs back at the darkness. It\u2019s my way of saying, oh yeah, hate (Ann)? You think you win today? Not if I can help it.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m reminded of a good friend whose wife, when my friend would start to get in a big huffy hurry to get out of the house, would intentionally slow waaaay down. Her slowness boldly challenged his hurry, and usually forced him to surrender. Now, I\u2019m not so naive to think that my small acts of kindness, combined with yours, will fell the Ann Coulters of the world \u2026 oh wait, yes I am. I am<\/em> that naive. I think it\u00a0comes with the faith territory.<\/p>\nWhen hate is raging, intentionally bring the light. Remember what it means to be a human being. Here are some very, VERY simple ideas for increasing the light and reminding ourselves each day that we\u2019re human again. (Bonus aside:\u00a0watch how kindness has a crazy way of transforming the energy around you, healing others, and going freaky viral (google \u201cStarbucks chain of\u00a0kindness.\u201d))<\/p>\n
1. Say hello to someone in the elevator. You might even wish them a good morning. (I know, crazy, right?)<\/p>\n
2. Open a door for someone who has their arms full.<\/p>\n
3. Pull your elderly neighbor\u2019s trash cans in for them on trash day.<\/p>\n
4. Compliment a co-worker on a project or a good idea.<\/p>\n
5. Thank your waiter, or the person who bags your groceries, or your kid\u2019s teacher. When you thank them, look them in the eyes and mean it.<\/p>\n
6. Give someone a hug (check out the research on the healing power of hugs).<\/p>\n
7. Let someone into your lane on the freeway. (Just do it already, as a rebellious act of kindness!)<\/p>\n
8. Buy a big box of granola bars and hand them out as you drive past the beleagured\u00a0souls on street corners.<\/p>\n
9. Attend a church service in another part of town with people who don\u2019t look like you.<\/p>\n
10. Get someone a drink of water (that\u2019s from Anne Lamott).<\/p>\n
11. Read a poem by David Whyte, or Mary Oliver, or Maya Angelou, or the Persian mystic Hafiz. (This is more for you than anyone else, but you know what they say\u2026 when one person finds inner peace, thousands around them are saved.*)<\/p>\n
12. Apologize to someone you were short with yesterday.<\/p>\n
13. End your day by looking back over the last 24 hours and noticing where you felt most connected to yourself, others, and the world. Give thanks for the big and small moments of connection, of kindness, of decency you showed or received this day.<\/p>\n
Simple, right? That same good friend with the \u2018slow\u2019 wife also told me once that Christianity is really quite simple \u2014 we\u2019re just supposed to love each other. That\u2019s it! So simple, he said with a smile, and yet oh-so-hard to practice.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s stack the deck in favor of kindness versus hatred. It\u2019s time to double down and bet big on the power of small gestures of love, practiced intentionally and in increasingly regular intervals, to win the game.<\/p>\n
Image: Shutterstock<\/p>\n
*St. Seraphim of Sarov said it first.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There\u2019s nothing like a campaign season to remind us of the worst of humanity. It\u2019s not unusual to catch a bit of a stump speech and think, is that person part of the same human race that I am? This week it\u2019s Ann Coulter stumping for Donald Trump, and while I try not to give […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1273,1177,1178,1179],"class_list":["post-8481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-christianity","tag-hate-speech","tag-kindness","tag-random-acts-of-kindness"],"yoast_head":"\n
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