Do you ever feel stuck? Do you ever wonder if there is more than this provincial life? Yes, that’s a Beauty and the Beast reference. No, I don’t dream about finding an enchanted castle and having a romantic dance with a really hairy woman, but I do dream about something more… sometimes. Sometimes I dream of something more because the world needs to be a better place, but sometimes I’d rather just watch movies and eat Mini Eggs. I’ll be honest; sometimes it’s easy to be too overwhelmed to care about making this a better world while other times life is simply tolerable enough to not bother trying to improve it. Fortunately, there are moments I am shaken from my stupor. This happened to me while watching the movie, Woodlawn, which is about a revolution that takes place in an American high school through a football team that is engulfed in racial tension. No, I didn’t say Remember the Titans. The big difference between these two movies is that Woodlawn has the change sparked by a sports chaplain who introduces Jesus to the team. At first I was thinking this is cheesy, but then, like the players in the movie, I was won over and now I’m in love with this film. I’ve often dreamed of seeing a culture sweeping revolution to make the world better, but unlike in the movie there isn’t a cause big enough in our tech savvy, spoiled culture for this to happen because things, as I said, are tolerable enough. Sure there’s some racism, but it’s nothing like it was. Sure there are injustices, but there’s nothing that impending on us here in North America to unite us as one. Sure there are tragedies like floods and earthquakes, but those come and go. I’ve heard preachers talk about wanting another Jesus revolution, but religion has developed such a tainted reputation. The only thing I see as being capable of starting a positive revolution is love in its purest form, which is best witnessed through kindness. The movie Pay It Forward tried to inspire change, but it was too big a concept. What I’m proposing is simple: Be kind. If we were all kind, we would reduce depression, anxiety, divorce, loneliness, addictions, and maybe even start to see a reason for spirituality. Being kind can make a difference, and it starts with just one person.
Here are a few examples of what people I know are doing to be kind:
- My neighbor, Paul, regularly brings in my family’s garbage cans. It’s a really simple gesture, but it’s really appreciated when we come home to see the bins at the garage because it helps us feel cared about.
- My Aunt Diane has a number of physical ailments including a bad back and knees, but she finds joy in making and donating little cat balls full of catnip for shelters.
- I often talk about my amazing mom, but a new addition to her catalogue of great qualities is I recently discovered she has a list of elderly ladies she makes a point to call and visit. Does she owe these women anything? No. Is she trying to get their inheritance? I wish… I mean, no, and if she was she would need a very different list of women because they aren’t rich without family ties. She simply cares about these women because she wants to, and by connecting, she helps them feel cared about. The best part is she also benefits by doing this because she’s developed some wonderful friendships.
- My wife blows me away with her kindness. I think she’s more related to my mom than I am. This past year we’ve been doing a lot of renovations, which has led to us becoming partially acquainted to some of the full time staff at the various construction stores. Last fall Alyshia found out the one lady was just divorced and was anxious about spending her first birthday alone. Alyshia mentioned to me that she wanted to make this lady a cake, and my immediate thought – because I’m a therapist and reverend – was we have renovations to focus on. I’m such a testament to my titles. Fortunately I was smart enough to shut my mouth; better to be a jerk in my head than to say something and show the world that I am. I never asked Alyshia if she followed through with it because I didn’t think she had any time to do it, and I didn’t want her to feel bad. A few months later, however, I overheard her saying to mom she wished she could make better cakes for those times she gives them away. In that conversation it came out that she had followed through with her desire to make this rather random person a cake. I really don’t know how she made the time, but looking at this situation who made the better choice? I spent all my free time doing renovations that still aren’t done while she had made time to show kindness to someone who was lonely. Alyshia is clearly a wiser person in this situation… emphasis on “this situation”. I don’t want her thinking she’s always right… even if there is truth to it.
This week may you start to see opportunities to show kindness and to make the time to do it as a way to help make this a better world.
Rev. Chad David, ChadDavid.ca, learning to love dumb people