Kindness & Compassion Gives Me Power
Compassion is empowering. Without a second thought, I find that reaching out to others is an easy gesture. To me, kindness and compassion aren’t only about materialism. Delivering a compliment, lending a hand or listening to someone in need show compassion. A few years ago when I started uncovering my creative talents, I started giving away my creations – jewelry, paintings, greeting cards, bookmarks, and later, books. Giving was a tool that helped me boost my self-esteem as I struggled with my role as a victim of work force reduction. My own family doesn’t understand my actions and the benefits those actions give me. I chose to be kind because I feel authentic, and I find I grow professionally, spiritually, and creatively.
I sincerely believe paying it forward helps us in many ways. Earlier this year, a friend, who is in between jobs and struggling financially, was getting ready for a job interview in another city. She told me she had spent her last dime getting her hair done for the upcoming interview. “Where is the food fund?” she wondered. After seeing her text, I looked in my checkbook account to see what I had to spare. I sent her an online restaurant gift certificate for $40. She was aghast, questioning me about my expenditure because she knew I was draining my funds for book publishing and marketing efforts. But, she was grateful and I was very happy; often in the past, she had done generous and wonderful acts for me. Three days later, I was getting ready to be interviewed on KATU (AM Northwest) in Portland, and on the way to the airport, I went to see another friend to style my hair. Since it was a Valentine’s Day, I brought her a plant. To my surprise, she handed me a card and a small box. In the box were earrings that she had made, in a color that matched the Amazonite stones in my bracelet. And, when I opened the card, I found $40 with a note: “Have a nice lunch”. This friend never knew what I had done a few days earlier. Interestingly, three days later, I purchased a lottery (scratch) ticket and won $40. These ironic coincidences have occurred often enough that I have become convinced that a special karma binds good deeds.
