A few days back at my acupuncturist’s office, instead of immediately leaving after my session, I stopped to speak with a delightful stranger and another stalwart. For three people who don’t know each other, we had a profound 20 minutes together.

I don’t remember the exact thing which opened the conversation with a wonderful elf with grey hair and red rimmed glasses, but somehow the conversation turned to grandparents and grandchildren. We all began to talk about the love one or more of our grandparents gave us and how grateful we were for being richer for those loving experiences.

The interaction turned to the kindness we experienced from our grandparent(s), and how that profoundly changes one’s worldview. I noted that my grandmother was a truly kind person and loved throughout the region she lived from birth to her upper 80s. Though she never made it past the 8th grade, she still was very successful financially, and could be generous when she wanted to be. I cherished our 50-year relationship for the happiness and kindness I experienced when I was with her for many Summers when young and other times throughout my adult life.

The conversation then moved into family interactions and dynamics between family members. We found that we all had unfortunate experiences with people who despite their education weren’t nice people. We agreed that just because people have an advanced degree or three, it doesn’t mean they are kind, or value happiness, or even know that much about being a human being.

We then spoke of our plans for the next few weeks, and I left. Since then I’ve been contemplating that conversation between the three of us, and am left with something I’ve known for my entire life. The knowledge of things we believe we know is less important than being kind. Kindness is not weak, and it is honest and clear. It is straightforward, and its radiance cannot be denied.

As I’ve known many people this life, I have memories. I remembered the story of a family of 5 middle aged siblings, 4 of whom have PhDs or MDs, and how they think poorly of the 5th who chose a different (and very successful) professional route. I thought of a family with 2 PhDs, 1 DBA, 4 Master’s degrees and a law degree always disappointed with the one who chose not to go into academia, but succeeded beyond his wildest dreams at living a successful life. I thought of a family of people worth 40-80 million each feeling like the one with only about 15 million was somehow not “as well off” because he used millions to help others.

I know that most people die wondering what life was all about. They acquire knowledge, they acquire things, they acquire degrees, they acquire comfort, and yet can still die unfulfilled. Clearly our purpose is beyond acquiring things and attitudes which don’t answer the fundamental questions of life, “Why were we here? What was this life all about?”

While we are here to acquire creature comforts and a functional knowledge of the world, each other, and the spiritual Life, often we are distracted by things rather than qualities, obscured by a constant “doing” which veils our “Being.” It’s why I sometimes refer to “Doing our Being,” since when we remember we are Beings doing whatever, we don’t get distracted by outer things and remain in touch with inner qualities.

Which brings us back to my reflections. I was moved to remember the love and kindness my grandmother gave me, and her strengths and determination as well as her genuine laugh and ability to dismiss the worries of the world as distractions to her happiness. I was moved to remember that for all the degrees and forms of opulence in the world, none are as valuable as a small kindness offered at the right time.

I believe most people are kind when that quality is permitted to blossom as a personality trait. Fulfillment may be found in the grand gestures of life, but it is equally found in expressing the Loving Kindness which is our Soul’s natural expression. To paraphrase an ancient saying, “Kindness shared is kindness doubled.”

All human beings want happiness, a sense of connection with kindred Souls, and an ability to know they are “doing their Being” in perfect harmony with Life and their Higher Self. Our Being is loving, kind, wise, and adaptable. As we fully identify with the Higher Self we ARE, then things may come and go, people may come and go, yet we’ll move through the tides of Life with perfect equilibrium that we ARE the Love we seek, and we ARE the Love that others seek.

Be the Love you are, whether in the song of Life or the silence of your inner Being. Express that Love the best you’re able, and don’t judge if you’re “getting it right.” With time and practice, you will find you are effortlessly expressing the Loving Kindness of your Higher Self, and are not distracted by the discontentment and attachments of the densest areas of life experience.

We have our body, our feelings, and our thoughts. We ARE Eternals having human experiences. We ARE Loving Wise Intelligence embodied so that we can make these manifest the best we’re able in our unique way and time. Be wise in your Love, and loving in your Wisdom. Adapt as needed, and enjoy the ride!

Aum and blessings

© Copyright 2019 Robert Wilkinson - https://www.aquariuspapers.com
Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with persmission from Robert Wilkinson.

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