Grief. Its a sneaky bitch. You can be cruising along thinking that everything is ok – and then BAM you have a moment – sometimes you have a whole bloody day where anything and everything just jumps up smacks you down and makes you a weeping mess.
All over our social media feeds there is negativity – violence – confusion – sadness and anger. One friend even wanted to know today is 2016 was simply a big joke on all of us?
Im sitting here wondering about this year – and what is it that has made it seem like we’ve been on a permanent retrograde ride?
So Im going to try now to focus on some positives – because surely if we focus on the positive and beauty then overwhelmingly – things can all start to move upward.
A friend of a friend today won an award – recognising her strength in the face of great adversity. This woman has chosen to take her grief and turn it into a massive positive. Through her grief she makes a difference. Through her pain she touches and changes so many lives. I couldn’t think of a more deserving winner for this award. Ive never met her but I know of her and her story and Ive witness how she touches and inspires through my dear friend. If you want to read her story its here.
Ive been so lost in my own grief and tragedy lately that I have forgotten to look about me and see how others are shining and turning adversity around. I have a dear friend who has turned her life around and she inspires me regularly. Ive just been so busy in my grief bubble that I haven’t allowed it in you can read about her here.
As we near the season of goodwill and giving – I guess its time to reassess what we have been through and what we are focussed on this year and into next. This morning at the supermarket – I was popping my token into the trolley and it wouldn’t work. A gorgeous elderly gentleman offered me a hand – I could see he was struggling himself, and I said to him no – but thank you, I had a coin Id try that instead ( he even offered me a coin). Its been so long since I actually shopped in this particular supermarket I didn’t realise they have taken away the need for tokens and coins and bunged up the coin holes. He had worked this out and pulled out my trolley for me. I thanked him and went on my way.
But it made me think. Last weekend I was at another supermarket and could see an elderly gentleman struggling in the wind putting away his trolley. I thought do I offer him my coin ( I needed a trolley too) and take his trolley for him? But Im so used to rudeness – and I guess simply so involved in my grief bubble at the moment that I walked on. I regret that I walked on. But my grief bubble has been somewhat impenetrable lately.
Another friend posted on her social media page today about Kindness. And how kindness costs nothing. This is true – it really does cost nothing to smile, to offer assistance, to simply say thank you and mean it.
So I guess – its time. To say thank you, to stop tearing each other down and to start with kindness. And as my friend so eloquently put it – SPRINKLE THAT SHIT EVERYWHERE.
“Kindness In Words Creates Confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in Giving Creates LOVE.” Lao Tzu
“Beginning today , treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” Og Mandino
Today and from here on – I choose kindness. What do you choose?
The Domesticated Ms Hemsworth 