“Being nice” is a good thing; it contributes to a civil society, but kindness is much more than the absence of unpleasant, rude, or hurtful behavior (though eliminating boorishness is a good thing). But kindness sometimes means taking the heat. Close your eyes. Relax. Picture yourself in the middle of a huge, black asphalt-covered parking lot. It’s mid-August, about four…
Tag: Kindness
The Year of Kindness Revisited
You ever think about songs you used to sing that are seldom sung anymore? “Make Me a Blessing” used to be really popular in the Sunday School I attended every weekend. I never much cared for it; the music was too bland, the lyric too cliched, the song was just too too uninteresting for my taste. And the whole notion…
Who's In Charge?
Last night I attended a Bible Study by video with about 100 women. The video was a little dated (circa mid-90s) and the speaker was a “personality” with a style of her own. One of the women in my seating group–let’s call her Tasha–was emphatic in her disapproval. We didn’t discusss the content of the Bible study (which was substantial);…
The Year of Kindness
Scene: chairs around a kitchen counter and two place settings. Characters: Dick, Jane, a bowl of fried potatoes, and other comestibles playing bit roles. Dick (with a puzzled look): “Baby, what did you put in these potatoes?” Jane (eyes narrowed): “Why?” Pause. “Is. There. A. Problem?” Dick (with a deep sigh); “Can you, for once in your life, just give…