Kindness of Strangers

Beautifuls! Happy summer! As many of you may know, summer begins the crux of my reading. I’m a total cornball and even develop a summer reading list to savor in the hot days of summer after a good ride, run, tennis match or swim in the Lake. So, my latest read, “The Kindness of Strangers,” includes a preface from the Dalai Lama who encourages us to think about the many ways  our survival depends on the kindness of other sentient beings. It seems a perfect question to ponder in our exploration of “altruism,” this month of July.  We can begin with the very basic kindnesses we’ve all experienced from our parents who brought us into the world (weither known or unknown), the animals, plants and minerals that we consume to nourish and keep us alive, the sun that warms our earth and without which we could not exist....you can go down the rabbit hole very quickly. The question after the pondering is then, “why then in the middle (of life) should we not act kindly toward others?”

When exploring altruism, I hold to be true that kindness is a path of paying attention to the needs of others, being thankful for the many ways that we ourselves are supported and to wish with a noble heart, to return our good fortune with those whom we cross paths. It truly is a matter of common sense. What is done for me, benefits me and comes back as a benefit and blessing to others.

As another tidbit of interest, “The Kindness of Strangers,” posits that an altruistic act is most clearly defined as selfless when done for a complete stranger. Why? Our identity is unknown, thereby shadowing the need for approval or secondary benefit. Also, recipients of the kindness of strangers report that the acts, no matter how small, tend to be remembered and treasured. Why? For the exact same reasons, the motive is pure and without ulterior motive.

Loves, let’s get out there and keep our eyes peeled for the many ways to express kindness and allow the fuel of our own experiences of kindness to inspire us on this summery altruistic exploration!

Letting Go Of Ourselves

July presents the theme of “Altruism,” and the impulse of letting go of ourselves for the needs of another. Typically altruism is thought of as a heroic action and such stories of self sacrifice move our hearts and we may ask, if I were in a similar situation, how would I respond? Yet, is altruism something that can be practiced? Can we practice letting go of all the minutia and holding as foremost our love for one another?

Speaking of love ~ you all know my love of the poet Hafiz, here’s a poem he named for himself ~ that steps into the heart of “Altruism,”

Hafiz

It
Is all
Just a love contest
And I never
Lose.
Now you have another good reason
To spend more time
With
Me.

Hafiz also reminds that it is possible to receive love, care and comfort across space and time....

The Gift

Our
Union is like this:
You feel cold
So I reach for a blanket to cover
Our shivering feet.
A hunger comes into your body
So I run to my garden
And start digging potatoes.
You ask for a few words of comfort and guidance,
I quickly kneel at your side offering you
This whole book—
As a gift.
You ache with loneliness one night
So much you weep
And I say,
Here’s a rope,
Tie it around me.
Hafiz
Will be your companion
For life.

Altruism reaches beyond limits of body into the experience of another to cover the feet, feed the hunger, ease the ache of loneliness. In the dog days of summer may we find opportunities to experiment and play with practicing altruism and opening to love and care across space and time.

*selections of poetry taken from "The Gift," Poems by Hafiz, The Great Sufi Master, translated by Daniel Ladinsky