How do we keep faith with Life when we’re bombarded by attacks on women, minorities, immigrants, the rule of law and democracy?
How do we know our social contract with each other is alive and well?
My response has been to look for acts kindness. However, without noticing it, I allowed habits and expectations around winter holidays to crowd out my practice. Were there signs of caring community waiting in the background, waiting to be noticed, to strengthen us?
Here’s what I found:
- Arriving at church for a meeting, I found a chilly Coe Hall. Brian was already checking the furnace. When he couldn’t fix it, he called a technician who came in an hour and fixed it.
- When our office manager was sick, Brian printed the order of service.
- When the daughter of a member of WISE Women died, many WISE Women went to the memorial service. At the next meeting, during check in, her silence was held with kindness, glad she was with us.
- At coffee hour, a new-comer brought a baked dessert from an apple tree he planted 6 years ago; many reached out to him.
- Another new-comer shared an idea for a Friday evening jazz cafe; others responded enthusiastically.
- At coffee hour, new-comers and longtime members and friends are mixing it up, sitting together, sharing stories, listening to each other, going deeper.
All are acts of kindness, reaching beyond ourselves, creating space for each other, nurturing caring community.
