A Little Cup of Kindness
Gentle thoughts for today’s hectic world
©Glenn Dromgoole
“The world is too much with us,” wrote William Wordsworth. “Late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers. Little we see in nature that is ours.”
Too often, we allow the busyness and the chaos of daily living to lay waste the powers of our better selves and best intentions -- to be kind, generous, helpful, reasonable, and civil.
For a moment, let us sip from a little cup of kindness and reflect on what is ultimately important in our lives and in our world.
A Little Cup of Kindness
A little cup of kindness –
a postcard, a phone call,
a smile, or a touch –
can amount over time to so much.
Boomerang
Kindness is like a boomerang.
No matter what you do,
it keeps coming back to you.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line isn’t dollars and cents
or stock market prices or investments.
It’s how well we use the resources we’re granted,
and how many seeds of kindness we’ve planted.
Celebrate the Goodness
Look for the goodness
and brightness along the way,
and you will find something
worth celebrating today.
Conspiracy of Kindness
The world needs no less in this season
than a conspiracy of kindness,
of generosity, of reason.
Thankful Spirit
When we walk through life
with a grateful heart,
most of our troubles
simply depart.
A Gift
Smile and say thank you –
so much to be thankful for –
each day is a gift!
With Gratitude
When life is lived
always with gratitude,
we’ll find we have
a positive attitude.
The True Joy of Giving
Concentrate on what you have
and not on what you don’t.
Think of all that you can give
instead of all you want.
Happy people come to see
the true joy of living
doesn’t stem from what we get
but from what we’re giving.
Given a Chance
We’re given a chance
every day that we live
to be of some service,
to be kind and give.
Healing Touch
Kind words spoken,
kind deeds done,
time of healing
has begun.
A Word of Advice
Asked for advice,
many thoughts come to mind,
but one prevails:
above all, be kind.
Our Choice
We can choose to make the world
a little better because we’re here –
or a little worse.
A Generous Spirit
A generous spirit
doesn’t depend
on how much money
we have to spend.
Rather, it’s using
our resources and power
to make life better
wherever we are.
Raise Up a Child
Raise up a child to be kind and caring,
compassionate, generous, and sharing.
Our children will get the most out of living
if we help them cultivate a spirit of giving.
Glowing
No candle can hold a candle
to the bright glow that fills the room
when you smile.
Better World
A happy smile,
a friendly face
makes the world
a better place.
Priorities We Won’t Regret
More kindnesses done,
more friendships sought,
more sunsets savored,
more time in thought.
Civility
If we lower our voices,
respect others’ choices,
we might see in the end
each other as friend.
Dignity and Respect
We are more likely to connect
when we treat each other
with dignity and respect.
More or Less
Smile more.
Complain less.
Praise more.
Criticize less.
Listen more.
Talk less.
Together
Work together.
Sing together.
Laugh together.
Live together.
Aha!
More of our days, most of our years,
most of our lives are punctuated
with periods, commas, colons,
semi-colons, and question marks.
But when we look back,
we cherish those special moments
when the only appropriate response was,
without question, an exclamation point!
Born – Died
It’s really
all about
the dash,
isn’t it?
Gifts We Take for Granted
The Gift of Life.
The Gift of Time.
The Gift of Laughter.
The Gift of Talent.
The Gift of Work
The Gift of Generosity.
The Gift of Kindness.
The Gift of Peace.
The Gift of Forgiveness.
The Gift of Hope.
The Gift of Love.
Give the World a Smile
It’s something anyone can do,
an adult or a child.
We all have it in our power
to give the world a smile.
Three Ways to Smile
Smile first.
Smile big.
Smile often.
Smiles Matter
You think that smiles
aren’t important?
Just try living
a day without them.
Today
We cherish
each morning,
or else,
without warning,
we perish.
Longevity
You could live to be a hundred and one
and reminisce quietly on all your years,
or occupy them with generosity and joy
and experiences and laughter and tears.
Life isn’t the number of years we live,
but what we get out of them –
and what we give.
Just Four Words
“I could be wrong.”
If these four words
were taken to heart
throughout the world,
it wouldn’t take long
for conflict to cease
and healing to start.
Point of View
How could I have the audacity
to think that I love my children
more than you love your children –
love my country more than
you love your country –
love my God more than
you love your God?
Heartbeat
Your heart touched mine,
and that made all the difference
in my corner of the world.
We’re Just People
We’re just people, you and I.
We share the same space.
We breathe the same air.
We seek the same love.
We grasp the same hope.
We weep the same tears.
United. Divided. Why?
We’re just people, you and I.
The Best Exercise
A walk in the park,
a vigorous stroll.
It’s good for the heart,
and great for the soul.
All We Ask
A grateful heart.
A loving soul.
A generous will.
A humble spirit.
What Matters?
What unifies us
counts more than
what separates us –
or should!
The Power of an Hour
Day by day,
hour by hour,
minute by minute
we have the power
to make a difference.
The Time of Our Lives
If we take time
to nourish our values,
we will experience
the time of our lives.
A Religious Question
Do we want to
argue our faith,
or practice it?
The High Road
When we reflect on choices made
and routes taken,
we respect ourselves most
for those times when we took
the high road, not the shortcut.
Pass It On
If you’ve been the recipient
of a kind word or deed,
don’t let it stop there –
pass it on, plant a seed.
Trilogy of Thanks
For a slower pace.
For companionship.
For grace.
Surpluses and Shortages
Too much:
animosity
selfishness
rudeness
indifference
mediocrity.
Too little:
reason
generosity
civility
compassion
excellence.
A Blessing
May your days be filled with beauty,
your hours with joy,
your moments with peace,
and your life with grace.
