Receiving and giving kindness.

by John
(Mountain View, CA)

One of my earliest memories of receiving kindness was with my mother (who is now 90 and close to the end of her life). She would take me skiing in the mountains behind Los Angeles and sit all day reading a book, just so that I could get outdoors and have a nice day.

I was 12 years old or so at the time, and I remember how selflessly she gave the whole day, many times, just to see how happy I was.

On the GIVING side, I think my interest and involvement with my own children has been the highest form of kindness I have experienced. There was never any resistance within me to give. And, it always resulted in a better experience for them.

The question about kindness is a good one, I think, now that we see so much violence and self-importance in the world. I wonder what other's will report...