Daily Mood Quote

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 79 – July 21, 2011

One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.

~Maya Angelou

She is right, we are all born with tremendous potential. Maybe not to be a superstar at athletics or world class performers, but all of us are born with the great potential to reach out to our fellow man or woman. To care for someone in need. As we discussed yesterday, its not the grand gestures, but the small things; holding a door for someone with their arms full of books, picking up a product knocked to the floor in a grocery store to clear the path, or bowing our heads to say thanks for a meal while we are in public. They seem small but in a judgmental world they can take courage. We all can do that, but seldom do because of trepidation about appearances. In short, we lack courage. Some worry about their intentions being misconstrued. Many worry about political correctness, or other foolish social fabrications along with worrying that they will be taken advantage of. This is not a new trend, this has been around as long as mankind. There are those who help pull a community together, sometimes through simple acts. And there are those who could not care less, or appear to not care less, but are actually afraid of what others might think. My question today is, how can an act of kindness, however small, be anything but an act of kindness, regardless of others perceptions. And, how can you expect others to be kind to you, if you are at first not kind to them? Admittedly, it can take practice, especially if you have never reached out. Sometimes, it doesn't seem to go the way you planned, that's okay, it takes practice. But, with conviction and courage good things do eventually happen. Kindness and generosity are the great boomerangs of the universe. You have to first throw it out there for it to come back to you. As with real boomerangs that can take some practice.

I live in a neighborhood, a community where reaching out is only done through organizations and church drives. Around here doors are shut and blinds are drawn most of the time and when one neighbor is outside, then the others seem to be in. I haven't figured out why that is yet.There just isn't a one-to-one connection with your next door neighbor, except for the occasional wave from someone whose name you don't even know. A couple winters ago, we had a particularly heavy snow fall in our area. My husband and I are accustomed to heavy snow fall (Thank you Minnesota), so we decided to shovel our neighbors driveways while we were out. Besides, we had a snow-thrower to make short work of it and we were having fun outside in the winter air.  I will never forget the look of "shock" we received from our neighbors, as they peered out their windows. One elderly lady even ran out, told us we didn't need to do that and asked if she needed to pay us? Apparently, this has never happened around here before. How sad it was to discover we were part of a community that had never helped each other. What is even sadder is that this “suburban isolation” is normal behavior in our region. I guess the fear of being sued (don't get me started on that) has taken such a hold it stops people from being kind, merciful, generous inside their own communities. We live in a “What's their angle?” and fearful world, even in our own neighborhoods and homes. So understandably it takes courage to look past that mindset and reach out even a little for most people. Initially we helped out of blissful ignorance. Now it's purposeful. Changing a mindset of a community takes courage and is done in small bits and pieces. Grand gestures won't get it done. Consistently throwing kindness out there will in time, bring it back. I am happy to say that we now know many of our neighbors on a first name basis and have been there to share their joys and sorrows. We have helped them and they have helped us. Our community is a little closer now.

In the Disney movie A Bugs Life an oddball ant named Flik (Dave Foley) wants to help his community, not in the traditional way, but by invention and innovation. Initially, his efforts make him a pariah... It's just not done in the colony! But as he explains to Dot (Hayden Panettiere). “Seed to tree. You've gotta work with me, here. Alright? Okay. Now, y-you might not feel like you can do much now, but that's just because, well, you're not a tree yet. You just have to give yourself some time. You're still a seed.” Communities, like great trees, grow from the small seeds of kind acts, cast forth into the wind. Eventually they will take root and yield their own fruit for all to share.

What “courage” will you find and share today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading