The Gift of Loving Kindness
Kenneth was a haughty leader. He even called himself one!
One day when he came to our Executive Coaching session, Kenneth ranted about the street people in front of his office building. Scruffy and dirty the street people usually had their hat out looking for money. Kenneth would look at them with disdain and under his breath would mutter, “Why don’t you go and get a job?” When we don’t understand what is really going on in other’s lives, we can often judge.
Going back a few Christmases ago, my husband John and I gave our 8 year old adopted niece (Megan) and 11 year old nephew (Devin), who come from a fairly well-to-do family, a special gift for Christmas. We had put some money in an envelope with a card that read, “This Gift of Loving Kindness is a gift you are to give away. Find someone who is less fortunate than you and give it to them.” You can imagine the look on their faces! After Christmas, Megan, Devin and I piled into the car to go out and find someone to whom they could give their gifts.
Megan chose an animal shelter. We had such a great time playing with the animals at the shelter and Megan so proudly put her money into the donation box.
Devin, on the other hand, chose to give his Gift of Loving Kindness to a street person. We found one on a quaint little street in the heart of the city.Chris was sitting on the stoop of a retail business with his entire worldly possessions in green garbage bags around him. We three easily struck up a conversation with Chris. The children were extremely shy but curious about Chris. Megan, eying all of his worldly possessions around him, asked Chris where he slept at night. Chris answered, “Well I sleep on an old mattress behind that building over there.” Megan’s eyes became huge as she enquired, “But what happens if it rains, don’t you get cold and wet?” With tender eyes knowing that he was responding to an 8 year old’s question, Chris replied, “Well yes, it can get cold and wet but we have tarps and sleeping bags.” Megan continued her exploration, “Do you have enough to eat?” Chris said “yes” although I’m going to guess that he said that because he didn’t want her to worry too much about him.
Devin, wanting to get into the conversation, asked Chris how he became a street person. Chris slowly began to tell his story. He had shared a house with his brother and when his brother committed suicide, Chris himself went into a dark space in his mind and lost his house and his job. But Chris assured the children that he himself was “okay”.
Devin stepped forward to give his “Gift of Loving Kindness” to Chris. At first, Chris did not want to accept it but once he knew about the gift the children were to give away, he graciously accepted it.
That evening over dinner the children shared their adventures of giving away their “Gift of Loving Kindness”. The parents immediately noted a change in their two children. Something was different. Chances are Megan and Devin will remember that Christmas for the rest of their lives.
Getting back to Kenneth, our self-important executive … it took several Mind-Kinetics® coaching sessions for him to realize how mean and nasty he had been to the street people. As soon as he understood that many of them were mentally challenged, drug addicted or simply had bad luck thrown at them, his perception changed. Today he smiles at them and probably gives them money.
When we truly begin to understand each other and listen to each other’s hearts, humans innately will respond with Loving Kindness and do special things for each other.
Imagine if at every Diwali,Hanukkah, Christmas or any other religious festival each of us gave away The Gift of Loving Kindness to someone in need. Wow, what a beautiful world it would be.
