'Like' Links

Since my last post, I've come across some more thoughts on the dangers of mistaking being nice for other, loftier virtues:  Positivity Blog. 
In today's paper, I came across this  Hokey Pokey Project.    I found the second link in today's paper, and if you've ever wanted to change the world, here's an inspiration:  Wishful Thinking. 
It reminded me to dig out a little book that's a favorite of mine:  Change the World for 10 bucks.   On Amazon right now, you won't even have to pay the 10 bucks.  Amazon

Kindness

Photo by Rhys Alton Flickr Images

I appreciate people who are civil, whether they mean it or not. I think: Be civil. Do not cherish your opinion over my feelings. There's a vanity to candor that isn't really worth it. Be kind.

Richard Greenberg, NY Times Magazine, 03-26-2006 I consider myself a kind person, and lately I've been asking myself what that really means.   The Richard Greenberg quote above humbles me about a recent decision to share an observation with a friend for her own good.

My friend protested that my observation wasn't nice--and it wasn't, but at the time I really thought that letting her know was kind.  Kindness is surely something more than being nice.
"Play nice," I sometimes tell my nieces and nephews, and they seem to know just what that means.  "Play kind," never leaves my lips.  If it did, would it stop them in their tracks? 
In the Kindness Handbook, Sharon Salzberg presents kindness as a quality we could steer our lives by.  It manifests as compassion, generosity, paying attention.  The book even has some rules for playing kind that the author found posted in an Elementary School:

Rules for Being Kind

• Treat people like you'd like to be treated.
• Play fair.
• Respect everyone...
• Everyone can play.
• Help others when they need help.
• Don't hurt others on the inside or the outside.

In my own daily prayers I ask to manifest courtesy, the love in little things, and remind myself to consciously consider the thoughts and feelings of others involved in situations with me.