I was thinking a few moments ago that I wanted to do a post about car sharing. Why don’t we do it more often? The benefits of it…. Environmental impact. Community connectivity. Traffic jams. Conversations. My brain was going around the houses with it… And then.
I stopped. And just really thought about it, and my reasons for why I was writing about this.
My car has been off the road recently. For nearly 3 weeks I have been asking friends for lifts. Before these 3 weeks, I was struggling with feeling isolated… In amongst this has been my birthday, money has been tight. I’m in the midst of starting a new job championing and co-ordinating “stuff” around Community Care and Nurture, and Climate Change Actions. Peak Oil. Wildflower planting. My brain has been looking for ways to do more… And I have been receiving such kindness! Partially as a result of having to ask for the help with my car situation.
The simple action of just slowing down, being dependant on another for a lift – and letting that unfold however and wherever it flows has been powerful. A reminder – or even a lesson – in Kindness.
My son and I visited the local wildlife garden at The Barn with friends on Sunday. I wouldn’t have gone on my own – I’ve not been there for years. Slowing down, accepting the lift from my friend – she took us out for lunch too. We had the most marvellous unexpected day – filled with wildflower planting, and tattie celebrations and inspiring worm poo conversations. And we spent hours in the Sun, with the children. I was – am – so grateful for the Kindness she gave us. We went places I wouldn’t have thought to go, and spent hours doing it… I got to just relax in surrendering to someone else being in the lead…
Yesterday, another friend took me shopping. First, she took me out for coffee and cake! Once again, we spent hours in the sun, chatting and catching up, and talking about the state of the world, our families, our hearts…. I came home, not just with my groceries, but with my heart filled. Nourished.
Today, her husband took me to go collect my car. We got to talk about his new job, my new job, wildflower planting, hopes and dreams, and the challenges of children…
In the face of all this, that sense of isolation I was feeling has dissolved
Kindness matters. So incredibly much. Such a simple thing to receive – that lift from another. And yet, the other affect of it – my heart filled. I feel stronger, more able to do more, give more, share more… Inspired. Grateful. Nourished and Supported. And looking for ways to gift more…
The side effect of the car sharing that resonates with me wasn’t about it being better for the environment. It is that it connects me more deeply with the community around me, filling my heart, and allowing for increased connectivity, ideas, communication, collaborations… And what it came down, really and truly – someone being Kind to me, and saying yes to receiving that.
This particular post – inspired by Kevin Monroe, with his questions and post : “Where did YOU encounter kindness this week? Where can you SHOW kindness today?
Kindness: Take Some/Give Some. You can make a world of difference for someone who crosses your path today.”
I even robbed his picture off the original… Thank You Kevin. Inspired once again.
I came away with this thought : “Every action we can take in terms of creating a better, more sustainable, vibrant, resilient future comes down ultimately to Kindness.”
Heart. Soul. Earth. 