Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty

Hey, we’re all in this together. I want you to shift your state of consciousness. Instead of listening exclusively to your favorite radio station WIFM (What’s In It For Me), start the morning with a little prayer. Ask God to show you how to be a blessing.

I not asking you to give more to your favorite charities, but that is a part of it. I am asking you to make a conscious effort to change how you view the world. What if you let that guy move over in front of you on the Interstate, even if you can cut him off? Really what difference does a few minutes make. Instead of jamming your way into a parking place, what if you gave it to that other car? Give them a wave of your blessing, they might faint. Where can you be a blessing in little things; grocery lines, tipping a waitress, that sort of thing? Could you stay a few minutes late to help out a coworker so that he could get home before his children are asleep? Isn’t that the kind of world you want?

For most of us I think it starts with time. That is the really valuable commodity, especially in highly competitive, congested areas like the Washington D.C. area. If you actually make it to church on a Sunday morning after a 60-70 hour week (including the commute) that is a real sacrifice. God knows you gave up coffee with the Sunday Post to worship him.

I think the next step is money. Start with small things. Give a little more than necessary to the people who do little services for you and your family. Have you ever tipped a really good employee at somewhere like Walmart? Try that sometime. It may revolutionize your life. Giving is a muscle. As you exercise it, you will learn that you can’t out give God.

Then it gets harder. The next level of giving is emotional energy. I am not asking to you to make your life a study in codependency. All I am asking that you find a way to encourage that coworker who seems walk around through life under a black cloud. Yes, you will need to listen to a bunch of crap, probably more than once, but maybe you can help him have a better more productive day. That would be a good thing, especially if that energy vampire is assigned to your job.

I call the highest level of giving, The Gift of The Open Heart. It is precious beyond words. It is the gift that parents give children. It is the gift wives give their husbands. It is the special condition of lovers. Want to understand The Gift of The Open Heart? Watch a good parent with a difficult teenage child. If you are lucky and faithful, God may give you The Gift of The Open Heart. If you are very lucky it may not even involve sex or family.

The greater gift always contains the lesser gift. Money is time. Time is money. Emotional energy will always contain time. The Gift of The Open Heart always contains time, money, and emotional energy.

If you are faithful in the little things, God may give you the opportunity to fundamentally change a life. If that ever happens, you will find it to be a blessing that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Do you want to be blessed? Try blessing others as you walk through this vale of tears.

Clay Walker The Chain of Love