Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Give me that old timey "Kindness"

Ah, remember those days at the county fair,
days when folks walked around and kids rode on ferris wheels and things that went round and round while others caught up on the news of town, and kindness was seen all over the place?
Corn dogs, hot dogs, bottle of pot and a pack of nabs, while trying to win at games, and spending time with those that just were thrilled at just about everything?
I miss back then.
When people and their laugh would override taxes and times of struggles were shared yet hands joined together to raise monies and to raise cane too, as people stood as one
on fields and in homes of sorrow and good times with kindness and together.
They would bring food to the family of one who was sick, or the home of those who had suffered loss, or even when there was no bad thing, just maybe hard times along with grand times
and sit at the table together in kindness and fellowship.
And oh those county fairs and gathers, even block parties with no threat of gangbangers or violence erupting, times were safer, times were kinder.
People had good times, the music was good, the kids were safer, the laughter was spontaneous
even if times were tough, and the money was tight or someone was out of work or ill.
Those Elders were a part of it all, they were revered, they were pulled up out of wheel chairs and held tightly to enjoy the dance, the music the gathers just as the little ones were.
It was a time of Kindness.
It was a time of knowing that life is precious
and smiles were easier to see.
I miss back then.
Ferris wheels can still be seen, the go round and round, yet the thrill is not the same, the joy is not quite as joyful as back then, as you see folks running from one to the next looking for what is grander, what is better, often forgetting to embrace the what is and who they are with at that very moment.
Kindness is not seen quite so much, as others rush by, seldom speak, and often don't seem to know each other. You don't see as many Elders, the music has changed, the kids are not with the adults as much, yet spend more time worrying about where they are and if they are safe now.
Times always change, people change,
but
kindness is one thing that never has to.
It can if we choose be ingrained, be taught to stay, be insisted on.
Just this week I listened as a Mom told her 12 year old, "we must always say I love you and kiss and hug before you leave for school, we must always do this. God forbid anything should ever happen but we must always start and end our day with a hug and I love you." How refreshing to hear that is still being said, still being practiced and instilled in our children and the importance being stressed.
It helps people to know and a reminder of the preciousness of life along with kindness and it's very power of the day, to be felt and held in the heart, body, spirit throughout the day.
Survival tools for growth, spiritual tools for being a better person when away from the sanctity of home and meeting with others out in the world; knowing you are valued, you are loved and that kindness is a core value in interactions.
As we teach our children, we instill the ways that they live their lives and listen to their inner voices.  There is no need to ever raise our voices at children; it diminishes them and it diminishes our own words by making us less than kind.
The only time our voices needs to be raised is when we sing, when we holler from the tops of mountains and rejoice in great refrains
or plunge into the ocean and emerge refreshed
or sit at the top of a ferris wheel and are amazed at the view!
Have you ever had one of those mouth watering funnel cakes at a fair, covered with powdered sugar and just wanted to squeal like a pig with delight?
 And when you had that awesome funnel cake did you have them to put "whipped creme on top" just hoping you didn't have to be kind enough to share it?
LOL
Kindness is never out of style even if it seems
"old timey"
it is one of the finest virtues of humankind!
One of the grandest things in the world I'm thinking is to extend kindness and to also pay it forward with each step you take.
Sometimes I still get so tickled with life that it is all I can do to contain myself!
Call it the kid in me, call it crazy, or just call it
ME
but life is so very precious,
I just hope I am around a long long time to enjoy each moment, each antic, each glimpse of wonderment, each moment that kindness brings joy!
Oh yes,
to be able to see a 
"clap clap clap" and to do my own
over random acts of kindness
and deliberate steps based in kindness
may feel like something that is now
out of vogue
or "old timey"
just give me that 
old timey kindness every time
it's good enough for me!
...
And on that note,
I will tell ya,
there are some powerful and most beautiful angels walking here amongst us,
yes there sure are.
Dressed like ordinary people,
walking their walk, talking their talk and living their lives
when out of the blue,
they just lean in and say or do something
that makes you just sit back and 
"clap clap clap"
knowing once again,
you have just been in the presence of an angel
or have just heard that one touched someone in ways that make you once again know
life is truly wonderful
and
dreams come true.
...
Thank you angel walking for your kindness and your gentle caring.
...
Throwing some love today to
NRV ELITE
where Kamryn is at basketball camp under the leadership of
Coach Julia Skinner
with gratitude to her and much success to those in blue balling as they
rise and grind!

Walk in Beauty
DRSES

4 comments:

fluff said...

Dr. Sherry, love the message and words today. Love the pictures of Kamryn having fun. We know that kindness is lacking in our world today. Although, there is some good genuine kindness from people but surely not like it was in days gone by. It was so different then. I remember when I was a child there were those county and state fairs and city days of celebration with families. My Dad was a veteran and belonged to several organizations. I loved going on the day long picnics and weekend celebrations. We would get all the food together the night before and all of us would get up early and drive to the campground area and set up our tables and such. No breakfast ever tasted better than those cooked on an open campfire. Famlies would all eat meals together and share with each other. Kids played and swam all day and snack as we got hungry. The adults would sit around the picnic tables chatting, playing cards and games. The day was filled with joy, laughter, play, hugs and kindness. Babies would nap in the play pens together. The day would pass quickly and supper time came. Cooking hot dogs and burgers on the grill and the shared meal was soon ready. Later that evening the campfire was perfect for roasted marshmallows and S'Mores and story telling. Soon, everyone would retire to their cabin or tent and the next morning came quickly. We would do it all over again. Good memories of days long ago. Sure wish it was like that now -

DrSES said...

GReat memories shared Sandy thanks ... loved hearing those stories from you.

KINDNESS let's bring it to the forefront!

Dot/Mom/Cob said...

Dr.SES, a bottle of pot. hee hee, edit I say. Yes you are right the days of sitting down with the family to eat has almost gone. So many busy people and so many dysfunctional families. Families that are so selfish they cant get along and want to make people miserable. I loved the pictures and can just tast the funnel cake. I remember the great times of going to the fair, some of us in later years just went to people watch, the days of riding those scary machines are over for me. Beautiful cool day today and tomorrow it is going to be normal again with warm weather. I for one am not ready for the cold days and nights. Fluff you really said it all today, it was a nice comment and one we should all practice. Thanks to all. Blessings to all.

DrSES said...

so u don't like my "bottle of pot" eh, yet you "tast" rather than taste dear editor of mine! heeehe

well we all get the drift of the kindness and yep, looks like ole DRSES made another one of those typos in the telling, yet

seems our brains are trained to read right past it all!

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BRAIN today, massage yours well and take the time to appreciate the power of your brain while enjoying each breath...

gotta love it, it's a wonderful life....