Meaningful Reflections: Reminders of kindness exist all around us
Being considerate, helpful, and thoughtful are the core qualities of kindness. People who have these qualities improve the lives of those around them.
By Kim Crawford Meeks
Spiritual Health & Counseling Manager
Yellow curtains blow in a breeze in a sleepy yawn of good morning
Yellow butter flows on my hot pancakes made just for me by my Granny’s soft hands
Yellow bird sings a melody beckoning me to skip to the park
Yellow sunshine squeezes through the branches while swinging higher to touch the shine of the sun
Yellow lemon Icee is sour, sweet, cold, and sticky
Yellow butterfly friend, delicate and small, sits on a tiny yellow rosebud
Yellow caterpillar nibbles a yellow petal as he hopes to have wings, someday
Yellow sweater, so soft, yet too warm and makes me shout “Spring is here!”
Yellow shoelace trips my hurried steps to make it to my lesson on my yellow ukelele
Yellow dog sits at my feet begging for a morsel from my dinner plate
Yellow sheets are my cocoon of snuggle
Yellow bumblebee buzzes and hums as he laps up yummy yellow treats
Yellow flash of light flashes as the bee buzzes by me and reminds me to “bee kind!”
Yellow moon whispers, “Sweet sleep.”
Yelling yellow in my dreams of how kindness makes a difference.
Kindness truly does make a difference! You never know how an act of kindness may change the course of someone’s day. Kindness is also quite beneficial to our well-being.
“Being considerate, helpful, and thoughtful are the core qualities of kindness. People who have these qualities improve the lives of those around them and, in general, enjoy better health due to the biological changes that occur while being kind. Studies indicate that simply witnessing acts of kindness can have positive side effects. Kindness can increase self-esteem, empathy, and compassion, and improve mood. Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, which can directly impact loneliness, improve low mood, and enhance relationships in general.
Physiologically, kindness can positively change your brain. Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up. Endorphins, which are your body’s natural painkiller, also can be released.”
Perhaps you will enjoy this video with more ideas on the science of kindness.
May we all be thankful for the little bee who buzzes along singing his little song and reminds us to remember to “bee kind.”
Be kind - kindness is the spark that ignites love, joy, and hope.
Learn more about Spiritual Health and Counseling at USA Health. Patients, family members, and USA Health associates are encouraged to call the Meaningful Reflections Line at 251-445-9016 for a daily recorded word of encouragement.
