Kindness

I am in the middle of the book  For the Love and literally every page I read I want to highlight.  And when I say highlight I mean I want to highlight the page (and or chapter for that matter) in its entirety.  I am obsessed.  Jen says things that I think and feel but could never actually convey in such perfect words.  I love that she isn't afraid to go against the grain and speak truth for all of us women to read and relate to on such a normal and personal level.

Like I said every single page is worth reading and rereading but this particular chapter that I am on has literally stopped me in my tracks.  I want to convey this exact same message to my own children.  In chapter 11 titled "Dear Kids" she explains what she wants her kids to take away from their "family years" at home with her and her husband.  When I got to page 72 and 73 I couldn't help but think about not only the different kids in high school that she refers to but also every single person that has ever experienced a tragedy or even just a bad day.

I have a different perspective maybe than I ever would have had of kindness.  I want my kids to understand this and embrace this way of living because we have been the recipients of the most genuine and necessary kindness over the course of the past year.  We know how truly important it is.  I have mentioned before that these small moments of kindness are like life rafts or boats; they saved our lives.  They definitely saved my life and continue to help me make it through some pretty bad days.  This is an excerpt from her book that made my heart hurt in a good way.   

"I pray for your kindness more than your success, because the latter without the former is a tragedy.  God measures our entire existence by only two things; how we love Him and how we love people.  If you get this right, you can get a million other things wrong....The tiniest scrap of hope is enough to save a lonely kid from drowning.  You'd be surprised how powerful kindness actually is.  I am not being dramatic; you can save hearts and lives with grace.  Do this good work now, and you will do it for a lifetime."

I love this simple and yet profound prayer for her kids.  I pray the exact same things for my own kids and I pray that I can be the example they need to see this genuine kindness lived out each day.