A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

BUDDHA

Why is it that when we see a video of incredible kindness or compassion on social media, we are transfixed to watch to the end?

Over the years, I can think of so many of these videos that are inspirational, across the full spectrum of human and animal experiences. Interesting to me is that the experience goes in all directions. There is the young innocent that brings warmth into the life of an older being who is feeling low, sad and desolate, such as the little girl who walks up to an elderly woman on a park bench and innocently presents her with a flower, coupled with an adorable grin. Or vice versa, there is the adult who does something extraordinary for a child, and we delight in the pure joy on the child’s face, such as when the child opens a gift box, expecting a toy… and instead, a puppy bursts out of the box and the child explodes in tears of joy.

The reunion of an animal keeper with a lion that they raised as a cub is one of my favorites. When that lion races up to them and stands on its hind legs to hug them, I cannot help but wish I had such a relationship with a lion. (I have played with a few lions, bears, tigers and jaguars as cubs, and that alone, was an amazing experience!)

There can be no denying that it is the gentle touch of humanity upon which we light like a feather. The sweetness that comes out of another’s appreciation, generosity, service and compassion are the wind under our wings and the fuel that continuously sends us soaring, even in the worst of times. 

If we are conscious of opting to provide these qualities to others, we are elevating our own vibration to unparalleled levels that accelerate our own internal being to an internal status that sustains us through the most bleak of times. Cumulatively, if we are able to stay present and conscious to engage in behavior of this magnitude on a daily basis, we are substantially increasing our ability to prevail and evolve as sentient human beings.

When the opportunity arises, try holding this thought top of mind, and go the extra distance for another human being who will appreciate your efforts and reward you with their genuine gratitude. Very little compares in life with the receipt of honest appreciation from another. In that small effort, we are reminded of exactly what quality inside of us, reminds us of how we love to feel when we watch one of those videos that elevate our being and reinforce these behaviors such that we will find them within our own internal reservoir for use again and again.

Happy Wednesday!