About a kindness signature

It’s interesting how some people have their own signature of kindness. Almost like writing in invisible kindness ink, I love you and I care for you.

Three of my closest friends are like that, the one always phones and check in with me. The other one sends me sunset photos, flowers she picked, or beautiful settings that makes me smile. The third friend spoils me with lunch somewhere beautiful, a spa treatment or a bunch of flowers delivered unexpectedly to my door. Different acts of kindness, and different kindness signatures, all deeply touching my heart.

Sometimes kindness may feel difficult to master, and even out of reach. Almost as if only certain people can be kind at heart. But it’s not difficult, kindness starts with those closest to you, whether it be family or friends or both.

So, this past week I’ve been thinking about my own kindness signature. And after much thought, I realized I’ve made it too complicated, I don’t even have to think about it. My natural kindness signature  have always been to compliment total strangers, and sometimes to just acknowledge and smile at someone who looks as if they need it. It may be a parking attendant’s beautiful hairstyle, saying hello to the homeless person sitting on the bench down the street, or smiling at the cashier with the beautiful full red lips.

Having a kindness signature is easy. You only need to realize what comes easy to you, and then kindness will flow from you like much needed rain or a never-ending river.

What’s your kindness signature?

Love

LiLiBeth

Oor deernis

Deernis kan nooit presies in woorde beskryf word nie. Ons moet dit voel.

Na ‘n groot en lewensveranderende operasie in November 2022, het ek soveel deernis en omgee van ander ervaar. Mense wat ek elke dag sien, mense wat ver bly. Mense wat ek lank terug geken het. Mense wat ek goed ken. Oproepe, boodskappe, klein geskenkies. Een sin boodskappies. ‘n Mooi foto. ‘n Bybelvers. ‘n Hand vashou. ‘n Sagte drukkie.

Ek dink in Afrikaans het ons meer woorde nodig om regtig die een Engelse woord, ‘kindness’, te beskryf. ‘Kindness’ is so allesomvattend en vol. Ruimhartig. Goedhartig. Goed. Vriendelik. Ek kies om die woord deernis te gebruik, wat eerder met ‘compassion’ in Engels vertaal word. Miskien het die woord ‘kindness’ meer diepte. Amper soos ‘n sin van verantwoordelikheid teenoor mense en die wêreld. ‘n Diep omgee vir ander, sonder selfsugtige deernis. ‘n Sagte oë kyk.

Deernis is intensioneel. ‘n Glimlag teenoor ‘n vreemdeling. ‘n Botteltjie koue water vir die karwag. Stilsit saam met jou troeteldiere. ‘n Bossie handgeplukte blomme vir ‘n vriendin. ‘n Telefoonoproep. ‘n Handgeskrewe briefie.

LiLiBeth se slagspreuk is nie verniet ‘Kindness through paper’ nie. Ons hoop om deur ons skryfbehoeftes, kort stories en illustrasies goedhartigheid, vriendelikheid, goedheid, deernis en bemoediging te versprei aan wie dit ookal nodig het.

Mag jy hierdie jaar voel dat ons omgee vir jou.

Liefde

LiLiBeth