Tag: kindness

For The Homeless ~ Blessing Bags, Created by YOU!

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BLESSING-BAGS

Have you ever heard of a Blessing Bag? Read below and make a few. Keep them in your car and when you see someone on the street corner, give them one. I know there are lot people who panhandle for a living but there are also those who are really down on their luck and could use a few necessities and a huge Blessing. Give it a try…….you will love the feeling it gives you just knowing you made someone very happy.

 

STUFFING YOUR BLESSING BAGS

Gallon Size Ziploc Bag – This is key for several reasons:

Helps to keep everything together & in one place so they can easily access the supplies in their bags/backpacks
Keeps the items from spilling/leaking onto their personal items in their bags
The bags can later be used for other storage options within their bags – storing toiletries, snacks, etc

Hand-Warmers – we put a couple packs in, especially during the winter, but even for those chilly evenings in the spring/summer/fall these would be very welcome. We buy a pack of 40 at Costco for around $15 ($.38/pk) & then we have these on hand for blessing bags as well as camping, winter sports, etc.

Bag of Quarters – These are nice to include for washing clothes at the laundromat (we just put them in a snack-size Ziploc bag to keep them contained in a smaller area

Bottle of Water – Mini water bottles work great so they don’t take up too much space or if you can fit a regular size water bottle

Band-Aids – these are something that may often be needed but may not be something they would be able to spend money on or think about having.

Baby Wipes – a small pack of baby wipes would be a great one to include to help with feeling clean & fresh

Hand Sanitizer – another great option to help them feel cleaner

Wash Cloth – buy an inexpensive wash cloth to include

Toiletries:
*If you have a lot of items to include in your bags, travel-size toiletries work great

Toothbrush
Toothpaste (travel size if you have a lot of items to put into your bag)
Floss
Soap (we bring home soaps from hotels if we don’t end up using all of them)
Deodorant
Shampoo/conditioner (these are also great products to save from hotels if you don’t use them as they’re the perfect size for these bags)
Comb
Personal hygiene items if you’re making a kit for a woman (tampons, pantiliners, pads, etc)
Sunscreen (depending on time of year)
Chapstick
Personal Items:
New Socks
New Underwear
Inexpensive gloves
Non-Perishable Foods:
Granola Bars
Energy Bars
Tuna/cracker packs
Trail mix
Raisins
Peanuts
Fruit cup/ applesauce cup (& include a spoon)
Gum/hard candy
Hot Cocoa/Spiced Cider Mixes or on-the-go coffee mixes
Courtesy http://www.thriftynorthwestmom.com/blessing-bags-assemble-…/

Aloha Uhane Nui Au ~ Celebrate Your Spirit Greatness!

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girl-803934_1280

YOU ARE SPIRIT GREATNESS … ALOHA UHANE NUI AU!

When you’re different, sometimes you don’t see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn’t.


DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE LIGHT?  ALOHA THIS …

1. At least 5 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don’t like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. If not for you, someone may not be living.
8. You are special and unique.
9. Someone that you don’t even know exists loves you.
10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.
12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won’t get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it.
13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
14. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know.
15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

DAILY CHABAD ~ Inside Workers

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see with your heartWhen you look at a human being, you see his hands working, his feet walking, his mouth talking. You don’t see his heart, his brain, his lungs and kidneys. They work quietly, inside. But they are the essential organs of life.

The world, too, has hands and feet—those who are making the news, moving things around, shaking things up.

The heart, the inner organs, they are those who work quietly from the inside, those unnoticed, those who do a simple act of kindness with no thought of reward.

Torat Menachem 5751 vol. 1, pg. 212; Ibid vol. 2, pg. 239.
Tishrei 26, 5775 · October 20, 2014
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson

Save The World With A Smile

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elephant dog friends
No matter how much of a free thinker you are, it is impossible to escape the structures placed upon you through which you have come to know about the world.  The way in which society expects us to live is strongly influential and it powerfully impacts our idea of what constitutes as a “good” life. Cultural norms run deep, affecting our perceptions and choices in ways which we are often unaware.

Feeling the pressure of today’s society

Our societal milieu is outcomes and performance based. There is a constant pressure to be the best, to outdo your neighbor and to win at all costs. We are told that if we do not maintain this competitive edge we will fail at life. Therefore we strive to be the cleverest, the thinnest and the fastest. Consequently, we have become a society of manipulative and conniving beings. This way of being borders on the sociopath, as the only bottom line we look out for is ourselves, while treating everyone else as collateral damage.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. affecting around 40 million adults. In 2012, an estimated 16 million adults had at least one major depressive episode within the year. Clearly we are not coping with the pressure and not only are we harming others in our quest to the best, we are also harming ourselves. Moreover, we are destroying the planet and all the natural resources we depend upon for survival. It isn’t difficult to see that this mind set is not serving us well. It doesn’t take a genius to look around and to see that that our “win at all costs” attitude is actively helping us to fail. So why do we continue to cling so tightly to it?

At the core of our nature, we are social creatures. Human beings have a deep need for acceptance and belonging, which is very difficult to overcome. Those who speak out against the evils of the world tend to be ostracized. This is one of the deepest human fears – rejection. So while we try to sculpt our lives to match our individuality as best we can, we still ultimately march to the beat of society’s drum, however faint.

So what’s the answer?

Awareness is always a good place to start. Take note the next time your hand feels forced or you feel ‘there is no other way’. What societal expectation is in play? You may not be able to change anything, but at least you are no longer an automaton or a sheep blindly following the flock. You are aware and as soon as you become aware, you start becoming more responsible. Maybe next time you’re faced with an impossible choice, you will identify room for compromise. Perhaps avenues you hadn’t considered will start to appear.

The truth, the real truth, worth repeating over and over again, is that all our decisions come down to a choice between love and fear. We fear being excluded so maybe the answer is to begin to include others. We fear rejection, so maybe we should focus instead on acceptance. We fear the fear itself, so maybe we should begin to practice compassion. This may not solve all our problems, but it reminds us that change happens one small step at a time. Never underestimate the power of a single smile or a small act of kindness. It is the only place to start.

 

Just For Today … Focus on Personal Connection

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be present
Nurture kindness through personal connection.  Try to bring awareness to those moments of disconnectedness. Or, alternately, why not designate an hour of your day to go ‘hands free’ instead?

Years ago, we didn’t have to try so hard to stay connected. People lived in neighborhoods, and there weren’t many strangers that didn’t ultimately become friends. We watched over one another with relationships built upon a foundation of shared interdependence, ensuring plenty of kindness to go around. Sadly though, through our own scientific progress, we now live in an age of ‘connected disconnection.’ Even the most basic of needs are provided by faceless entities. But, at what cost?

“We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness.”  — Albert Schweitzer

 

This is how nurturing kindness through personal connection looks … how ’bout it?

SEEDS FOR MEDITATION …

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pin_crane

You don’t need to know.

Life wouldn’t be this grand adventure if you knew what was coming.

Love the mystery.

This is Lana.  I have folded thousands of cranes for 30+ years and have imbued them with healing energies and left them for others as prayers for peace and blessings.  My expression of spreading the Aloha Spirit to anyone and everyone.  For many years while commuting on the Vallejo Ferry to and from San Francisco, I  folded and left cranes for people to discover and take away with them … I have left cranes at the various places I visited throughout my day.  Every December, I would use specially made beautiful Japanese washi papers to fold cranes and create ornaments for my Yule tree … only to give them away to friends and family during the course of the new year.  I find folding and sharing Origami cranes is a willful way to connect myself with those around me and the spirit of mystery.  Gassho.

 

I have folded thousands of cranes over 30+ years as tangible prayers for peace and blessings. I often share them with people at events i attend. – See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=64217#sthash.xxRaud2j.dpuf
You don’t need to know.  Life wouldn’t be this grand adventure if you knew what was coming.  Love the mystery. – See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=64217#sthash.xxRaud2j.dpuf
“You don’t need to know.  Life wouldn’t be this grand adventure if you knew what was coming.  Love the mystery.” – See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=64217#sthash.xxRaud2j.dpuf
“You don’t need to know.  Life wouldn’t be this grand adventure if you knew what was coming.  Love the mystery.” – See more at: http://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=64217#sthash.xxRaud2j.dpuf

For Tibet and the World

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dalai lama walking

I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend,
that together we may succeed in building a better world
through human understanding and love,
and that in doing so we may reduce
the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

~ Dalai Lama

 

 

 

In The Name Of Animal Equality

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In The Name Of Animal Equality

lost

We keep watching this Wheeler Center conference video featuring Phillip Wollen and we cry for our brother and sister animals with every viewing … please take the time to watch this short video that can only be viewed on FaceBook.  Phillip Wollen is an Aussie who was formerly a CitiBank Vice President and Citicorp General Manager.  Today, he is retired and now a most adamant animal rights activist.

And so, dear friends, it comes down to this:  the battle ground for the Light is being waged right now on our palettes. Vegetarians are outnumbered 12 to 1 … better odds than the Spartans faced. Those of you who eat meat and have animals for pets … don’t you see and hear what they hear and see? Are you prepared to feed your dogs a vegetarian diet? Are you prepared to release your cats to allow them to hunt for their own food? The original Aramaic version of the Commandment is “Thou shall not kill any living being” … it doesn’t end with simply “thou shall not kill”. How can anyone spout about world peace, compassion and kindness over a roasted chicken, a holiday ham or a prime rib dinner?? What does that say about how we judge one another? The Dalai Lama says that to love is to be absent from judgment. Let’s end this hypocrisy here and now, in our lifetime, once and for all and be At-one-ment with each other and this planet, our Home.

Aloha In Action

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Image

What can you do when your blessings feel so abundant you don’t know how they are all going to fit into your heart? Go into the world, provide comfort, live for people.

Who can you help today? Who can you smile at at the farmer’s markets, or be extra kind to at the bank? For the people you know and don’t know … do something special to let them know there is goodness in the world today, because there is goodness out there (and if you have forgotten that, then just by reminding others, you will remember.)