Kindness

I have been reading (and rereading) The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence Lovasik. The subtitle is "A Practical Handboook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World One Deed at a Time". The book is opening my eyes to my weaknesses. Here is an excerpt:

"Kindness drives gloom and darkness from souls and puts hope into fainting hearts. It sweetens sorrow and lessens pain. It discovers unsuspected beauties of human character and calls forth a response from all that is best in souls. Kindness purifies, glorifies and ennobles all that it touches. It opens the floodgates of children's laughter and gathers the tears of repentant love. It lightens the burden of weariness. Kindness stops the torrent of angry passion, takes the sting from failure and kindles courageous ambition. It lifts the unfortunate, leads back the wayward, and walks in the steps of our Savior."

The rules of kindness are simple--three little don'ts and three little dos.

Don'ts:

1. Don't speak unkindly of anyone.
2. Don't speak unkindly to anyone.
3. Don't act unkindly towards anyone.

Dos:

1. Do speak kindly of someone at least once a day.
2. Do think kindly about someone at least once a day.
3. Do act kindly toward someone at least once a day.

For any unkindness committed:

1. Make a brief act of contrition
2. Offer an apology, if possible.
3. Say a little prayer for the one to whom you have been unkind.