Engage and Express

I began this week, this month (on Sunday, May 1) with a commitment to paying close attention to how I express myself in each interaction I had with others.  Admittedly I have been under a fair amount of stress of the work related variety.  I am enveloped.  I am aware I have had the propensity to react with a certain disregard in even the most common interactions.  My kindness goal was to mindfully engage with others as a way of committing to kindness.  I wanted to notice and to choose my responses with others.

There are those with whom I interact daily who are at the greatest risk for a less than kind response from me, mostly because I'm on to the next task while still working on the one before me.  And then, there are those I don't know with whom I interact: the acquaintances on the stairs at work, the sales people at the grocery store, the  drug store, those I pass on my dog walks.  I worked to engage mindfully, and kindly.

Here are a couple of examples from the week's commitment in which I experienced simple enjoyment.

On Sunday I chose to buy socks for a friend (not a stranger) with whom I am committing to exercise weekly (acts of kindness towards ourselves, our bodies).  I entered the sporting goods store with the big fluffy dog to whom I've referred in previous blogs.  He is a Service Dog for Therapy thus he has privileges to go shopping with me as part of his ongoing training.  He is a head turner and draws strangers.  He, and therefore I, had 4 or 5 extended exchanges with others ranging from around 10 to probably 60 years of age, or so.  Among these folks, there were lots of oooos and ahhhhhs exclaimed about how soft, cute and friendly this boy dog is.  Here... he might even bring a smile to your face.

On Tuesday, as I entered the local mall very early in the morning, sans dog and, before the majority of stores opened, for a course at the Apple Store, I made it a point to engage with each person I encountered.  There was a maintenance gentleman.  We exchanged "Good mornings."  There were three or four people walking about.  I smiled and looked each in the eye, if they looked up, and I said, "Hello."  As I left there I made sure to thank the Apple experts for their much needed assistance.  After last week's class I gave them a container of chocolate covered caramels with sea salt to say thanks.  As I drove out of the parking structure that is like a maze, I reviewed my interactions within that 1.5 hours and noticed a sense of peace within me.  It is good to go that extra step, to take the extra time to extend pleasantries with others.  It is simple yet not easy to do in a conscious manner, and there is at least a chance that kindness was experienced as a byproduct.

Wishing all readers a great rest of the week, possibly filled with kind expressions to and from others in your environs.