“Family is more than blood.” These words of wisdom were given to me by my daughter in her teens. Early Saturday morning at 4:30 a.m., the phone rang. It was a dear friend and family. I was scared when the number popped up. Something must be wrong. I answered. She said her husband was having a stroke. I rushed next door. He was having a stroke. We called 911 and transferred him to the emergency room.
Unfortunately, his wife could not be with him due to the COVID-19 no-visitor policy. Fortunately, a colleague and our mutual friend was on call. We called her, she immediately rushed to meet him in the ER and reassured us that her husband would be cared for. We felt a weight lift off our shoulders. The kindness of my colleague and the team with regular updates, and the virtual human connection through FaceTime, was priceless.
The team took excellent care of my neighbor. He is a fighter and recovering well. His wife patient and understanding waits at home for updates. Inspite of so much on her mind, she makes sure my parents and I are well. Two days ago, she called early in the morning to see if we needed anything from the store while she was doing her shopping. Always thinking of helping others!
This challenging time is a jarring yet humble reminder of how much the little acts of kindness mean. Taking the time to reach out, even virtually with a funny image, a text saying “I’m thinking about you”, can lift spirits up and give renewed hope. My virtual buddy check messages or Whatsapp and Instagram posts are frequent sites that I visit multiple times during the day. I am grateful for the never-ending acts of kindness that are bestowed selflessly through images, poems, scriptures, GIF and emoji images, tweets and posts of family, kids, pets… they keep coming, they keep giving…. thank you and Namaste!
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in weakened broth.
~Naomi Shihab Nye, from “Kindness”
#REFLECT: Can kindness be taught, or is it a reflection of or (and) readjustment of your own inner stories?
How is the coronavirus changing the way you think of self-care, community and resilience? As this challenging time unfolds, I am posting a daily quote on this blog with a reflection prompt. Please join in the conversation here or on Twitter with your thoughts or about what you are doing for self-care and care of others.
Important observation regarding the misinterpretation of kindness as a sign of weakness! Another place where courage is required to show kindness is when you fear ridicule or embarrassment especially in public. This may be brought on through past experiences or when we find ourselves in spaces that feel unsafe and uninviting.
Every post of Dr. Mukta unfolds something in oneself , making you discover something new about you...