Kindness is always appropriate

gratitude, inspiration, love, nonfiction, poetry, spirituality, , 18 Comments

I offer our Ukrainian guest the last pot of chocolate dessert that had been dropped off that morning by a fellow Ukrainian. “There are fresh raspberries, too!” I add, gifted from another.

She pauses, and then shakes her head. “Maybe tomorrow. I had sweet today.” And then she bursts out crying.

I reach for my phone and Google Translate, and she spills the cause of her tears: “Everyone at work is so kind to me. They bring me treats and tell me how much they support me.” She goes on to say that the baker brought her cake and someone else some chicken for her lunch. “I am the only Ukrainian working there. Just me.”

At 65, Lesia, (PhD in Economics, Cyberkinetics, and Mathematics) is working at our local grocery store, making salads. Her low level of English deters her from doing more, but she proudly completes her work every day, grateful for the roof over her head and the opportunity to have a job. She is the kindest, most upbeat person I have ever met.

Earlier in the day, Tania, who brought the fresh berries, also expressed her thanks for the kindness of Canadians. “I feel so lucky to be here,” she says. “It is good for my children, too.”

Hearts are born to love,
caring innate – encourage
respect and kindness –
the world craves acceptance
empathy a noble trait

(VJ Knutson)

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Permission to write, paint, and imagine are the gifts I gave myself when chronic illness hit - a fair exchange: being for doing. Relevance is an attitude. Humour essential.

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