Flowers, chocolate, 
jewelry. Some traditional tokens of Valentine’s Day. The last three months of my life have been
marked by reduced social interaction and home-bound activities. So there were no wrapped presents, no boxes of chocolates this morning. The reason why is not the core of my thoughts on this Valentine’s Day. Being home with my husband 24/7 has had its challenges. It also provided time to take out, look at, and reaffirm the reasons and behaviors we chose to be with each other. Out of our 27 years of marriage, and the recent three months of being in each other’s company, what we’ve decided to focus on is the cultivation of simple graciousness- “thank you,” “please,” “I appreciate…”, “I love you,” along with “I’m going off for some alone time.” Out of some slightly stormy exchanges, this has been the pearl in the oyster.
The true essence of humankind is kindness. There are other qualities which come from education or knowledge, but it is essential, if one wishes to be a genuine human being and impart satisfying meaning to one’s existence, to have a good heart. ~ The 14th Dali Lama
Peace of mind is rooted in affection and compassion.- The
14th Dali Lama
My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. ~ The 14th Dali Lama
Ethel Lee-Miller blogs regularly about people and writing, and the wonderful place they both hold in her life.
Beautifully and SIMPLY stated! With the sometimes suffocating realm of human emotions, to simplify all aspects of our lives, wherever possible, is refreshing, uplifting. So let us consider our primitive selves, what we essentially needed to survive, to stay alive. Simply stated, we needed the companionship and protection of other human beings. As such, emotions were formed and other human beings were created. Subconsciously, we love and desire love in order to survive. Once realized, acts and feelings of kindness should occur naturally. These thoughts are simple, a reaction to the passage just read. They are not meant to be contradicted, picked apart or analyzed, to be suffocated by the onslaught of other human emotions. They are light and airy, yet fundamental to understanding who we are.