It’s easy to love the grand gesture. I’ll never say No to heartfelt generosity–at least as long as I don’t think the giver will be harmed by my acceptance–knowing how much it pleases me to know that others enjoy my gifts. But more than anything, it’s the smaller, maybe more intimate, maybe just more spontaneous, things that truly move me.
Sometimes amid the siege of an endless conference or workshop, a silently knowing meeting of eyes across the room is all it takes to get me through the whole rest of the event. Or it might be that one light pat on the shoulder as two of us pass each other hurriedly in the hall. The warm smile from the lady I met only last week that says she already names me Friend.
A letter from a grateful stranger. Who could know that just sitting and holding his hand for a moment could mean so much to both of us?
It’s certainly the one person who gently asks after the status of my current concern, whether it’s an upcoming test or finishing an important project or, especially, the health and happiness of my loved ones. That moment of being willing to ask, and of quietly listening to my reply, speaks volumes of kindness that wrap my heart and spirits in petitions and repetitions of comfort. And when words fail or have no place, there is the silent embrace of a gracious and caring friend.
To all of you who practice these beautiful arts, I say, Thank You. It means the world that you do, even–maybe, particularly–when we who are on the receiving end of the exchange have no words or gestures of our own with which to respond and express our gratitude properly. The best that we can hope is that, borne up and our way made brighter by their light, we’ll be made strong and peaceful enough ourselves to pass along the gift to someone else who may not even know he was in need. Someday we, too, will be the one who asks.
The smallest kindness can bestow a deeply needed ray of light.
Art-Colored Glasses 
Thanks, Kathryn, for the reminder. Rather than be one of a number of causes for another’s bad day, why not try to be the bright spot? A simple smile is as good a place as any to start.
If you don’t already know it, every visit to your blog or visit here from you brings me just such a welcome smile! Thank you, too, John.
Thank you for a beautiful post Kathryn. I think that everyone needs a ray of light even in the best of days but especially on the bad ones and your post is a beautiful remiinder that a simple gesture costs you nothing but can mean the world to someone who needs it
It struck me as I was writing it that the note I photographed above was written as thanks to *me* for my simple gesture, but of course it was the writer himself who had made *me* feel needed and important in a surprising way with his contact. So I guess we all benefit more than we can know.
Ah, Kathryn, your words strike home in so many ways. I have endured the days and weeks of physical and emotional greyness where the simple gestures of kindness from others have been the splashes of sunlight to guide and sustain me. I nonly hope that as I encounter the grey times in others that I am sensitive enough to give back some of that susnhine to light their paths.
Your own words and pictures bring that light to many of us, my friend!
What nice thoughts – 🙂
I should have mentioned specifically that these ‘conversations’ we have in blog discussions and comments are also among the genuinely spirit-lifting pleasures for me. 🙂
You’ll always be OK because you truly know the difference between the material & the unconditional…
In no small part because I am surrounded by such good and kind friends! 🙂
xoxoxo
Such a small thing to be kind and caring and interested just to be so…and yet such a large part of making life…for others and ourselves…so much kinder and more caring and more interesting! Lovely thoughts here!
You, of course, understand this concept so well already, as is evidenced by both your work and your commentary and conversations with others of us in Bloglandia.