Living with Kindness Makes Life a Celebration
One should never, but never,
pass by an opportunity to celebrate.
― j d malouf
Life offers us so many opportunities to celebrate. We usually think of celebrating special moments in our life journey - anniversaries, birthdays, major accomplishments.
At these times, we stop and enjoy the moment. Sharing with others – the exchange of love and appreciation - enriches the occasion. It might take the form of a party or an evening out with friends or family.
A celebration is a chance to let go of whatever stress we might carry about on-going obligations or thoughts we have about what we need to do next. It is a time-out from daily concerns. It is a time to refresh and experience joy.
That is good for us. So, how do we get more of it in our lives?
We begin by expanding our ideas about celebration – finding ways to celebrate life every day, no matter what our circumstances might be.
Little celebrations
Each day offers a reason to celebrate.
... Amy Leigh Mercree
Look for something every day to celebrate. When we create a habit to notice what is around us, wherever we go, we allow ourselves to enjoy the little details in our lives.
We see a flower in our neighbor’s yard or in a planter in front of a store. We stop, take in the colors, the fragrance, and the symmetry of the petals. We let the wonder of it fill us and we enjoy the moment of appreciation for what life just offered us.
Enjoying that moment is a celebration of the beauty in our lives. A quiet moment of appreciation. We feel uplifted and the day seems brighter.
In our homes, we have many things that give us pleasure – items that we have chosen because they gave us joy, and we wanted them to be part of our life. Items that others gave us that carry special meaning because of our relationship.
Do we stop and notice and appreciate them, or have they become just a part of the backdrop of our lives? When we take a few minutes to enjoy the beauty of an item or the sweetness of the memory it triggers, we celebrate the moment with gratitude – for the beauty or for the sweet memory it brings.
It is a small celebration of our life.
We have daily opportunities to celebrate life. Every time we encounter someone and greet them with a smile and a kind word, we are adding joy to our life and to theirs. We also have an opportunity to expand our moments of celebration to a way of being in the world.
Celebration becomes a way to live life
Life is a Festival of celebration.
... Anthony T. Hincks
Life becomes a celebration when we live with kindness. By looking for ways to acknowledge and uplift others, we experience the joy that comes from that connection. The people we greet experience the joy of receiving our kindness.
That joy is contagious. Happy people are more likely to be kind, and they will pass it on to others. It becomes an ever-expanding circle of kindness.
Many people already have daily rituals – prayer or meditation, writing in a journal, playing music, walking in the neighborhood or in a park. These help us to connect to ourselves in a deeper way. They are quiet ways to celebrate life.
We can expand the role that rituals play in our lives by transforming some of our daily habits, giving them special meaning that they did not have before.
Our favorite ritual is our morning coffee-and-tea-time, when we share with one another our dreams and memories, music, poetry or articles that uplifted us, ideas and inspirations that are guiding our current projects. They are special times together that include gratitude and appreciation for each other and for our life.
We can transform any chore into a ritual by imbuing it with appreciation and gratitude. Providing care for a loved one becomes more than an obligation. It becomes a special time to connect with each other. Preparing food can be a time to feel appreciation for the abundance in our lives and for the people who enjoy the meals we prepare. Even house cleaning can be a time to be grateful for our home.
When we are with family, friends or co-workers, we can see it as a celebration of our life together, as we think about the gifts that we each bring – even those that challenge each other. We can be grateful for the personal growth that comes from living together, as well as the joy that our relationships bring.
Our life becomes a celebration when we live with an open heart and look at it through a lens of gratitude and love.
We wish you joy as you discover new ways to celebrate your life.
Image by Jeremy Kyejo from Pixabay
The 7 Cs of kindness are words that define important aspects of a kindness journey. We invite you to check them out: Choice, Commitment, Connection, Curiosity, Courage, Compassion and Change.
