Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Being on time for a meeting

I have quite a bit of meetings virtually and some of them are not particularly engaging, so I tend to sometimes forget it’s time to log on Zoom. It results in someone having to text me to remind me that the meeting has started and when more of us are late, the rest of the group is waiting for us to join. Though everyone is nice and accommodating, it waste others’ time and none of us seem to fix our punctuality. I noticed that when I’m not as excited about something I tend to be less willing to log on a bit earlier so I can be on time. I do it for important appointments such as interviews, so it’s not that I don’t know how to do it. Also, I justify myself by thinking that there’s someone else who will be late too so we’ll end up waiting regardless of my punctuality. I don’t think it’s a proper mindset.

One time during a group sharing about the five precepts, a college student said that she tries to be punctual because she feels that being late is like “stealing” time from others. Not stealing is the second precept. It’s been several years and to this day I still remember what she shared because I never thought of this precept that I follow in this perspective and also because I tend to be tardy at times. So, for today’s online meeting, I put two alarms to remind me to be timely and not keep others waiting. I wanted to be kinder and not be late again.

This is the sixth of the seven acts of kindness that I signed up for.


Sending a virtual hug

It’s not possible to be with loved ones all the time. Sometimes family members have to move for a while and during that time they might be struggling. Being far away makes it harder to comfort a loved one. Watching them be stressed or work though challenges can be difficult. However, rather than getting emotionally entangled I try to keep a positive attitude of support because that is more helpful than getting into an anxiety state worrying about the person. I thought of things I can do to help when distance is an obstruction.

Today, I sent a virtual hug to a family member. She’s been working full time during summer about 10 hours a day and have to study afterwards for a big entrance exam. The typical me tries to problem solve and analyze the situation. Is there a better way of time management? Is there a more efficient way of studying for this standardized test? It’s not always as helpful. Sometimes, it even gives more pressure to her. It might sound like there’s something wrong to fix when it’s just fatigue at the end of the day. What would be the kind thing to do in this situation? It’s hard to read someone’s mind. I decided to just be present and to send a virtual hug emoji this time. It seemed more suitable than talking about solutions. Giving space can also be an act of kindness : ).

This is the seventh of the seven acts of kindness that I signed up for. It was a fun and meaningful experiment to consciously think about kind things to do rather than let it happen naturally. I’ve been more aware of my actions and I’m grateful for this opportunity to share online, which I rarely do. Give it a try too and you'll enjoy sweetness as in the strawberries surprisingly blooming in my garden (photo attached). Thank you for reading!