Just a Smile
The late John F. Kennedy once said, "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country."
The year was 1961.
54 years later, on Boxing Day 2015, I was contemplating on my experiences and this quote arose within, "Ask not what your fellow humans can do for you, ask what you can do for them."
Perhaps the thoughts which came to mind at this point of time upon reading my previous paragraph are, for example, I don't have money to give like the rich, don't have time to give like the rich etc.
For those of us working in the "helping" sectors, doing well at our work is one way we contribute towards the well-being of our fellow human beings but what can we do everyday outside of our work for our fellow human beings?
For those of us who volunteers our time with the less fortunate, doing well at volunteering e.g. the knowledge and skills to better help the less fortunate is one way of contributing but what can we do everyday outside of our volunteering work for our fellow human beings?
For those of us who donates towards causes which help the less fortunate, more contribution towards the causes is one way of contributing but what can we do everyday outside of our monetary contributions for our fellow human beings?
The answer? To me, is to cultivate positive habits such as positive thoughts, empathy for all, compassion for those who are suffering. In short, become a better person both mentally and emotionally.
I had the wonderful opportunity to dress up as Santa Claus during Boxing Day to distribute snacks to our special friends in Institute of Mental Health and rehabilitation facilities nearby in Buangkok.
Some welcome me (or maybe it is only the snacks
:p)
with smilies and some (maybe one or two) reacts with negativity but
reflecting on the experiences, what was most memorable were the patients
who had difficulties sitting up and welcoming me or even have the
snacks that I was distributing.
They just smiled at me from their lying positions on their beds. And that, even writing about it now brings tears to my eyes. They gave me a wonderful gift for Christmas. They gave me their smilies.
I reflected upon the wonderous smilies of theirs. Despite their limited physical capacity, they gave me a priceless gift. Perhaps I was imagining things but I could feel positivity when I looked into their eyes when they smiled at me.
They maybe limited in capacity but not in capability.
I asked myself, could I be as good as them? How much does it cost to give a positive thought, a smile to others, to our fellow humans on the street in our everyday life? It doesn't cost a penny. If our special friends can do it, why can't I?
I am not saying that we should just smile (facial expression) everytime to everyone regardless of how we think and feel. We should cultivate and build the cognitive and emotional capacity for smiles. The positive thoughts, the empathy, the compassion that we think and feel are what makes the smiles so valuable and compellingly beautiful.
We can do much more apart from the work, volunteering and monetary contributions for our fellow humans. Everyone is suffering in one way or another; we are all fighting our own wars and maybe a smile is all it takes to provide respite from their sufferings.
The first human to benefit from cultivating those wholesome habits are ourselves.
Thank you to the Achievers, Friends of IMH for the opportunity and all volunteers for helping out.
Thank you to our special friends for the wonderful gifts of smiles and postivity.
May all be well and happy. May all cultivate a beautiful mind and smile.
With Loving-Kindness
Simple Bear 28.12.2015.
The late John F. Kennedy once said, "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country."
The year was 1961.
54 years later, on Boxing Day 2015, I was contemplating on my experiences and this quote arose within, "Ask not what your fellow humans can do for you, ask what you can do for them."
Perhaps the thoughts which came to mind at this point of time upon reading my previous paragraph are, for example, I don't have money to give like the rich, don't have time to give like the rich etc.
For those of us working in the "helping" sectors, doing well at our work is one way we contribute towards the well-being of our fellow human beings but what can we do everyday outside of our work for our fellow human beings?
For those of us who volunteers our time with the less fortunate, doing well at volunteering e.g. the knowledge and skills to better help the less fortunate is one way of contributing but what can we do everyday outside of our volunteering work for our fellow human beings?
For those of us who donates towards causes which help the less fortunate, more contribution towards the causes is one way of contributing but what can we do everyday outside of our monetary contributions for our fellow human beings?
The answer? To me, is to cultivate positive habits such as positive thoughts, empathy for all, compassion for those who are suffering. In short, become a better person both mentally and emotionally.
I had the wonderful opportunity to dress up as Santa Claus during Boxing Day to distribute snacks to our special friends in Institute of Mental Health and rehabilitation facilities nearby in Buangkok.
Some welcome me (or maybe it is only the snacks
:p)
with smilies and some (maybe one or two) reacts with negativity but
reflecting on the experiences, what was most memorable were the patients
who had difficulties sitting up and welcoming me or even have the
snacks that I was distributing. They just smiled at me from their lying positions on their beds. And that, even writing about it now brings tears to my eyes. They gave me a wonderful gift for Christmas. They gave me their smilies.
I reflected upon the wonderous smilies of theirs. Despite their limited physical capacity, they gave me a priceless gift. Perhaps I was imagining things but I could feel positivity when I looked into their eyes when they smiled at me.
They maybe limited in capacity but not in capability.
I asked myself, could I be as good as them? How much does it cost to give a positive thought, a smile to others, to our fellow humans on the street in our everyday life? It doesn't cost a penny. If our special friends can do it, why can't I?
I am not saying that we should just smile (facial expression) everytime to everyone regardless of how we think and feel. We should cultivate and build the cognitive and emotional capacity for smiles. The positive thoughts, the empathy, the compassion that we think and feel are what makes the smiles so valuable and compellingly beautiful.
We can do much more apart from the work, volunteering and monetary contributions for our fellow humans. Everyone is suffering in one way or another; we are all fighting our own wars and maybe a smile is all it takes to provide respite from their sufferings.
The first human to benefit from cultivating those wholesome habits are ourselves.
Thank you to the Achievers, Friends of IMH for the opportunity and all volunteers for helping out.
Thank you to our special friends for the wonderful gifts of smiles and postivity.
May all be well and happy. May all cultivate a beautiful mind and smile.
With Loving-Kindness
Simple Bear 28.12.2015.
