be kind

As some of you know and others probably don’t, my motto for the past few years has been “be kind”.  I’ve adopted it as my mantra and it is what I try to practice each day.  Simple kindness, in my mind, could solve so many things...

Here in Ghana we’ve experienced nothing short of unconditional kindness.  Seriously, one day off the plane and even the coldest heart will be warmed.  People here go out of their way to make us feel at home, ask us how we are and help us in any way possible.  Just when you think someone is calling you over to their market stand to harass you into buying something, it turns out they just want to welcome you to Ghana, to ask about you and your family and to laugh with you as you stumble through the dance of greetings in Fanti. 

On our weekends off, it seems like we have more than a few Guardian Angels looking out for us.  Despite language/accent barriers, someone will always tell us when we should get off the bus and where to go when we do.  More than a few times, total strangers will come over to ensure that we are being charged the correct amount in a taxi or walk with us to a bus station blocks away just to make sure we made it there safe and sound.  On a particularly rough day here when I was visibly upset on the side of the road, many strangers stood near me for as long as it took to convince them I was okay.  If I had asked, I’m sure they would have sat with me for as long as needed.  I can honestly say I’ve never shaken so many hands, had so many conversations, received so many prayers or smiled at as many people in one day as I have here in Ghana. 

If people can show this amount of kindness to complete strangers – and foreigners at that! - I am sure we can show just a little more to the people in our lives we know and love the most.  I know that I leave inspired to do better, to be better and to share just a wee bit more kindness to everyone I meet. 

Be kind.  Yes, that is what I will aim to do.