An act of kindness has the same effect as a ray of sunshine. It can unlock our inner-happiness and, in the same time, make the person we are kind to happy.
Being kind is a verb for every little act of kindness can make someone feel better. Right now, being kind to one another can be a powerful weapon to fight our common pandemic enemy. As we are in the fight of our lives, we need each other more than ever.
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain
COVID-19 has affected everyone of us in a way or another. Some of us are scared, anxious, and feel like we are hitting the ceiling. We can feel like we are losing control over our own life, our children, our family. Others have lost a significant other, a best friend, a mentor, or a family member to this vicious enemy. In this time of grief, anxiety, and chaos, we need to remember to continue living our life and not just surviving.
Our best tool to living and feeling happy during these difficult times is kindness. And there are so many different ways to be kind.
Different ways to exercise kindness
How about simply trying to put ourselves in someone’s else shoes! Maybe their circumstances are very different from our perception. Maybe they were already going through tough times post pandemic. This could explain why they always come so strong at us or why they might just seem out of control or even insolent. Being kind can just mean understanding that someone may be going through a really tough time, particularly under the current circumstances.
An act of kindness has a ripple effect and an everlasting impact.
An act of kindness can also be making time to reach out to people you know may feel lonely because of new social distancing measures. How about giving a call or zooming your old aunt who is living alone! And, who knows! She might surprise you with some interesting stories of her time that may end up brighten up your own day. While she will find a friend in a time of need you will feel happier by making her happy.
Indeed, an act of kindness has a ripple effect and an everlasting impact. An act of kindness can be as simple as smiling to a stranger who looks down. Being kind may simply mean complimenting a coworker on a job well-done. Kindness can also reach home when you make time for your children to let them know things will get better.
Creating a ripple with an act of kindness
If you have the time, how about helping in the fight against the virus. I am not even saying formally volunteering. Making sure the senior neighbour is healthy, volunteering to do their grocery, reaching out in any way you can will make a difference. Starting a blog, a forum, a group chat with your classmates to uplift one another’s spirit is also a good idea. It could be as well going out of your comfort zone to learn how to give back. As long as it can be done safely, do something to help out.
You can also comment on this blog by sharing with us how you are exercising kindness towards others during these times of need.
Come back everyday to VoiceOasis for a dose of comforting quote. Together, we can work towards winning this fight while supporting each other.
Today, our life may seem uncertain and out of control. Suddenly, here we are, living in a new society where we need to learn almost everything. For all of us, adults and children it’s back to kindergarten with a plague for teacher. However, this no time for despair. On the contrary, it’s the perfect occasion to roll up our sleeves and fight. This is the time to look inward and start working towards feeling genuinely grateful.
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ― G. K. Chesterton
We are living in very uncertain times as some of us are losing their jobs, their loved-ones, and their lives. It sometimes feels like everything is coming to an end. However, we should not forget that better days are ahead.
Yes, we have to adapt to a new and strange world. We have to learn life’s basic rules all over again. Whether it’s about how to safely dress before going out, proper hygiene, how to behave in the street or how far apart we should walk from one another, we have to rediscover how to live. And, we have to do so in order to protect and save lives, our own and others.
Steps to Work towards Feeling genuinely grateful
We cannot let this global plight destroy our way of life and eradicate our humanity. This is a time where every human being has a chance to be a superhero by fighting the right fight to help save the world. Let’s be grateful for this opportunity and do our part. In addition, gratitude is a fuel that can keep us running by boosting our happiness.
We should not wait until our life is hanging on a balance to realize how much we have to be grateful for. Living gratefulness everyday will boost our own happiness and make those who are always there for us happier. Let’s be grateful for our life, our family, our friends, and everything that make us happy. Let’s take the time to say thank you to those who help us everyday, those who always have our back, and all those whose work make our life easier, bearable, better, and happier.
While awaiting the day we can hug each other again, let’s just be grateful and happy for having each other, still.
Come back everyday to VoiceOasis for a dose of comforting quote. Together, we can help fuel our collective happiness.
The power of joy is something we tend to overlook in our world. In fact, we are usually so busy running about our day to day life that we sometimes forget about our own happiness. Currently, our world is slowing down. Why not using our free time to take care of ourselves! We need to focus on what really matters to us and reclaim the right to prioritize our well-being. And, there is no better remedy than joy to help us sustain our mental health. Therefore, let’s work towards keeping our joy alive.
“We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.” – Maya Angelou
Today’s comforting quote is brought to us by Maya Angelou. Through her wise words, we are reminded that every day, every minute, and every second of life is precious. Moreover, it is up to us to make the best of it. No matter what our circumstances may look like we should keep seeing the positive side of our day.
Just like the sun rises every morning, we know will make it together.
Working Together towards Keeping Joy Alive
In short, the COVID-19 situation calls for optimism, today more than ever. Above all, we need to keep our joy alive while comforting and uplifting each other. To cite Maya Angelou, “We need each other as we need the earth we share“.
Just like the sun rises every morning, we know will make it together. Meanwhile, let’s do our part and work towards rebuilding and consolidating our collective happiness.
Being human is something very complex. No matter how old we are, we still find it hard to comprehend the mysteries of life. For instance, why we are here in this world and why sometimes certain things happen. Sometimes, our world gets up side down, literally, and we need to work towards finding true comfort. Today, more than ever, we need to reinvent ways to find solace.
Your Daily Dose of Comforting Quotes
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” ― Bill Watterson (Goodreads)
In the blink of an eye, the fate of the world has changed. It feels like waking up from a dream to only find yourself in a science fiction movie. Suddenly, here you are navigating a parallel universe called COVID-19.
In this strange universe, friends do not visit each other. Neighbours do not greet each other. Terms such as birthday parties, sleep overs, music concerts or sports game events do not exist in any encyclopedia.
Anxiety seems to be the widespread state of every person in this universe. It’s like a horror movie, and it’s thrilling and full of adrenaline. As an incomprehensible war is raging on, people are getting sick and are dying. And, your only wish is for this movie to be over. At some point, you start finding it too long. However, no remote control can put an end to it because this our new reality.
We are living in difficult times, but we do have something to be grateful for. Let’s hold on to that!
This is not a dream nor a movie. Therefore, as human beings we have to adapt to this new world of ours.
Working together towards finding true comfort
Better days are ahead!
In the meantime, we have to be patient. As we have to stay home and/or adopt new measures to protect one another, we have a chance to realize what really matters and everything we have to be grateful for. It may not be the same thing for everyone, but each and everyone of us has something or someone to be grateful for: family, friendship, love, a job, a roof over our head or simply being healthy.
We are living in difficult times, but we do have something to be grateful for. Let’s hold on to that!
Come back everyday to VoiceOasis for a daily dose of comforting quote. Together, we can help uplift one another.
We often hear about the power of love. However, love usually sounds abstract for many people. The reason: many of us only think about one aspect of love, which is romantic love. I think true love is way more encompassing than mere romance although romance is important to sustain love in the long run. Here, I am referring to a higher level of love, a love that is almost holy. As such, it’s a love that you can feel only from a personal angel’s touch.
In a recent blog, I talk about amazing human beings whose love has changed lives of people in their surrounding. Based on my own experiences and observations, I have spread these people into three categories: Permanent Angels (PA), Temporary Angels (TA), and Would-be Angels (WA). I refer to them as angels because of the positive impact they usually have on us, particularly PAs and TAs.
Personal Angel’s Touch that We Are Blessed to Feel
Funny how sometimes one person can just come into our life and suddenly everything seems to get into perspective. We may not know the reasons or even how it may have happened. And yet, we feel a personal angel’s touch at the right moment, when we mostly needed help to tap into our inner-self and unlock our true capacity. This is what I call feeling a personal angel’s touch.
Under this angel’s influence, we grow into a better version of ourselves because they sometimes see in us potential that we don’t see in ourselves. Additionally, our angels can see past our makeup and see the good that is sleeping in our soul. Besides, they will tell you that ‘you got this’ even when you don’t think you can do it. Their faith in us is the little boost we need to unlock that hidden potential, and to guarantee our success.
A Personal Angel’s Touch Closer to Home
Angels can also be people who have been there for us all our lives, such as our parents, family members or significant others. This angel’s touch is like an unbreakable bond, a connection that still sustains us even in their absence. To repeat the song’s lyrics, “you raise me up to walk on stormy seas”. Angel’s words, kindness, understanding, and compassion resonate so deeply that we feel like we can take on the world, sometimes.
Personally, I have been blessed to have crossed the path of many angels. In various areas of my life, in my family, among friends and colleagues, I have had angels who have been/are there for me at every step. They are my backbone, my go-to people, my angels. I consider some of them, like my oldest sister, as PAs. I can see her wings. Her halo is a beacon that keeps guiding me along my quest to becoming a better human being.
I feel grateful and blessed for having known such love and such kindness. I hope one day to be able to pass this on to other people. In the meantime, I hope sharing stories of personal angel’s touch will help others realize the impact of the angels in their life and feel a little more blessed even in the face of adversity. It’s important to know that we are not alone.
6 Heart-warming Stories about Personal Angel’s Touch
Their testimonies are inspiring, uplifting, and will make you want to become a better person. These stories will also make you realize how blessed you are because you too have had or have an angel or two in your life. Think about your personal angel’s touch while you are reading their stories.
Jonas
Who, in
my life, has been an angel for me?
While I’ve been fortunate, in my life, to cross paths with many angels, one, in particular, comes to mind: I recently started at a new job, in a new department and didn’t know anyone. I was nervous about whether I’d like the new department, whether I’d do well, whether I’d fit in, whether I’d make new friends, etc. My new manager was running late and so another manager came and signed me in, welcomed me to the department, helped me get set up and introduced me to everyone in our division (or most of them at any rate).
Later, my manager arrives with his son and I see her crawling on the floor, playing peek-a-boo with the kid. She looked up at me and said: “Just so you know: I do this all the time. I’m just lucky there’s a kid here, today, so it’s not weird!” This made me laugh, put me at ease and made me feel comfortable and at home in my new department. It has also inspired me to be welcoming to others.
In which
category of angel would I place myself?
I guess
I’m a Temporary Angel. I can be quite introspective and am
very aware of my own imperfections, but I do try to learn from mistakes, learn
from others and constantly improve myself and try to be a better person every
day. For instance, inspired by people who were welcoming towards me, I
try to be welcoming towards others. I do try to act selflessly but I
realize that fear often holds me back from being as kind as I can be. For
example:
Fear of being a failure in life:
I have certain life goals that I have yet to achieve. Notably, having children and immigrating to somewhere warmer. I worry that I might never achieve them. This leads me to rush to use people rather than just appreciating their intrinsic value. For example, sometimes when I meet a pretty girl, I am so scared to miss an opportunity by being “friend-zoned” by the potential future mother of my children. So, I rush to flirt with her and establish a romantic relationship with her, before really getting to know her, rather than being happy with just being her friend. If unsuccessful, this leads to a painful rejection, of course.
But, even if successful, it has led to some bad relationships with women who may have made decent friends, but were a poor match for me, romantically. And when the relationship ends, we both lose each other’s friendship and support. Strangely enough, my struggle with obesity has taught me humility, in this regard. I assume that all women find me unattractive and I settle for being just friends, and have managed to cultivate many platonic friendships, recently. While I work on getting my weight back under control, I am learning to better value women for their intrinsic dignity and not for what I can get from them.
Fear of
being a “loser“: I am afraid of seeming unpopular which can hold me
back from showing people the love and respect that they deserve. For
example, I have friends with disabilities whom I have avoided inviting to
events. I fear that people whom I’m trying to impress may see me as a
“loser” because I have to settle for friends
that just aren’t cool. I am not proud of this.
Fear that my motivations aren’t as selfless as I’d like to believe:
Even if I am kind to someone, without expecting something in return from them, I ask myself if, maybe, I’m just doing it for virtue signalling, i.e. showing off how “good” I am to someone else who I am hoping to get something from.
Fear of rejection: For example, I might avoid
inviting someone somewhere out of fear that the person will reject me and not
want to be my friend, or anything else for that matter.
Fear that
my intentions might be misinterpreted: For example, I might avoid showing too much
kindness towards women, out of fear that my words and actions might be seen as
flirtatious. I suppose that wouldn’t be so bad if they responded
positively to that. But I fear the awkwardness and humiliation
of being rejected by a girl before even asking her out! I also worry that
showing genuine gratitude and appreciation to my supervisors might be seen as
“sucking up” and deteriorate my relationship with them, rather
than improve it.
Fear of moral disgust:
I have some strong moral values which are not shared by all and I can be quite judgmental of others who don’t share my values. Often, I fear expressing or standing up for my values, even though I think it would be better for humanity, if I did so, out of fear that people may lose respect for me, as they might have strong moral values that run contrary to mine. I often avoid getting too close to people who may hold radically different values as I fear that I may like them less. Even worse, I fear that I might find out that they have done something which I consider morally abhorrent.
I fear that I may never be able to look them in the eye again, forgive them (especially if they are not sorry!), or see the humanity in them and continue the friendship and peaceful dialogue. Even now, I realize that I’m being intentionally vague about this out of fear of losing the respect of the editor and readers of this blog…I believe a Permanent Angel would not be afraid of standing up for what is right, even if people may seem them as a devil, and, without condoning their behaviour, would love someone unconditionally, no matter what they think, say or do.
Fear of being seen as “holier than thou”: For example, I recently became a Christian, but I don’t want to lose my friends because they think that I am all “high and mighty” or that I think I’m better than them. So, sometimes, I overcompensate and engage in very vulgar talk, just to remind them that I am no “better” than them. I believe a Permanent Angel, whilst avoiding judging others’ imperfections, seeks to be pure of mind, thoughts and actions.
Yu (Jennifer)
In which category of angels would you place
yourself?
I think I am an angel of kindness, I am happy to help others, and considerate. However, my weakness is not being good at refusing the request of others, although sometimes I want to refuse, but it is difficult to say. I think real kindness is to be able to put yourself in others’ shoes, but also to have your own position. – Jennifer
Who in your life has/have been an angel for you?
My husband is my first angel, he is my love, my family, my best friend. He studies and works hard for our family and tries his best to give us the best life. Moreover, he is very careful and takes care of me; he can understand me and listen to me. We have a lot in common. My daughter is my second angel. She is very lovely, very clever, and bring joy to our family.
Marlon
In which category of angels would you place
yourself?
I consider myself as being a temporary Angel. I am here to love, support and protect my daughter while we are both alive.
Who in your life has/have been an angel for you?
The past has legated us a world in disarray and decay. The only representation of goodness or angelic in my life is my daughter. She is my angel.
David
I would classify myself, based on the 3 available archetypes, as a temporary angel.
Angels that comes to mind would be my parents and my girlfriend. They are always there for me in a time of need, but all three are also able to guide me, and help me see my mistakes. They are beneficial to my growth and continuous improvement as a human being. – David
Boubacar Ouedraogo (French with English translation)
1) Si je devais choisir quel type d’ange je suis, je me considérerais comme un TA (ange Temporaire).Je suis capable de faire des sacrifices pour des personnes à qui je tiens et ne rien demander en retour. Par contre, quand on apprécie vraiment quelqu’un on ne va pas toujours chercher à savoir ce qu’on a à gagner, mais plutôt si on peut se rendre utile, aider la personne en question et lui rendre service.
If I had to choose a type of angel, I would say I am a TA (Temporary Angel). I can make sacrifices for people I care about without asking anything in return. And yet, when we appreciate someone, we don’t always try to know what we can gain, but rather if we can be of service, if we can help that person.
2) Mes parents (ma mère et mon père) ont été des anges permanents (PA) pour moi. Ils se sont sacrifiés énormément, m’ont toujours soutenu dans mes activités, m’ont toujours encouragé et ont toujours été là aussi bien physiquement qu’émotionnellement. C’est grâce à eux que je suis là où je suis et je leur en serais éternellement reconnaissant.
My parents (my mother and my father) have been permanent angels (PA) for me. They made enormous sacrifices for me, have always supported me in my endeavours, always encouraged me and always been there for me both physically and emotionally. Thanks to them, I am where I am today, and I will forever be grateful to them.
John Nam
If I had to choose, I would consider myself as a WA. I am far from being good, but I am trying my best to love and help others.
I assume most people will think of their mom for this question. And, I also consider my mom as the most angelic figure to me and I would categorize her as TA. She has always been by my side and she sacrificed everything to raise me and my brother. Without her love and sacrifice, I would not be able to be here.
What about you? What type of angels do you think you are? Who has/have been/are angels in your life? Let your heart talk and share your story in regards to a personal angel’s touch.
Stay tuned for other heart-warming stories about personal angel’s touch.
