The Power of Love and Kindness

The very mention of 'the unseen world' is likely to conjure up images of the supernatural or metaphysical.

My observation - if I may call it that - of the unseen world lies much closer to home. In fact, it lies within us - unseen worlds such as 'love', 'truth', 'integrity', 'kindness', 'thoughtfulness', are all unseen until we choose to express them. The same, of course, applies to the other, dark, unseen world such as 'hate', 'fear', 'anger', and so on. As humans, we have the capacity to experience and manifest both kinds of unseen worlds, the light and the dark.

I am often struck by a wide-spread belief that spirituality and ordinary everyday life do not mix. However, it is my firm belief and certainly my observation as well as my personal experience that, since we are the creators of our own life experience, the unseen world within ourselves that we choose to manifest can be an expression of our spirituality - or otherwise.

It is also my belief that we are, as writer Paulo Coelho so eloquently put it, 'the hands of God.' I have, however, observed that we tend to look around at the tragedies and blame God for abandoning us when, in fact, it is through our own choices - both collective and individual - that we create the world we live in. We may, as individuals, not be able to influence politics and world events to any large extent but we certainly can make a definite and clear difference in the world around us - family, friends, colleagues, people who pass through our life and other fleeting and lasting connections.

When I look at the world around me I also see one that has been created by many 'hands of God' - a world that is loving, supportive and generally life-enhancing. The power of love and kindness has changed my life more than once. Here's an example:

About four years ago I met a woman called Helen on a workshop. I have never felt particularly comfortable in large groups and during the breaks I would usually walk towards the windows and pretend to be fascinated by the view. On this occasion, however, when the break was announced, Helen turned to me and asked if I'd like a glass of water. I jumped up and said 'Yes, please. I'll come with you.' When we returned to our seats she introduced me to her friend who in turn had struck up a conversation with someone else. We all introduced ourselves and ended up sharing the lunch break together.

As it turned out, at the end of the workshop, Helen returned to her home in the Midlands while the other two women and I became close friends.

Both these friendships have had a huge impact in my life in all kinds of ways, the most striking is that, when I was looking for somewhere to live, I turned to them for advice rather than people I have known much longer. One of them knew someone who, in turn, helped me find an interim place to live while I looked for something permanent. That interim place helped me become a resident in Richmond and that meant that I was able to meet the main criteria of the Housing Trust. I now live in the home of my dreams.

I often think of the power of love and kindness and what a difference Helen's thoughtfulness made to my life. Of course, I might argue that all she did was offer me a glass of water but, as my experience has shown, her kindness had repercussions that are out of all proportion to that gesture.

The point is that Helen was just being Helen and she has no idea what difference she made to my life. That is why which unseen world within us we choose to express is so important. If the unseen world of kindness expressed with the offer of a simple glass of water can change a life, imagine what huge impact our own unseen world can have when lovingly expressed. That is our choice and our challenge.

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