Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Tag: kindness

  • Casting Kindness

    Casting Kindness

    I got caught in a net this week; a net of kindness.  It all started off so unassumingly.   I had phoned the cell phone supplier with questions regarding my bill and what seemed like 12 hours of being on hold my turn finally arrived.

    After explaining the reason for my call the operator politely sighed and in a soft and kind voice said, “Sometimes things happen that we have no control over.  I am sorry this has happened to you.  Let’s get this fixed today.”  She began to explain what she was doing as she clicked her computer keys. It was just a mix up on my bill and within minutes she had corrected the mistake.  As I thanked her, she again said, “As I said before, sometimes things happen that we have no control over.  It is hard but we can help each other out.”

    After hanging up the phone, I paused and wondered if she was an angel or some kind of Zen Master!  Who knew that having a billing mistake would make my day?

    She was right, there are times when things happen that we have no control over and it is hard, but together we help each other out.

    I suspect that is what Jesus meant when he called the fishermen to be his disciples.  It is written that Simon (also called Peter), his brother Andrew, James and his brother John put down their fishing nets so to follow Jesus. (Matthew 4:18-23)

    Jesus taught them how to use the nets of kindness, understanding, acceptance and healing words to catch those falling into despair and darkness.  Jesus knew the world was in need of such “catching”.

    It would seem Jesus also uses cell phone operators to do the same kind of healing.  I wonder what the world be like if we all followed Jesus’ teaching, “…in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…” (Matthew 7:12) How many more could we catch?

    In these darkened days of winter let us all join in the work of Jesus’ fishermen and throw wide a net of kindness, gentleness and understanding.  As the Dalai Lama said, “Be kind whenever possible.  It is always possible.”

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Andrew Thornebrooke/Unsplash

  • Tread Lightly

    Tread Lightly

    My hairdresser has quit!  I assumed the many weeks of being closed was the cause of a career change but was surprised when she shared that she simply could no longer take the abuse of customers.  She said it had become a daily occurrence to have folks arrive to the salon refusing to wear a mask, refusing to book appointments or refusing to follow the COVID-19 protocols of the salon.  And some of those who were able to follow these simple instructions would sit in her salon chair complaining nonstop about everything.

      “Each morning I dreaded coming in and by my lunch break I felt like a weight was on my shoulders.”  So, she took a full time job in a completely different field and no longer deals with the public. 

    She is not alone.  It would seem many are fed up with rude and toxic interactions.  I noticed last week a new sign was taped up at the McDonald’s drive thru.  It reads, “We believe in fostering gracious behavior in our restaurants and creating a pleasant environment for both our guests and staff. Please treat our staff with respect and dignity.  McDonald’s reserves the right not to serve abusive customers”

    A similar sign went up at a couple of grocery stores in town and the Dollar Stores.

    Let’s tread lightly. It has been a long pandemic for everyone. Yelling at the drive thru waitress or the grocery store clerk is not going to solve any of your problems.  I guarantee you will actually feel worse and most definitely so will everyone who heard you.  So, stop it. 

     Do yourself a favor and everyone around you, be kind if for no other reason than the kindness will come back to you! How you treat others is how life will treat you.  As Mother Teresa said, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

    Choose kindness,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Minister at Kemble-Sarawak, Zion-Keppel Pastoral Charge

    Photo by Matt Collamer,used with permission/ Unsplash