Tag: grateful

True kindness

Posted on by philipdodson

True kindness is something that is truly one of the most magical things about life and shows real humanity.

We have just moved into a new house about 8 months ago and on the first day, a lady appears in our garden with a cake and welcome card. She lives with her husband across the street from us.

She speaks to everyone, a rarity in our modern world sadly, she is not intrusive, but very friendly and helpful. Her husband did some carpentry work for us, another kind person, and as we get to know them, we realise how much other kind stuff she does.

Randomly, she’ll knock on the door and say ‘I’ve just baked some soda bread’ or ‘here are some scones I’ve just made’.

Today, my daughter is having some friends over to celebrate her birthday and she knocks on the door with a cake, a card, some scones and a little present.

The thing is she does it as true kindness as she has no expectation of anything in return, she does it because it makes her happy.

These small acts of random kindness make you feel grateful for being alive and to be human. It brings so much joy.

Thanks Veronica.

51

Posted on by philipdodson

So last week I turned 51 years old, yeah I know I don’t look that old.

51 is like any age just a number, yet it is a special one.

So THE BIG 5 0 is over-hyped and to be honest if you simply don’t care about it, then this trauma of turning 50 just doesn’t happen. However, there is all this pressure from peers to have a party, to do this and that. Well, I’ve never fitted in really and at 50 I was never likely to do what others expected.

Yet society still paints a picture of slippers, pipe, sitting in an armchair watching telly and slipping comfortably into a semi-comatose state that is the next stage before retirement and dribbling in your soup. OK a bit over exaggerated, but I see some in their 20s and 30s slipping into the cement bath that life becomes once you have a partner, kids, mortgage, etc etc. Unless you live in a bubble some of this does wear off on our minds.

There was no party and stuff, just a great family celebration, which is what happens at every birthday.

OK, 51 then, what is the big deal?

Well, you are passed the ‘Big 50’ bullshit and you have realised that this stage in life is one of the best you’ve had.

If you have a grateful mindset, then by 50 you have so much to be grateful for, you have already had an amazing journey and you have banked so much learning, you have a treasure chest of great things that have happened, that you have achieved, memories etc that can not ever be taken away.

Now you don’t give a shit about what others think so much, now you are wise, you can relax and start to apply it, start to be a little braver and you can accept each day as the bonus it truly is. Start to realise that our lives are just these series of now moments, so what the f… are we all waiting for?

51 is going to be a great year and by the way, this philosophy can apply to any age in life if we choose.