My mother is very fond of plants. She has lots of plants at our home. She waters the plants every morning and spends more time around plants. Her early mornings are always with plants. She brought seeds from different places and we have the most number of plants in our village. Once I asked her
“Amma, why are you always spending time with plants?” her answer was “Because I speak to plants, I take care of them like my children, if we are not speaking to them, they will feel sad as I am” she answered and went back to the plants with a smile on her face. To me, this is kindness.
I lost my father in 1986, my mom is a widow and her life is meaningful when she spends more time with the plants.
Am I living a meaningful life? I hope all of us would have asked this question at least once in our lifetime. We are living in an ultra fast-paced world. We run in the rat race all the time. For most of us, earning money is the ultimate goal to achieve. But are we living a meaningful life?
Following three questions(practices) you can ask yourself every day which will lead you to a meaningful life.
1. Have I been kind today?
Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life — Jackie Chan
Every night before you go to bed, ask this question. Think about your day, think how many times have you been kind to someone, how many times you helped someone. Did you say thanks to the Janitor? Have you opened the door for someone? Think about that and think about the smiles on their faces.
If you have not had the opportunity to be kind, no worries. You will have a chance to be kind to someone the next day. Life gives us countless opportunities, to be kind to others. We need to “pause” for a second and realize this.
2. Am I spreading Love?
“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.” — Barbara De Angelis
The moment you ask this question to yourself, that is the starting point that you are becoming kind. What you give, you get back. If you spread unconditional love to others, your life will be filled with blessings and you will live a meaningful life. We love our friends, we love our family, we all love within a boundary. If the love spreads across the boundary that is when kindness blossoms.
3. Am I compassionate?
One of my favorite life-changing quotes is from Sri Ramana Maharshi. Once he said “There are no others” when asked to him was “How should we treat others?”. What an answer! What an understanding of a meaningful life.
We need not be a saint or sage to live like this. A little thinking about others will make us a new human. When you leave the “I” and start using “We” you will see a massive change in your mindset. You will think about others first before your needs.
“I autopay to a charity every month” does not come under compassion. It has no love, it has no feelings in it. If you want to help others, give help from your heart. Bless that money from your soul before sharing it with charity. Visit the old age home once a month and spend some time with those elder souls.
Ask these three questions every day, Your life will become more meaningful & beautiful.
Rajesh Vairapandian.