God has a lamp and human kindness lights the way. At the time, I really didn’t give much thought to any of these kind moments that I found or that had found me. I took them as part of the cycle of life albeit often mesmerized at how a perfect healing from a stranger when I most needed showed up. Many a redeeming stranger across my lifetime has become part of my greater family. They remain true heart friends.

We all have been or shall be in places in our hearts and across our lifetimes that vulnerable and frightened child, the bewildered or struggling teen, the disconnected hero to our own story, the hopeless wanderer, the one exiled from a hope, the one so broken open by an event or a series of events as to feel lost of faith and empty to our purpose. And what of that thoughtful thank you or warming hello that you and I were able to shine out like a rainbow and as bright as the sun?

I felt a truth of this soul whole and I messaged it to my heart as I was celebrating a young girl’s coming of age into womanhood over the Purim holiday, a Jewish marking in which daily miracles are hidden and not seen, while myself breaking through a difficult time. You never know how the radiating power of memory can continue to reveal sunshine when needed over time that it becomes its own place for a thousand thank you’s enlarging our heart sense of humanity each time.

The time I brought her a token of my appreciation I knew she didn’t believe me, and I can assure you: that angel woman had no idea she so positively impacted when I wrote her a card and then a follow-up email to more clearly say. Around the gift of May, in a thank you conversation, we, Susan and I, would both take in, in our own way, how important it is for us to trust that each little ray of kindness is making a difference and indeed transforming something within us and making of something more beautiful in the world. Kindness is a power. Where love is not visible, it is still there.

It had dawned on me about then when I left her home, too, that my bandwidth of many kindnesses over the stretch of my life must have also as greatly impacted. She had proved it to me: Kindness really does outweigh all the messy rest even without well-evident transformation. This helped me believe that what I was doing in kind ways in my life already was not to be underestimated.

That moment with Susan and her daughter, that moment with my friend and her mother, continues to have me ponder the miracles by divine hand that are not self-evident but nonetheless manifest, especially that we all remain friends. We have continued the deeper heart conversation. This has had me wonder about the ripple contributions our soul cores communicate and how they add up. It is understood that kindness is then a step-by-step slow process. Even love to a flower is not overnight.

Okay, I get it: You will not have a less messy life because you are kind. It is not all happy endings. But what a power it is that your kindness may certainly and wonderfully soften the mess. Strength and direction in my own resilience and matters of self-love grew exponentially for me that day no matter that in matters of self-love I am still a great work in progress.

And if someone likely impacted you, — because we aren’t alone in this human truth— is it not possible that we each have that same power of impact? What are your kindness impact stories? Collect them. What can you learn from them? Whisper to them (in your heart) or write them down.

Being kinder is another way of saying how can I be better, and these three life stories I have shared are but a few of my life examples that each brought me a piece of that. I am love, my family is man, my love demonstrated through kindness is joy, and my Love is enough.

Kindness is also what makes our lives have connection. When we pledge to be kind to our day something in our heart is dedicating our soul consciousness to do what is good in the presence of a greater Benevolence. When you also dig into the truth of your own core and offer it to another, you indeed can heal each other’s hearts. It is wise to err on trying to know ourselves and to try to connect to each other.

Evidently a kind life is a matter of choice. Be the change you want to be in the world, says Ghandi, and I believe it. Giving heals. It heals both in the equation. And like my mentor, Laurie, says, we really can each change but one person a day for the better and the stronger, if not a day at a time.

So I’m writing to say thank you to the many whose healing and love helps me stand strong. Let us make life become beautiful and more round. When it comes to love and kindness, let us not forget the most powerful foundational ingredient in the mix: ourselves. For when it comes to mastering true potential, I truly believe every person has All within to be a great kindness writer to that beautiful purpose. Upon the pages of so many exquisite notes to be savored, let’s create an accomplished personal masterpiece when it comes to a life book.

Photography by Marina Mashaal