For the past several months, a growing bunch of us at work have been holding a space for experiments with kindness during the lunch hour! Yesterday's WALK began with a moving opening circle around the question: how have you been touched by a random act of kindness? Whether it was a warm helping hand from a stranger on a wintery day, or a phone call from a caring friend in a difficult moment, each of us realized that we have been the recipient of a long lineage of blessings. Keeping this fullness in mind, it was natural to let our gratitude overflow into various unscripted acts of generosity at the Hospital for Sick Children and the subway station nearby. One moment that particularly affected me was watching how parents and caregivers selflessly give of themselves to their children. It was humbling to watch them take small steps with their little ones, feed them lunch, or simply take them on a walk of the hospital in their wheelchairs. At the subway station, the collector booth agent was totally on board with the idea of giving free tokens with smile cards to those in need of a ride. That moment of “getting it” showed how hands, heads, and hearts align with the noble intentions that are innate in each of us. At the end of the WALK, one person reflected that this time allowed them to step out of their head space, observe others around them, and be in the mindset of ways to offer something kind. Another stated about how simple it is to do acts of kindness spontaneously, even every day! A minute of silence and then we were back to our desks, feeling uplifted and grateful to be a small part of the infinite circle of giving and receiving. :)

p.s. Last week City TV featured a brief story about smile cards, which you can check out here: http://www.citynews.ca/2014/03/17/smile-cards-put-smiles-on-faces-around-the-world/