Some Unconventional Wisdom

Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today I'm going to invite you to consider some unconventional wisdom about fulfillment and purpose. So in our culture these days we're really encouraged to have huge ambition, big goals and dreams, and to be constantly striving and pushing towards the idea of greatness. The people we tend to admire are usually celebrities and bestselling authors, sports stars, and entrepreneurs who've built these big companies. But for most of us, including those who are on the cover of magazines, our greatest contributions to this world will likely take place much closer to the ground in our everyday world.

They'll be the small acts of kindness, selflessness, courage, compassion, and generosity offered to our friends, our family, our workplaces, and our communities. So this might mean just a little simple things like visiting your grandmother and really listening to her stories, or maybe making soup for a sick friend. It might mean peacefully protesting for a cause you believe in or being patient when someone at work is late or holding you up. So today I invite you to really see the value of these everyday contributions to the world. No matter how small they might seem, every small act is spreading, authentic peace, wisdom, and compassion in the world.

So often we underestimate, you know, the power of a kind word, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, a warm smile. Each of which has the potential to change someone's day or maybe their life. So dream as big as you care to dream and follow your goals if it feels like the right path for you. But remember not to overlook these little acts of kindness too, the ones done without any desire for recognition or praise. The ones done from pure love, the ones done when no one's looking, the ones that desire, nothing in return.

Those are often the acts that are the most heroic acts of our lives and our greatest moments of genuine fulfillment. So as always, thank you for your practice and for being here with us and for being someone who's spreading this genuine kindness, wisdom and care in the world. And so let's settle in now for today's meditation.