Tag: kindness

Some of you may remember who Betty Crocker was. For those of you who don’t, Betty Crocker was a fictional character, created in the 1920s to give a friendly face to cooking and baking products. She was a cultural icon right through the mid-90s. To many over the decades, she represented kindness and goodness personified.

It is said that in times of chaos and unrest, one’s commitment to spiritual practices/discipline are more important than ever. "Spiritual practice or discipline" is defined as a regular and daily performance of actions and activities undertaken for the purpose of cultivating spiritual development.

Spiritual practice moves a person along a path toward liberation or union with the Divine. Each religion has its own spiritual practices embedded into their teachings. But one does not need to be part of a religion to engage in spiritual practices. The commitment to enacting deeds of loving kindness is a universal spiritual practice. Meditation, yoga, spiritual readings and a focus on Oneness are also prevalent practices across the world.

I have seven adopted kids. Our family is a hodge-podge of culture, diversity, and challenge. Sometimes, I’m close to pulling my hair out, but if I’m honest, I love it.

One thing I don’t love, however. Cancer.

I work as a hospice chaplain and grief counselor. I interact with cancer in some way almost every day. Then one day, things got personal.

During a routine dental cleaning, our hygienist noticed a small abnormality in our 15 year-old son's palate. The dentist got involved, and then a periodontist. Less than a week later, we were in the oral surgeon's office having multiple biopsies.

I never liked cancer. I like it even less now.

In my work as a hospice chaplain and grief counselor, I interact with cancer in some way almost every day. Perhaps I'm a bit jaded. All my cases are terminal. Sooner or later, cancer is a killer.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching—along with all the romance, roses and chocolate traditionally part of the day's celebration. But here’s the thing... why should Valentine’s Day be reserved for romance alone? Why don't we celebrate love itself?

A Canadian resident, Karri Carberry, 19, was introduced to a band called "Three Days Grace" by her Dad a number of years ago, a passion they happily shared. So when the band was scheduled to play in Edmonton, Alberta, she immediately got tickets and invited her Dad to come with. There was just one hiccup; her Dad is deaf. This, however, did not deter either of them. Karri interpreted the lyrics in sign language for her Dad, so he too could enjoy the concert. When other members of the audience—at first annoyed by Karri’s signing ("What is that girl up to?!")—realized what she was doing, they were astounded, and ended up entranced by her interaction with her Dad.