Is there any greater joy than finding a true friend?

When we do find a kindred spirit with whom we can share our thoughts and our lives—perhaps the burdens or joys of our heart — how it lifts our spirit.

One new friend who has appeared in my life since I started this adventure of blogging is Gail Brenner, Ph.D, of A Flourishing Life. A couple of days ago Gail honored me and four other bloggers with the Beautiful Blogger Award.

The award comes with two requests. I’m asked to tell you seven things about myself that you may not know, and then pass the Award on to five other bloggers. So here goes.

Seven things you may not know about me

 1. I’ve been working out at the gym for about eight years and find it a tremendous blessing in my life. I especially enjoy resistance training, which I do three times a week. Doing what I can to build or maintain some physical strength seems to have a positive effect on every other level of my experience.

 2. I love my coffee shop just as much as my gym. I enjoy the coffee — the only cup I have really during a day. But most of all I enjoy simply relaxing in a warm, comfortable environment where I can read a book and think my thoughts – all the while observing the people around me and loving the people around me.

3. I like going down to the creek at the back of our townhome complex and listening to the sound of running water.

4. I also love the sound of crickets in the evening, the cries of birds, and watching the ravens at our nearby shopping mall.

 5. I’m a walker. Maybe I inherited this from my Dad, who with a friend once walked all around the coast of Cornwall.

 6. I have a son named Durwin, and three grandchildren, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

 7. After spending much of my life trying to keep myself from getting drenched by rain in England or frozen by the cold winters in the interior of British Columbia – I give thanks every day for the sunshine in Colorado.

 And now I have the honor of presenting the Beautiful Blogger Award to the following bloggers, each of whom inspires me so much.

 1. Lori Franklin of Jane Be Nimble. “Striving for an agile body and mind.” I have not met a kinder, more determined, more generous-hearted soul.

   2. Keith Smith of Straight Up Living. “Life is now … don’t wait.” I love Keith’s compassion and strength. They belong together, don’t they?

  3. Patti Foy of Lightspirited Being. “Shine even brighter.” You’ll love Patti the moment you see her wise, smiling face on her site.

  4. Joe Wilner of Shake Off The Grind. “Advice for thriving, not just surviving.” Joe is totally dedicated to helping people stay strong and confident and motivated in these difficult times.

  5. Bill Gerlach of The New Pursuit. “One life. One planet. Live deeply.” Such a warm, positive, helpful spirit.

I wish I could mention some more blogs

I’m so sorry the rules say I can only name 5 “beautiful bloggers” in this post when there are so many more wonderful bloggers I would like to mention.

But I’m thinking of starting a monthly feature in November along the lines of “Top 5 bloggers for the month.” I’d really appreciate any help you could give me in this. If you have some favorite bloggers you’d like to honor do please pass them on to me.

A warm welcome to new subscribers

It’s time to go. But not before I offer best wishes and a warm welcome to the more than 300 new subscribers who have signed up for my blog (and downloaded my new ebook, The Wisdom of Serenity) in just the past 3 or 4 days.

A particular thank you to the bloggers and other friends who helped make this possible by encouraging me and publicizing the launch of my new book. I would especially mention my friend and mentor, Steven Aitchison, at Change Your Thoughts, Lori Franklin, at Janebenimble, and Jonathan Mead, at Illuminated Mind.

What a surprise it has been

The dramatic increase in subscribers has been one of the most exciting experiences of my life. I was practically glued to the computer. I’m still a minnow, of course, in blogging terms, up from 100 subscribers and now approaching the 500 mark.

But after a long haul I feel there’s a bit of wind in my sails at last. What a surprise it has been, oh yes. But that’s how life likes to work, isn’t it? That’s what it’s so good at.

Surely the seed of friendship and generosity is alive and flourishing even in these difficult times.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3613/3549345214_d32748891c.jpg

Is there any greater joy than finding a true friend? is a post from: The Happy Seeker - Living with grace at any age

Yesterday was a special day for me, filled with magic, as every day should be. My first guest post was published by a new friend in the blogosphere named Steven Aitchison, who runs a high-powered personal development blog in the UK.

The post is about the power of kindness and its potential to transform our lives – not by fighting with our circumstances but by expressing a strong, kindhearted spirit in the little moments of everyday living.

Title of the post is: “Looking for peace in troubled times?” It’s still up at Steven’s blog and I’d be tickled pink if you hop on over and take a look at it.

Power of kindness in action

Part of the magic that I touched yesterday was reading and responding to the many people — 16 at last count — who wrote a comment in response to the post I had written.

As I read the various comments I was touched by a common theme that ran through each one, to let our life be truly worthwhile, and to express the power of kindness and compassion in the little moments of our lives.

Where truth and integrity are held dear

I’ve been convinced for a long time that there is a body of people in this world spread across every continent and culture in whom truth and integrity are held dear no matter what is happening in the external environment.

The following words from one of the comments speak for this unknown but vitally important, utterly unconquerable tribe:

“In this manic modern world full of a drive for having, wanting and getting, simple human attributes such as kindness have gone off the radar. Posts like yours hopefully will change that. Kindness brings us together, connects us, and breaks down barriers of all types. We need to be more kind because, after all, we are one race called humanKIND. It’s a clue about what we are really here for.”

Kindness cannot be forced

As was emphasized in many of the comments, kindness cannot be forced but must appear naturally. In this regard I love the following quote from A Kinder World.

“One cannot invent kind acts by searching for people to be kind to or by brainstorming ideas about kindness. Life is all around us and all life needs kindness…. most of the time, it just takes a tiny word, a scribbled line of thought, an act of sympathy, a smile or a nod in the right time and place to bring sunshine to the life of another person.”

Welcome to my blog

I express my deep gratitude to Steven Aitchison for publishing my guest post on the power of kindness, and thank all those who read the article  or comment on it. Also, a warm welcome to those who visit my blog after reading it.

Power of kindness can change your life is a post from: The Happy Seeker - Living with grace at any age