Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Mark Twain

At the beginning of this 10-4-10 challenge,  our small group talked about what kind of legacy we would like to leave behind when we pass away.  We tried to finish sentences like, "When I die, I want people to remember ____________ about me " or  "When I die, God will have said 'Well done my good and faithful servant, for you ___________.'" 

I decided that I wanted to be remembered for bringing joy to other people.  When I said that, I was remembering a sermon on the differences between "Joy" and "Happiness" and I was remembering how I felt that it was my duty to bring joy to people while roaming this Earth.

I don't know if I am capable of doing that.  I seem to struggle bringing joy to my own children from time to time. (heh!)  But, I'd like to think when I die, someone - somewhere - will say that I brought joy to their life. I doubt that I'm the most joyful person in the world community house, but if I can bring joy to one person, that would be a very good thing.

So anyway, I started thinking about what brings joy to people and I keep coming back to the word Kindness.  And now, I've decided that my goal in life is to be a person of kindness.  That whole thing about bringing joy to people is still awesome in my book - but striving to be a person of kindness seems to be more of a focus for me.

I do have mean bones in my body. I can have days filled with anger or depression; resentment or yes - even hatred. But, when I'm trying to get out of those "funks," I am able to focus on who I want to be ... Who I want to be more like. Christ.  Christ, the King of Kindness.

And so - if you were to ask me today what kind of legacy I hope to leave when I pass away, my answer would probably be just simple kindness.

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” - Mother Teresa