Seeing...and being "kindful".

Our daughter Reagan has a word for doing good- "kindful". As far as I can tell, "kindful" is a combination of kindness, helpful, thoughtful, thankful...anything good is "kindful". I think it's a great word, I've actually started using it myself.

It's amazing how a 4 year old can actually remind you to live a more "kindful" life. A few days ago as we were walking out of Wal-mart, Reagan kept saying "Daddy stop, we need to be kindful!" We were actually some distance down the sidewalk before her little voice penetrated my skull. She was "adamant" that we needed to go back and be "kindful", so back we went... Reagan wanted us to pick up the trash on the sidewalk outside the Wal-mart. As we picked up the few smashed soda cans and wrappers she asked, "Daddy, didn't you know it's not kindful to leave trash on the ground?"

The truth is I didn't "see" the trash. I expect there to be trash on the sidewalk in front of Wal-mart. Quite frankly it seems like a situation for store employees to "handle". I've been doing some thinking... Maybe it isn't just that my daughter is blessed with the "neatness gene" from her "cleaning nazi" mother (I love you baby!) . Maybe she doesn't just notice more trash on the sidewalk than me because she's "a lot closer to the ground". (My excuse). Maybe she sees opportunities to be "kindful" because she "sees" more than I do. Her eyes haven't yet grown accustomed to the "mess" of this world we live in. She sees opportunities to be "kindful" everywhere.

I want to be more like her...