Flowing Thoughtfulness

When one person is thoughtful to another, the thoughtfulness gets carried on and on

It is like a river of kindness, once blocked by rocks

That is suddenly opened by a single person’s kind thought or act

The river runs freely again and continues to flow

Moving more rocks and reaching the hearts of others

When one person is thoughtful to another the thoughtfulness gets carried on and on

The more we get together and help each other

The more friendship there can be throughout many different places

The friendship can begin like a small stream in a single neighborhood

And then expand throughout a river of districts, states, countries, and even continents

When one person is thoughtful to another, the thoughtfulness gets carried on and on

Soon we could have a whole ocean of friendships, and that’s how the world was created

And how it should always be

That is suddenly opened by one person’s kind thought or act

The river runs freely again and continues to flow

Moving more rocks and reaching the hearts of others

Mattie Stepanek

(1990 – 2004)

 

Thoughtfulness, manners, civility and kindness hold so much power yet we rarely tap into it. We have to start in our homes, our schools, our workplaces, on the sports fields, running errands and walking down the street. When we employ respect and kindness only when it serves us in some way or impresses others we are missing out on the transforming power it can have on our daily lives. If we don’t choose to live in a peaceful way in all of the small ways how can we expect peace in our lives in all of the big ways?

In fourteen years on this planet Mattie Stepanek did more to promote peace and have others reflect on kindness than most of us could hope to do in our entire lifetimes. 

Learn more about Mattie Stepanek