From the article "The Kindness of Strangers" by Michael Leunig
published in "The Age" ~ February 19, 2007.
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In a cold, hard world some people are reaching out in unexpected ways.
Katherine Kizilos reports.
The story goes that writer and peace activist Anne Herbert wrote the phrase "practise random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" on a paper napkin while in a San Francisco restaurant in 1982.
Eleven years later, Chuck Wall, a professor at Bakersfield College, California, challenged his students to perform "a random act of senseless kindness" after hearing a radio report describing "another random act of senseless violence". Somewhere between these two events, the idea of practising a spontaneous act of kindness entered the popular culture.
The story goes that writer and peace activist Anne Herbert wrote the phrase "practise random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" on a paper napkin while in a San Francisco restaurant in 1982.
Eleven years later, Chuck Wall, a professor at Bakersfield College, California, challenged his students to perform "a random act of senseless kindness" after hearing a radio report describing "another random act of senseless violence". Somewhere between these two events, the idea of practising a spontaneous act of kindness entered the popular culture.
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P.S. Danny Wallace has founded a cult devoted to spontaneous acts of kindness..."We are not a cult," protests Wallace, 26, a former BBC producer. But then, all cult leaders say that. What he cannot deny is that, in little more than a year, he has acquired 2500 followers...Joinees are required to perform an act of kindness, preferably for a stranger, every Friday. Hence "good Fridays". - from "The Age", June 27, 2003.
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Soft clouds in heaven
Smiling on yearning kite wings
Wishes touch dreamings
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Heavenly people
Reaching for aching heart strings
Crippled are walking
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12 comments:
I love the miracles you describe! The metaphor of the first poem shapes the second beautifully.
Thanks for joining in One Single Impression.
that second one makes me think about that saying.. something about spiritual beings having a human experience... really thought provoking...
The first one is simple beautiful.
our kites allow the
clouds to know of butterflies
and let them touch earth
the second speaks of a gap beautifully bridged...& it pulls at my own heartstrings!
Beautiful words and lovely thoughts!
An awesome connection to kindness. One reaches out to the other.
wishes touch dreamings... that is truly a beautiful sentiment...
I liked the first one. It touched my heart.
Can it get any worse than this?
Those are both so nicely done. Thank you for sharing them.
beautifully shaped
words here touch my open heart
miracles indeed
random kindness ... what
wonders doth the idea spark
in our daily lives
Hugs and blessings,
Very nice. I really like something about the second.
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