If Love Knocked On My Door   I imagine love not as an abstract feeling but as a living presence. What would it say to me? It comes carrying appreciation and warmth, reminding us of the goodness inside us. Here’s what I think Love would say to me:   Hey you! May I come in? Open up, it’s me, love, the emotion you humans can’t stop talking about. I’m in your song, your books, your poetry, and your films. I bring laughter, warmth, comfort, and hugs. I can see that you’re already spreading me around pretty generously. I’m so proud of you. I see myself in the patience you have with your aged parents and the care you give to your spouse and children. Your empathy and compassion is born out of your love for mankind. I’m so happy that you talk about me and encourage others to make room for me, given the amount of hate that exists in the world today. I see you encounter difficult people, and it’s really hard for you to show even an atom of me towards them, but I can see...

  Kindness: It can be contagious   The dictionary defines kindness as the quality of being generous, considerate, and friendly. Kindness can be contagious, too, in a good way, of course. So be kind and let everyone catch the kindness bug.    KIndness in practice  During the pandemic, a stranger reached out to my mother. (It later came to light that the young woman lived in the block of apartments, opposite where my mother lived.) As she watched my mother struggle with her bag of groceries, the young woman walked up to her and offered to carry the bag for her. Eventually, she began purchasing groceries for my mom and then brought them home to her.    A young man patiently explains the workings of her cell phone to a senior. The young man happens to be my son, and the senior a friend of mine.  Kindness decoded ·        Kindness does not require grand gestures; instead, it emphasizes small acts of gener...