Tag: Essays

Kindness

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Kathryn Atkins

girl lying on white surface petting gray rabbit — Pexels.com

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~ Plato

Kindness. What is it? Is it a thing? No. It’s an attitude. Or an aptitude. Kindness is something we have or we don’t. But if we don’t have it naturally, it’s hopefully something we can learn.

It can be one of those things you learn at home. Your mom and dad might have been kind. Or not. We have some much baggage from our families, don’t we? I know I do. We take the good things and mistrust them. We take the bad things and dwell on them. It’s almost impossible to see how people grow up to be kind, even if they don’t have it modeled for them as children. But they do. Somehow, there are many people who understand Plato’s sentiment. We are all fighting this battle called life. We need to treat each other with the kindness of a soft bunny.

Wouldn’t that be a lovely world to inhabit? I wonder how that would be. I am hoping to find out by starting to be kinder to myself. Selfish? I don’t think so. I think I would treat people more kindly if I had a softer spot for my spirit to enjoy.

Kindness is easier if we’re grateful. For more on being grateful, check out my blog on enough.

Thank you. Kindly.

Add A Brick

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Kathryn Atkins

I stood up in front of the small crowd of people last night. Naked.

brick building with stairs — Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

Kidding. I might as well have been. Two other authors and I were reading from our work, and I was the least accomplished of the trio by far. So, I can choose to engage in self-flagellation . . . or I can view it as a brave opportunity to add a brick to the building I’m constructing. The building of me.

Notice… the building at left has fire escapes! That’s me, too. I’m a building with what I hope are little escapes to help me exit the building when I need to save myself. OR they can equally be ladders or steps for when my wonderful friends and family come up to the floor I’m on that day and chat. Solve problems. Hang out. Are you ready for a climb?

If I’m not building (or being a building), I’m backsliding. I’ve stopped growing. Stopped trying. Stopped embarrassing my self — when that by itself is a lovely (albeit painful) way to get better. Immersion. Hanging it out. Hearing and seeing other people do it differently.

I was not horrible, no. But I am not “there” yet either. Which is silly. We’re never going to get there until we’re dead. OR until we stop trying.

So add a brick today. Or as Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Here’s the event, by the way. If you want to come by, we love audiences… even if it scares us! And here’s a photo of me at the event. With clothes on.

Book Launch Photos!

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Kathryn Atkins

What a lovely book launch! I had so much fun, and my friends Dave and Carmel Fleck took great pictures that I’m excited to share with you. The top left — c’est moi. The second from the top on the left is a photo of my brother Bob and me. Bob flew in from Utah to attend. YAY! The bottom left photo is of my husband, Don and my son Ted with me at the Gatsby Books signing.

My talk on the Challenge and Joy of Finishing was also received well, I think. The photo below is Dave Fleck. Thanks for the photos, Dave! 20170128 (1097)