Today’s forgiving journal is being touched by kindness.
This post is in response to Dutch Goes the Photo’s theme for this week’s challenge: Human Spirit. (I had trouble inserting the link, so here it is: https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2016/06/14/tuesday-photo-challenge-human-spirit/) Also it’s inspired by Nikki at A Kinder Way (https://akinderway.com/). Thank you both for helping me see so much beauty today.
I was walking in the subway station today, on my way to my third meeting of the day. I was getting pretty tired (it had been a long day with a lot of expansion in the heart of Manhattan!). As I was changing subways, I saw a woman with a sign for “Hugs”. It was in response to what happened in Orlando.
I was so touched by her willingness to reach out and touch to her fellow NYers. In a city that doesn’t often stop, I was witness to how her act of kindness moved people to pause and to truly, truly connect…
What I love the most is her clear leap of faith in the goodness of humanity. She stood there with a sign in the middle of rush hour in NY and held steadfast in her love.
I have so much emotion, judging myself for thinking I have no idea what my own sign says. How can I even be thinking this when there are so many worse things out there happening right now?!
Time for forgiveness!!
1 – Self-forgiveness: I forgive myself for judging myself for thinking I don’t know what my sign says. I forgive myself for judging myself for yet again making it all about me. God, this is uncomfortable.
2 – Letting go: I am letting go of any need to be perfect. And all the ways I doubt my process of forgiving. And any need to know what I’m doing when I feel like I have no idea what I’m saying.
3 – Gratitude. I am grateful for the way I let it all hang out with this forgiving blog. I am grateful for stopping on that subway station today to be with this amazing woman. I am grateful for her courage to shout her love from the rooftop (or the subway).
*****
I don’t know quite what I’m doing with this blog post. What I do know is that I was touched by this woman’s kindness, and her dignity, and that of each person who stopped to hug her.
I love you. (Maybe that, my friends, is my sign 🙂 )
Love,
Debbie
ps – I had some trouble with formatting this blog tonight…hopefully the essence will come across. ❤
forgivingconnects.com 
Wonderful post Debbie and what an incredible sign of humanity, kindness and reaching out to others at a time when we all need it. I love it. xo
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I’m so glad Miriam!! Thank you for posting … we all do need the sharing and the caring don’t we? (and the HUGS) Sending you so many blessings. ❤
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And straight back to you Debbie. Much love xo ♥
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Much love to you too Miriam! 🙂
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Wow. That is one amazing woman. So brave. I’m glad you were able to capture this for all of us to see. Thank you for thinking of me Debbie. I’m really touched by this whole post. And i think you figured out your sign. 🙂
Oh..and fantastic entry for Franks Photo Challenge. You nailed it. ❤
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I thought of you because you are such an inspiration for me to be kind. Nikki, thank you so much. It is truly a gift to me (and very near and dear to my heart ❤ ). Both you and Steve are wonderful bloggers. And YES, isn't that woman amazing – so brave and courageous. Blessings!!
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<3<3<3
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Truly amazing, thank you for sharing this Debbie. The world needs people like her doing what she is doing, but it also needs people like you that take a minute from their lives to share these stories.
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You got it Steve. Thanks for saying this, you almost made me cry. I am so glad that I stopped … I sense that it may have supported her too, to have someone there really caring about her and what she was doing. Blessings to you!
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Fantastic post, Debbie! This certainly shows the goodness of the human spirit that we all know exists. With enough of us, we can drive out the dark!
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Or encompass it with the light. ❤ Thanks again for hosting these photo challenges Frank, I learn so much each time.
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What a great example of human spirit. So uplifting to see this.
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Thanks Kim — I agree. Truly blew me out of the water. Right in rush hour NYC! Blessings, and thanks for posting.
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How beautiful!
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Right? You should have seen her face — like her eyes were so focused on her intention to love (it seemed that way to me anyway!). Blessings to you 🙂
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Wow…this is one moving act of kindness!
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Isn’t it amazing, Nina? Right in the middle of rush hour in NYC. She is so inspiring to me to share loving and caring. You are wonderful. ❤
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It’s wonderful!…when everyone else is hating and hurting, there’s someone promoting love! Really awesome! =)
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Kindness is never the wrong thing– we all need more– and need to give more kindness…
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You said it Rhonda! I’m so aware that when I’m down, it lifts me up to be kind. Talk about a circle of love and caring ❤ So many blessings your way. Have a wonderful weekend & father's day.
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Reading your blog today was like a warm hug! Thank you for sharing one person’s act of kindness in NYC. For someone to take the time to do that is amazing. Then, for people like you to stop and pay attention to this person’s act of kindness, in our rush-to-get-to-the-next-thing world, is awesome. People will never remember all the projects we worked on or the number of great meetings we chaired when we’re dead and gone, it’s the way we made people feel along the way. Found your blog through the Meet and Greet this weekend. Thanks for the breath of fresh air! http://www.dianeweidenbenner.com
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You got it Diane!! I just visited your blog. Wonderful. It’s so inspiring to witness – and participate in – others’ acts of kindness. Lifts me up. Your comments are very sweet, and thank you!
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Lovely!! I think you captured the moment perfectly, down to our own overthinking and confusion in trying to reconcile irreconcilable things.
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Thank you! It was an amazing opportunity to capture this woman with her sign and clear intention to hug right in the subway….and to reach out in loving response. I’m so glad you visited my post. Blessings your way. ❤
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We need so much more reaching out like that. It would go an incredibly long way. Thank you for sharing – that keeps it going, too! 🙂
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❤
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You know I love this and so you know I shared it in my posts of note today! 🙂
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Oooh that is so amazing, Nikki!!! Thank you for that. 💜 Being touched by kindness continues. So much love to you. Blessings to all who read your blog
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Yes, the essence definitely came across and it was a beautiful post. It is so beautiful to me, that deep down, so many of us just want that genuine, human connection. I’m so glad you got to experience it and shared it here . ❤
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So true, Marie thank you. I was just talking about the importance of human connection recently. Thank you for the way you put it here, that’s beautiful. 💞
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You’re welcome ❤
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Hi Debbie. You changed your look, format. I like it! There is not one post you posted that I did not love. You post and spread love all the time. Love comes from every one of your posts. It is amazing!
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Oh thank you! You completely brightened my day. 🙂 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend, and blessings.
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