Kindness Within

And what keeps us whole

So many things

On the surface of life

Complicate our minds

And create much strife

Seeing ourselves

Through a limited scope

Hinders our progress

And lessens our hope

Many challenges

Do appear

But with a proper looking glass

They simply disappear

Resentment and revenge

Is the easy way out

Feeling so self-righteous

Thinking we deserve to yell and shout

But blaming others

Simply will not do

If it’s genuine happiness

We wish to pursue

Living with gusto

And a tender heart

Opens the funnel

And is a place to start

Our children pick up

On the things that we do

One thing is for sure

They are very hard to fool

A child behavior chart

Can give us a clue

To how our kids respond

To what we say and do

The evidence is clear

It’s hard to conceive

Of any excuse

That they will believe

So honesty begins

With an open heart

Time better spent

Than another kid chore chart

Clearing things up

Within our view

Opens many channels

For us to pursue

Living life

In a state of grace

Eases the tension

And brightens our face

Getting a message

Through to our kids

Is skill in itself

And seems like a bid

How do we develop

These particular techniques

When each child and parent

Are so unique

Learning to be gentle

And accessing our gifts

Reveals the secret

On how to uplift

The answer within

Is very simple indeed

It requires no dogma

On which to feed

The true meaning and test

Is how we feel and act

The proof is in the pudding

To be exact

So how it works

For all concerned

Is to open our heart

And be willing to learn

The kindness inside

That we work so hard to hide

Can now be expressed

And eliminate the distress

JWS 6/18/11

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