Kindness is Looking Someone in the Eyes

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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One of the best joys of being the parent of an adult child is when they have children. Being a grandmother is an unexpected pleasure.  My two oldest grand children (5 and 2) keep me up to date on their lives by face timing me several times a week. And I am always surprised when I learn from them, even from one as young as five.

Recently, I spent several nights with my grand children. It was a full weekend of playing talking, walking, cuddling, photographing each other, and crafting. As I left to leave, Sofia said, “Grandma, let’s talk to each other tomorrow.”

“OK,” I replied. “I want to make that happen.”

And Grandma, don’t do anything else,” She added.

“What do you mean, Sofia?”

“Don’t do your dishes or anything during the time we are talking,” Sofia clarified.

 I thought it was okay to do my dishes or ironing when we were talking. But I understood then, that Sofia wanted me to look at her. That is why she always calls me on Face Time and not on the regular phone. She wants eye-to-eye contact.

And really, don’t we all. We want to know that someone is paying attention when we talk.

Have you had a conversation where there wasn’t much paying attention going on? Perhaps the TV was on or cell phones were in use. Or like me, you were busy doing chores.

While you might have been having a conversation with someone, did you feel neglected because the other person wasn’t paying attention to you? Or maybe you were the one doing the neglecting.

Conversation requires both people being involved in listening and speaking. And a meaningful way to show that we are focused on them is by looking at the other person, giving them our undivided attention.

Kindness is paying attention. It is looking at someone when they talk. It is not doing anything else.

 

 

Your Turn . . . How good of a listener are you?  . . . Do you prefer people look you in the eyes when you are having a conversation?

You can practice being kind by leaving me a comment. 

Want to know what other acts of Kindness are on the list? Go to my Landing Page . . . Scattering Kindness: A 31 Day Adventure of Intentional & Random Acts of Service.  

Please leave me an idea or two that I can add to my acts of kindness list. The idea can be intentional or random.

Go here for yesterday’s post: Leaving a Surprise in a Library Book

Related Posts . . .

• G is for . . . Grandma
• Kindness is Making a Phone Call
• What it Means to LISTEN Intentionally

Previous #Write31Days Topics

• MORE vs less: 31 Days of Decluttering 2017
• Finding Laughter: 31 Days of Writing 2015 – Landing Page
• 31 Days of Finishing 2014: Table of Contents & What it is About

Thanks go to Elizabeth Symington for making my #Write31Days button and basic graphic for the kindness quotes. Elizabeth is writing a 31 days series on Summer of Service in Yosemite.