I had cause to reflect recently on what makes me who I am. I certainly feel privileged and grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, and for the majority of the choices I’ve made at the many cross-roads in life. Yes, there are moments I regret, and a few bits of shame securely locked out of sight from others, but (hopefully) none locked away from my own self-appraisal.
That reflection caused me to ask deeper questions about sharing the many riches I’ve been rewarded by? Am I doing enough? Could I, should I do more? My star-word sits nicely as a conscience on my shoulder at this point. Kindness. Am I embracing the demands and rewards that are contained in kindness? Am I being profligate with sowing seeds of kindness with glorious abandon?
I need to take you on a small detour to put my reflections in context.
For the first time in over 18 months, I recently organised a face-to-face meeting for my Council of Directors, drawn from across the UK. I’d called the meeting because we needed to spend some quality time, building and rebuilding stronger relationships – especially, to develop more understanding and trust of each other. To be honest, meeting only a few days in a year, we struggled in that regard even before the pandemic, but the stresses of the last 18 months had taken more of a toll. It was a great opportunity to work with an expert facilitator and invest some quality time together, rekindling shared purpose and looking forward with optimism.
Our sessions were designed to help us open up and share some of our life stories so that we could bond together as we understood each other a little more. In one of our pairing sessions, I was partnered with someone I’d never actually met before other than by videoconference. A catalogue of painful experiences compounded from early childhood made them uncomfortable to open up about repeatedly being both victim and survivor. I struggled to respond without rubbing salt into those painfully exposed wounds. My life story was a stark contrast, having spent my formative years developing all the characteristics of ambition, resilience and strong ethical principles on which to build and which would carry me through the tough times so that I could glory in the successes.
How much of that stark contrast was down to good fortune and serendipity, or what part did nurture, support and encouragement play? I can say with confidence, that I owe much to curiosity and courage, honed and refined on a continuous basis but held in check by moral compass
Is there an important aspect of kindness encouraging, no demanding, that I explore how to package those ingredients and share liberally by supporting, encouraging and nurturing the emerging movers and shakers?
As I reflect on this demanding question, I glimpse examples of serendipity in action again, as I see things happening almost by accident. Entrepreneur of the year, Step greener Ambassador at COP26, three of the 50 chosen companies in the Tech Nation Net Zero award, winner of prize in manufacturing futures. Just a few of the notable awards and recognition being received by those we’re backing in their small companies setup to bring urgent new technologies in the war on climate change.
Are we doing enough to encourage, support and nurture others so that they can achieve their full potential? Could we go the extra mile? Only God knows what happens to the seeds we sow, but we can be confident in predicting what happens if we don’t sow any at all.
Lord God, help us be grateful for our gifts, to use our time and our talents wisely and widely, and to broadcast seeds of kindness with carefree and profligate abandon. Pray for those seeds to bear glorious and abounding fruits. Amen.