My word of the year for this year was kindness. I had no idea how crucially important it would become!

Over this year I have consciously reminded myself that people are stressed by the pandemic, and been as kind and patient as I can. I have been hungrily grateful for every scrap of kindness people have thrown my way in brief personal interactions.

The Untangling class was a big part of this year. The teachers have treated me with a surprising, disappointing lack of kindness. I'll be glad to see the back end of the class in two months, which is not how I was expecting to feel about it. I did make some good connections with fellow students along the way, which salvaged something from it.

I'm clear that I deserved kinder treatment, in spite of or perhaps because of my own tangles, especially since the teachers claim to be fully untangled and self-aware. That's new for me, to say, "Those interactions didn't go the way I wanted them to," but not endlessly rake myself over the coals for what I should have done differently.

Overall, I feel like more kindness has seeped into me and through me during the year, and I'm pleased with that.

I happened across this youtube video today via goss. Kindness as revolution by Beau of the Fifth Column.

The article I linked to last year still feels relevant. The Act of Kindness: A Challenge for Direct Support Professionals by Dave Hingsburger.

And so does Dave Hingsburger's post today: good will. "Peace on earth to those of good will."

For 2021, I'm choosing respect. When it first floated up it seemed dry and abstract, but the more I thought about it the juicier and more relevant it got.

( Respect: treating someone like an authority, treating someone like a person )

( full word of the year list )