[From yesterday's Midpoint Reunion, a few people have asked for the text of my "Weather Report" of our first week of the Kindness Challenge. With deep gratitude, here it is, below, for all of you.]

Donna’s definition of kindness -- "Extend yourself" -- has stayed with me every day since our orientation call. Whenever I have felt hesitant, tired, or just plain lazy to be kind the last week, the words extend yourself have rung like a gong in my head. So, thank you, Donna, for this gift.

Each time I attend a pod, I am amazed at the resilience of humankind and the commonalities we share across the world. We may be far in geographical units, but we are so close in heart units.

The Kindness Challenge has prompted so many stories. Very often, the stories of pod mates have gifted me just what I needed that day - a new perspective, a lesson or a gentle prod to look inward. This is more than serendipity. It makes me think of the roots of trees communicating with each other under the earth, nourishing each other, lending the other strength and courage.

There were stories of caregivers who found beauty in moments with cherished ones and the one being served became the server.

A father read every day’s prompt to his 10-year-old son, and the child strategized on how he could bring the acts into his day at school.

Folks reached out to friends, relatives, teachers, neighbors to remind them of happy days in the past and the present.

There was honor and gratitude for ancestors, and for lessons learned from tough experiences.

People reached out to strangers and showed appreciation, lighting up the day and bringing a smile, starting off a ripple that could reach anywhere.

There was the soft remembrance of warm moments with loved ones, two-legged and four-legged and with wings, in this world and beyond.

There were stories of sunsets watched together, hugs shared, the holding of hands, coffee and tea sessions, knitting of prayer shawls, writing of gratitude cards, feeding the birds, walking the dogs, snuggling the cats, mourning of loss, offering a shoulder, and receiving unconditional love.

There was the revisiting of nature with fresh eyes, appreciating the ordinary, the discovery of cracks with the gold within, shining light on all that has been received, and a loving goodbye to what could not be.

So many of us bore witness to kindness by others that lit a candle within.

There were also acts of kindness to ourselves with initiatives of rest, connection, seeking help, and receiving care.

There was the building of bridges with estranged ones. Listening with love and compassion. Waiting with patience. Opening homes. Letting life enter through backdoors. Seeing life multiply.

Being part of someone else’s journey, and making it one’s own.

Appreciating whale migrations. Appreciating the cycle of life and nature and the awesome systems of this vast and ever-giving Universe.

The stories go on and on as they should. These are the stories that unite us all. Amid news of pain, isolation, suffering and war, these stories have felt to me like life-giving air.

They stirred my memories too, inviting me to still my mind and take time to remember all the kindnesses I have received in my life, from known and unknown, and especially from people I have grievances with at times.

I am grateful to you all, my dear pod-mates, for shining light on what really matters.

Already, I feel the healing power of the Kindness Challenge.

Perhaps by the end of it, we will all become butterflies with fresh wings, renewed hope, and a lightness of spirit that will carry us towards the kinder world we are serving to build together.

Thank you.