Kindness

"Gentleness is sure to be victorious even in battle, and firmly to maintain its ground," Lao-tzu.

One of the reasons I titled this blog, dementia: living with it graciously, is because I believe in the power of kindness and gentleness. As the above quote states, true strength is not in harsh words or actions, but in quiet and firm gentleness. It is sometimes easy to slip into less desirable behaviors when under stress, such as the stress of caregiving, but it does not serve us or the person with dementia. What is kindness? According to wikipedia, "Kindness is the act or the state of being kind —ie. marked by goodness and charitable behaviour, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions." Everything is better in our home when I am consistently kind. I have known since being a young mother, that I had the power to set the tone in the home, and I do so consciously by implementing kindness.