Estimated Reading Time 6 Minutes
Hey You! Welcome to the Vibrant Life Podcast. I’m Emily Romrell and I hope you’re having a fabulous day. We made it to episode thirteen my friends. The weeks are flying by and it has been so rewarding as I’ve considered what to share with you. If you’re enjoying the podcast as much as I am, I’d love a review on iTunes or just a recommendation to your friends. Anything you can do to get the word out would be amazing.
You know, there are a few mottos that I’ve adopted in my thirty-five years. Obviously, to Live The Vibrant Life is right at the top of the list. Another one is Be Not Weary In Well Doing which has seen me through many hard days. But today, we’re covering another principle that has truly changed my life. It’s something that I’ve strived to practice in my day to day for a long time now, and that is Never Suppress A Generous Thought.
I admire little children so much. Kids are so free and easy with their thoughts and feelings. It’s a sad truth that as we grow up we often put up walls and we become afraid of sharing our true thoughts with others; even the kind and generous ones. I guess we are afraid of being judged and rejected. I absolutely have those fears. But I’ve found it can be magical when you follow through on your positive thoughts and feelings.
The phrase “Never Suppress A Generous Thought” comes from a story told by former Relief Society General President of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Bonnie D. Parkin.
My daughter-in-law’s mother, Susan, was a wonderful seamstress. President Kimball lived in their ward. One Sunday, Susan noticed that he had a new suit. Her father had recently returned from a trip to New York and had brought her some exquisite silk fabric. Susan thought that fabric would make a handsome tie to go with President Kimball’s new suit. So on Monday, she made the tie. She wrapped it in tissue paper and walked up the block to President Kimball’s home.
Parkin, B. (2021, March 15). Personal ministry: Sacred and precious. Retrieved May 14, 2021, from https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/bonnie-d-parkin/personal-ministry-sacred-precious/
On her way to the front door, she suddenly stopped and thought, “Who am I to make a tie for the prophet? He probably has plenty of them.” Deciding she had made a mistake, she turned to leave.
Just then Sister Kimball opened the front door and said, “Oh, Susan!”
Stumbling all over herself, Susan said, “I saw President Kimball in his new suit on Sunday. Dad just brought me some silk from New York . . . and so I made him a tie.”
Before Susan could continue, Sister Kimball stopped her, took hold of her shoulders, and said: “Susan, never suppress a generous thought.”
Susan didn’t have an assignment to make that tie. She wasn’t hired to do so. Despite feeling a bit hesitant, she did it because it felt right. Susan had a quiet sense of mission to serve others. I was also the beneficiary of such service. Her service went beyond any calling because it lasted throughout her life. Never suppressing a generous thought became a part of her personal ministry.
I love that story so much because I think we can all relate. We have a kind impulse to do something for someone else, and almost immediately after we hesitate and ask similar questions. Who am I to do this thing? Maybe the person you are thinking about has a higher status than you, like the president of the church. Maybe the person you are thinking about is someone you don’t know very well, and you are worried how you might be received. Maybe you are insecure about your abilities. You might have the thought to bake bread or cookies for someone but you don’t think of yourself as a great baker. Or you might get the impulse to share another talent like playing a musical instrument and are unsure of your skills. Maybe you get the impression to visit someone and it terrifies you because you are more introverted and shy. There are a million good deeds and generous thoughts that might arise. And there are a million reasons you can come up with for not acting on them.
But here’s the truth. If you have the courage to follow through on a kind deed or a generous thought, only more good will come from it. People are starving for connection and validation now more than ever. There are so many critical voices in the media, and even from people around us who give in to weakness choose to be cruel rather than kind. We can each of us choose to be a better voice and show those around us a better way.
One of the easiest ways I’ve found of doing this is simply texting people when I think of them. Many times I find my mind on others in my life: family, friends, teachers, coworkers and neighbors. Usually, I am full of gratitude for these people and their examples. And when I think of them, I try to text them and tell them. Or if the mood strikes me, I might even send a card or personal note. It takes almost no effort, but it’s important to me to let people know when they make a difference in my life.
Also, there have been a few times when I’ve reached out, and the other person has expressed that the timing was just right. They needed an extra reminder that someone out there was mindful of them. And I want to be clear that this isn’t because of anything special that I do. I’m a firm believer that a loving Heavenly Father sends us promptings to care for the people in our circle of influence. If we are brave enough and our hearts are open enough to receive and act on those promptings, miracles occur. There are small miracles that happen in everyday life all the time. It’s important to take notice of them.
In addition to expressing our generous thoughts to others, there’s an extra step you can take that’s a lot of fun. I’m not sure exactly where I heard this. I think it was when I was a teenager and one of my Young Women leaders told us about it. (Side note: In the LDS church we have organizations for the youth which are simply called Young Women or Young men or sometimes it’s referred to as Mutual. The adult members teach the youth on Sundays and help with weekly activities. The difference my Young Women Leaders made in my life is tremendous. So here’s a quick shout-out to those special ladies who mean so much to me.) Anyway, I think it was one of these women who talked to us about The Wait A While Club.
The gist is that when you notice something kind or noteworthy about someone else, you wait a while and then tell them when they least expect it. Maybe someone gave a really great lesson in church or in school, whatever. Rather than telling the teacher immediately, you could wait a couple of weeks and then write a note or even tell them in person. They’ll be astounded that you took the time to validate them, and it is even more special a bit after the fact. It’s super fun and easy to do.
One of my favorite past times is people watching. People are fascinating and quirky. And believe it or not, most people are good. It’s a great thing to take notice of the good things the others around you are doing. Then maybe wait a while and tell them what you noticed. Being seen is one of the truest needs of the human soul. When we feel seen, we feel loved. Again, it really doesn’t take much effort but it makes a huge impact. Just make sure that if you do join The Wait A While Club, you don’t get distracted and forget.
This principle of never suppressing a generous thought is powerful. I think sometimes we forget just how much we have to offer each other. It’s really the small simple gestures that mean the most. And it’s amazing how much pleasure you feel when you are generous and kind to others. It can take courage to go outside your comfort zone and follow through on the impressions you receive. But I am always encouraged by the thought that showing kindness is never wrong. Generosity leads to more generosity. Because kindness and generosity are extensions of love. And this is the truth: The more love you give, the more you have. It increases exponentially.
So my challenge to you this week is to be a little more mindful of the generous thoughts that come your way. They’ll be there if you look for them. Don’t suppress them. Don’t be afraid to act and show others around you that they are seen and loved. Let’s Live The Vibrant Life, my friends.
Also before I go, just another quick plug to share the Vibrant Life Podcast with your friends and if you have a minute a review on iTunes would help out a lot. Thanks and have a great week!
