I’ve been thinking about the word grace — grace as a noun but not in the rote blessing-at-dinner you may have been taught. Grace is something I’d like to cultivate more in my life. You can think of it as a simple, lovely quality – a beautifully smooth way of moving. Nature is filled with this beauty, whether it takes the form of a bird in flight or an antelope’s gait or a bee hovering to pollenate a flower. This kind of grace is evident when watching professional dancers. There’s a fluidity of movement that can raise the hairs on your arms when observing; it’s so wonderful to witness. I suppose most professions and professionals possess their own grace, when you see people in their element, but dance is perhaps more visible, more obvious.
Another aspect of grace some people have is the variety that’s kind, polite and fair to people. We should all be so lucky to encounter someone with true grace – someone with a disposition towards kindness, someone predisposed towards compassion. Those who possess this create easy friendships with people, so effortless and genuine are they to all whom they meet. When you think about it, this type of grace is necessary for even polite, surface relationships. Watching someone with social grace is like watching a smooth, elegant dance, we just don’t think of it in the same way.
In life’s broad context, the world would be a better place if we could all incorporate more grace. How can we do that? We must strive to practice it at every turn, in every situation. Slow down. Breathe. Think kindness. You and those around you will reap the benefits.
GRACE. I don’t know about you, but I want more of that.
…Gail
breathelighter 