I'm in the blessing business.
And so are you.

You probably don't remember signing up for this (and most likely you never did), but it doesn't matter.
Whether you like it or not—you're in.

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Be the living expression of God's kindness:
kindness in your face,
kindness in your eyes,
kindness in your smile."

— Mother Theresa

Being in the Blessing Business comes with life.
At least, with a good one.

And, like most things in life, you can choose to step out of this business. But I wouldn't. 
It can get miserable, I'm just warning you.

To Prepare a Place

Abundantly

Kerri

Hats

In life we wear many hats.
We are partners, parents, friends, providers. A shopper, a cook, a cleaner, perhaps a driver, a doctor, or a dancer.

A neighbor, a negotiator, a nature-lover. A DMV worker, or the one waiting in the DMV line. The director or the actor, the teacher or the student, or, or, or... You get the picture.

Together, we are all of these people.

And in all these roles, we have a choice.

To bless—or not to bless.
That's really the question.

Choice

As a parent, it's hardly a choice. The job of a parent is to give. And from tumble to rumble, there's a whole lot of giving involved.
Everybody know this.

As a partner? Same deal. I've been married for 33 years, and yes, there's a whole lot of giving. Vice versa.

So parents and partners, unite.
We're in the Blessing Business.

Stuck

But it doesn't stop there.

I'm also in the Blessing Business as a neighbor. A friend. Waiting in line at the grocerystore. Doing the laundry. Working alongside colleagues (even the ones I don't like...). Or driving in traffic (hello CA-101).

Every moment, every encounter—I have a choice.
To bless, or not to bless.

To be present. Or not. To be kind and open-hearted, or to retreat into a small, self-absorbed world that revolves around me.

I'm not saying it always come easy. There are days I'm done with this whole blessing business. 
Just let me be.
I do not want to see, hear, talk to—let alone bless—anyone.

But I must confess: those are the days I get stuck.

I can't get past myself, and my self-pity, frustration, irritation, and self-doubt. And the quickest way to get out of this, is to start looking around me.
To be the blessing.

Because a blessing is something that brings well-being. When I make the conscious choice to bless others, life feels lighter. My head clearer. The whole day... better.

The well-being I aim to give others—somehow, inevitably, circles right back to me.

And that is why I'm in the Blessing Business.
Wholeheartedly.

Wait

Don't wait for the perfect timing.
For you are created to bless. Each one of us has something to give—specific, personal, and powerful.

Don't wait for someone else to start, either. Or until you're more organized, have more time, money, or whatever else you think you might need.

Perfectionism can wait. Don't fall for it. Let it go.
Perfectionism is for losers anyway (just kidding... but that's for another blog post)

A few weeks ago, I met Kerri. We met for coffee and became fast friends. I gave her my book Sunday Evenings with Joni, and in no time she organized two book events where I could meet her friends and share stories. For one of these booksigning events she even baked a Dutch apple pie, made from the recipe in my book (you can find it here).
Kerri blessed me—without even really knowing me.

Or my friend Kathy—I only see her once every couple of years, far too little, but she sends me emails. Encouraging words about the newsletter or other things I've written.
Kathy is a tremendous blessing to me.

At our home in the Netherlands, we have a postman named Ishmael. He is always happy to see me. Rain or shine, stops the car, and smiles and waves.
His smile is such a blessing (as well as the packages he delivers...).

And there is Joni. For many years, I helped her on Sunday evenings with her evening routine. Some people tell me that I must have been a blessing for her…
And I think I was, but, even more powerful, it was the other way around. I was the one being blessed—beyond words.

How to Bless?

Kindness. Listen. Make space for someone else.
Earlier on I wrote that we are all created to bless, each with our own gifts and talents.
I love to invite people over for dinner. I learned that from my Mama. To prepare a place for someone is a beautiful thing to do. 
There can be a whole lot of blessing happening around a table.

I'm not a fast texter or emailer, I tend to overthink these things, but I would like to write more cards and messages. I'm learning, and I try—even when I don't feel like it.

So here we are. In the Blessing Business.
Today, let us simply begin, in our own way.
Specific. Personal. Powerful. 

One small act. One open moment. One apple pie at a time...
And see what happens.

Questions:

1. Who comes to mind when you think of someone who blessed you—recently or long ago?
2. These are your Ishmael's, Kathy's and Joni's. Tell them. They will be blessed to hear you feel that way.
3. What comes most naturally to you: listening, giving, inviting, encouraging… or something else? Would love to hear your way of blessing in the comments.