It is such a beautiful May day in Montreal; the sun is shining, the grass is out, tulips are blooming and tree leaves are spreading in all directions to welcome summer.
How are you welcoming this special month? Through the efforts of the AICI Civility Counts Project, May is The International Civility Awareness Month. How are you putting Civility in Action© into effect? Do you really want to go the extra mile to make a difference in someone’s life and make that person happy? It does not take much.
This month I like to remember a friend who, with a civility act, made a difference not only in my life but, in hundreds--if not thousands--of lives.
His name is Brother Jim Kell. “In summer 1999, Dick Bolles [author of the bestselling book “What Color is Your Parachute”] invited me to answer e-mails for him,” explains Brother Jim. “Over three years later, I’ve answered 4,050 e–mails from China, Austria, Africa, Germany, the United Kingdom, South America, and all over the United States.” I need to add Canada. I was one among these thousands. Brother Jim Kell answered my e-mail in a timely manner, a three-page e-mail; the information was thorough, informative and helpful to say the least. To this date I still have his e-mail.
In 2008, I was so fortunate to attend a five day workshop in Danville, California with Dick Bolles. To my pleasant surprise, I meet Brother Jim Kell for the first time. We were both ecstatic to meet and, apparently, from the thousands e-mails he responded to, I was the first person he met. It was a magical moment.
Brother Jim Kell was an old soul. He had a lot of wisdom and positive energy. His presence in Dick’s workshop was a delight to all of the attendees. Just before the workshop ended, Brother Jim approached me with a small card and asked me to write my name and two other names that matter to me. After doing so, he said, “Randa, I asked you to print your name and other names on a prayer card. I begin each day with an hour of prayer. At any one time, there are 1500 to 2000 names of people from different religious background, and they form a true spiritual community”. You can imagine what happened to me at that moment; a memorable transcending moment.
Brother Jim Kell action made a difference in peoples’ lives. His thoughtfulness and action made people happy, respected, recognized and appreciated. I am sure that he is always remembered by thousands. He is not with us now, but he is living in thousands hearts.
What does it take you to make a difference this May and every month of the year? To put civility in action© - A civil act, a decision to affect positive change, act upon your decision and make a difference in someone’s life.
Enjoy the Civility Month and spread civility awareness globally.
Randa Mufarrij - May 2011
