Generosity & the Urgency of Office Kitchen Signage

"For those that give with joy, joy is their reward" - Khalil Gibran

Mindfulness and dirty dishes are connected for good reason, it's not easy to find time to meditate so why not pay deeper attention to things we already do? From the feeling of warm water to the billowing suds to an appreciation for water pipes, the meal itself, and the nourishing act of cleaning.

 But I'd like to offer an exploration of a different aspect of dishes, the office kitchen and the potential to seed generosity. Really. Hear me out.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Suicide is complicated, but at its core is a feeling of separateness. That others don't care about us, that we are somehow deficient, and that the world is not a kind place. One thing that pushes back is generosity.

Yes, generosity is an act. It's extending kindness, not in a transactional way, but because we see a need and respond. It's an openness, an offering.

But generosity is also a seed that grows. I suspect we can all think of the warm feeling from an unexpected act of generosity we received. And I suspect that act encouraged you to pay it forward.

Yet, we resist generosity.   

Enter the office kitchen. Take a look at this sign, what comes up for you? If you're like me, feelings of judgment, individuality, and separateness. Who are these thoughtless people who would leave their crusty oatmeal laden bowl? I feel tight and tense.

But, what if instead our kitchens had a more generous message, like the below? Perhaps you have an extra minute and you see a coffee cup in the sink and your hands are already soapy, why not do it? And not from a place of resentment and despair in the human race, but from a place of generosity. Who among us has not forgotten a dish in the sink? Who among us has not been racing through lunch before a meeting? And who amongst us doesn’t appreciate an unexpected gift?

 And these seeds of generosity do grow, often in unpredictable ways. For one, perhaps it can transcend the "not my job" problem and instead inspire an attitude of "what do I have to give" or "how can I meet this need?" Perhaps it can lead us to see a colleague looking a bit sad and go out of our way to say hello and compliment them on something.

 Yes, we have to be careful of boundaries. But what if the office kitchen, and its necessity in our lives, could be one more seed planted in the column of generosity, helping each other, and remembering we are connected in this often alienating world. And as Khalil Gibran says, you'll get joy, too. Win-win!

 But don't take my word for it -- try it yourself, how could you be generous today?

 Be well,

Alex

PS Printable sign here!

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