A passion that is cultivated and shared can transform lives and raise those around you to greatness. But these passions must be cultivated for all and not just for one’s self.  Isn’t that really our purpose: to help those around us soar?

My nine-year-old daughter’s teacher has such passion for her job that her eyes often well with tears of joy as she speaks about her work and her students.  This joy is felt deeply by others.

Recently I shared in an e-mail with her some comments another parent made to me about this teacher’s passion and heart.  Her response was so truthful.   She thanked me for the e-mail, expressed how much she loves her job but then proceeded to tell me that she really “needed” to hear these comments.

I thought, of course, reassurance is needed.  We all need to be reassured of our greatness.  It’s the fuel that keeps us moving forward and it’s the “road assistance” when we’re broken down.

An individual passion that is shared benefits all of us at some level.  We must cultivate all passions, not just our own. We can do this by offering another person genuine reassurance not just verbally but silently as well.

Yes, authentic verbal reassurance is important as long as it comes from a true place with the intention of genuinely wanting to lift another person.  It can’t be selfish though, like the kind of reassurance we sometimes give to check our own “I’m a good person” box.

But silent reassurance is just as important, if not more important.

Words can be tricky and limiting while thoughts are boundless.  A good intention set forth in the pure silence of our heart has tremendous power and can be felt deeply by another person.  How this thought eventually shows up in another person’s life is a great and beautiful mystery.  But it does show up!  And when it does, it benefits all of us.

Life is really played out in the unspoken realm through experiences, not words.  Sincerity is always felt, not heard.

Many years ago, my young daughter reflected this truth to me in a way I will always remember.  I was angry with her about something and we were both trying to move on.  We had the requisite conversations and apologies. It was time for the “hugging” portion of the argument.  I was still upset as I hugged her and she said to me, “Mommy you’re not hugging me with your heart.”  My anger instantly melted away and turned into tears as I felt so silently loved by this other being.

It’s never the words or the actions but ALWAYS the intentions behind them that shape our lives.

So as you go through your day, be consciously aware of your thoughts.  Appreciate and know the power that you and your thoughts have.  Embrace the responsibility we have to cultivate each other’s passions and to lift one another to greatness.

We all take turns “flying the kite.”  The most important job in kite flying is performed by the person running behind, trying to get the kite to soar.  And when it does, we all experience the joy and beauty.