Kindness, Connection and Cosmic Forces

"Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family."
― Joseph Brodsky

A couple of days ago, I was blessed* with a handwritten letter from one of my college friends who lives in New York.  She is the one who contributed to a nonprofit with which I was volunteering.  The same nonprofit was featured in an article in a national publication, but when I purchased a copy locally it did not have the article.  I texted my friend to ask her if she could look for the article for me.  My name was not in the article, but it did mention that the organization had a "fundraising mentor."  My friend texted me back to say she had already cut out the article to send it to me before she received my text.  And she said, "It mentions you, although not by name."

I was very touched by my friend's kindness.  It was amazing to me that she had seen the article, which was buried inside the newspaper, that she had recognized that the article was referring to me even though I was not mentioned by name, and that she had thought to cut out the article to send it to me.

At the end of her letter, my friend added a postscript:  "It's funny that you texted me about the article the evening  that I clipped out the article for you.  There are cosmic forces in the world.  Thankfully, they are connected to you."

I don't know how cosmic forces work, but I do know that kindness is a powerful connection.

*  According to a 2011 survey by the U.S. Postal Service, the average American household gets one personal letter only every seven weeks.