This morning on “Music and the Spoke Word” Lloyd Newell delighted me with his comments entitled “Of Kindness and Rabbits.” It may sound familiar because he refers to the same ‘rabbit effect’ that Gary E. Stevenson referred to in his April 2021 General Conference address (found in churchofjesuschrist.org in the May 2021 Liahona).
His comments were accompanied by images of a precious little bunny being fed and loved by a lab assistant…You can access this on www.thetabernaclechoir.org/videos/august-08-2021-4795-music-and-the-spoken-word.
I quote from his comments: “Decades ago, researchers measured the effects of diet on the heart health of rabbits. Not surprisingly, rabbits that were fed fatty foods developed cholesterol problems. But something else was surprising–one group of rabbits had significantly better health outcomes. They had eaten the same foods as the other rabbits, but they had also been cared for by a particular researcher–one who happened to be ‘an unusually kind and caring individual’. She didn’t just feed the rabbits. She talked to them, cuddled and petted them. She didn’t know she was altering the results–she was just being herself.
Suddenly this wasn’t just an experiment about genetics and diet. These researchers were learning that relationships matter too. A recent book titled The Rabbit Effect cites these finding and concludes, ‘Ultimately, what affects our health in the most meaningful ways has…much to do with how we treat one another, how we live, and how we think about what it means to be human.’
In other words, ‘the rabbit effect’ could just as easily be called ‘the human effect.’
So many seem so angry as they interact with others–online and in person. Some are raging inside at the outside world, annoyed and impatient with people around them as well as themselves. Even many who aren’t openly hostile have simply become cold, distant, and impersonal. And we wonder why general health and happiness suffer, why peace and calm are so elusive.
Humans, perhaps even more than rabbits, need kindness and caring, affection and love in order to thrive. No one can flourish in an atmosphere of contention and animosity. When we are kind–even if others don’t return the favor–we carry a healthy inner peace, knowing we have generated light instead of heat. When we sincerely care for and about others, we spread compassion and helpfulness more freely throughout the world. And in the process, we create a healthier, happier environment for everyone.
If cuddling a rabbit can lower its cholesterol, imagine what can happen if we look around and reach out in simple, loving ways to people around us. That’s the power of human kindness.”
The Game…
That brings me to my recent thoughts on UNITY. We all know how important that is is sports. We try to achieve that in our families: like what to have for dinner, or places to go on vacation. Even in the family, unity can be elusive. Unity as a community, even as a nation may seem even further out of reach, but, I suppose, ultimately, it starts with each individual.
When we serve in unity, together we are strong. Unity gives us power to move God's work along. United, we will stand, divided, we will fall. When we unite in serving God, we are at the Master's call. As we serve in unity, our selfish feelings go. The power from on High fills each mortal soul That strives to serve in unity of body, mind and heart, When we dwell in unity, we learn a higher art. When we truly love each other, joy comes when we try, And we truly feel for others in their sorrows, when they cry, When we dwell in unity, we learn of higher love As heart and mind and body learn oneness from above. Our greatest blessings come when we unite in love And strive to serve each other and listen up above. The Holy Ghost will guide all who live in unity. May we all live together in God's great family.