My family began practicing Random Acts of Kindness way back when my kids were teens. Now they have teens. This year, I decided to make RAKs my focus. With a twist.
CoCo received a beautiful Act of Kindness this year. The train conductor on her short commute Surprised her with a generous Christmas Gift. She’s still smiling from ear to ear with wonderment. However, I initially responded with suspicion. After a bit of reflection, I remembered an observation I got from a friend.
You are a much better giver than a receiver. It takes some humbleness to receive without the intention of paying back.
My dear friend, Nancy S (circa, 1980)
So with that in mind, I am devoting 2022 to recognizing kindness given. Not by me, but to me. The year is only two days old and I have two Random Acts of Kindness to report.
Facing the Elements
My newer friend Nancy T and I arranged to meet this morning for breakfast. We live far from each other, so we agreed to meet somewhere near the middle. I rose early and rolled out of my garage to face the 3 Degree (F) morning. Brrr…. Off I went.
Nancy lives in Chicago. Parking is notoriously bad. Last night she had to find parking on a street several blocks from her home down unshoveled, icy sidewalks. She rose early and faced a long, slippery walk in windy-wind-chilly weather. I’m not sure how cold, but, without doubt, much colder than my garage. I shiver just thinking about the wind coming off of Lake Michigan.
“I thought about calling to postpone,” Nancy told me as I sipped my third cup of coffee. “But then I decided life’s too short.”
What a kindness she gifted me with! Plus she surprised me with a box of Frangos and a bottle of Nog. What did I have to offer? A humble thank you!
By the time I got home, it was nearly time for lunch. And even then, we had to break away, leaving behind conversations yet to be had.
Facing a Mountian
A mountain of laundry waited for me at home. You know, put off because it was New Year’s Eve, and then New Year’s Day and then the Second Grandchild Outing.
Are you still alive?
Text from Loved-One
Parked safely inside my garage once again, I opened the door to the sound of the drier buzzing. The last load of laundry, nearly completed. What an unexpected gift of kindness. No single task ahead of me for the rest of the day. I finished lunch with a Frango and took a little nap. There’s a reason I call him Loved-One.
The official Random Act of Kindness Day is February 17. Visit the Website here. “The work to create a kinder world never ends. There is no limit on the amount of goodness we can put into the world..”
Use the hashtags #MakeKindnessTheNorm #RAKday #RandomActsofKindnessDay. Most importantly, “In a world where you can be anything…Be kind.” (And be willing to receive the kindness offered.)
I’ll be watching through my rose-colored glasses for opportunities to give a RAK. And I’ll have my antennae up ready to recognize when I get a RAK or see one.