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 smiled for weeks with wonderment and told everyone she knew about the conductor’s kindness. 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. This week was more about witnessing kindness than receiving it myself.

A local Good Samaritan

As I contemplated what I might write about this week, I opened the local newspaper and found my kind hero, the janitor at a local high school. Mr. Cruz went about his business of cleaning tables in the cafeteria when he noticed that a girl, finishing her lunch alone started to choke. At first Mr. Cruz thought Alexis was about to upchuck, so he offered her a wastebasket. When he realized she was choking, he asked if he could perform the Heimlich. He learned the Heimlich during a first aid course he took before his son was born three years ago. Click here for the whole story.

Whoa! Saving someone’s life is a kindness indeed.

The Good Father

While I was off visiting Mom and having a fine time laughing, playing games, and binge-watching Inventing Anna, Loved-One took CoCo to MacAlister’s for lunch. CoCo went to MacAlister’s in Texas with her Aunt and Grandma more than five years ago. Since then, she’s been on the lookout for a local opening. CoCo’s mind often locks onto something with the ferocity of a pit bull.

Unfortunately, that lock often results in letting go of other things. That’s probably how the location of her wallet slipped out of CoCo peripheral vision.

“We only went two places,” said Loved-One. “The grocery store and the post office.”

CoCo tucked her receipts safely in a private pocket of her purse, but not so her wallet. Loved-One helped her retrace every place she visited, searching parking lots, and asking about surveillance cameras. He bought her lunch at MacAlister’s.

Once I got home, my own acts of kindness began as we replaced her wallet and all the contents and ordered some trackers, so we can avoid a repeat.

42nd Street

CoCo’s extension of my birthday present continued this week. She bought tickets for another local high school musical. This time she went along to see 42nd Street. High school students seem to be a lot more talented than when I was that age.

It’s nice to have kind children.

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.