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. I noticed a change in myself. My effort to recognize the kindness of others helps me remember to be kind, too. I’m benefitting from the kindness of others. Now that I think about it, so are others.
This week I finished the last of the graduation quilts, the last party and we celebrated Independence Day all weekend. Miss E boycotted because her independence has been curtailed. I applaud her civic commitment. Mr. B pointed out that there’s no correlation between fireworks and the Supreme Court. I loved seeing them both watching the distant fireworks on our usual grassy knoll.
Kindness is everywhere, if I just take the time to look.
Kindness of a kindergarten child
CeCe finished her first year of teaching this year. I helped out in the classroom one afternoon. OMGoodness! I forgot how much energy small children have and how much energy they require from adults. Imagine my surprise when CeCe told me that one of her students complemented her on her recent weight loss. What a sweetheart! (Another student asked her if she had fake boobs!) Children have such unfiltered honesty. Thankfully, some of that honesty is kind.
Kindness of families
While attending celebrations this weekend, I noticed people being kind in such a natural way. Children passed out glow-bracelets. Parents shared bug spray. Traffic seamlessly merged without the aid of police direction. We can be polite and kind. It can be automatic if we practice it often enough.
Kindness of a friend
My friend Kris is on my radar again today. She lives on a lake. The very lake where the village hosts the fireworks. Most years she has an informal party on the day of the fireworks. This year she and her husband are isolating. Yup. Covid-19 got them. Mild cases for both Kris and her hubby. Still, no party. They don’t want to infect anyone else.
Instead, they motored onto the lake and offered their yard so friends could view the fireworks. What a super-kind gesture. Another OMGoodness! Thinking about other people when your own situation is less that desired is a super act of kindness.
What acts of kindness did you observe this week?
The official Random Act of Kindness Day is February 17. But RAKing can go on all year long. 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.