Today is my last Random Acts of Kindness post. Starting next Monday, I’ll have a 2023 focus. Next year I’ll dedicate my Mondays to saying thank you.

The beautiful Act of Kindness that CoCo received last December, inspired me to focus on noticing RAKs done by others. So it only seems fitting that this last post focus on another act of kindness my dear CoCo received.

I can say that my focus on other people’s acts of kindness has gone a long way in reminding me that we humans are for the most part, kind, and it’s part of our make up to take care of each other. My effort to recognize the kindness of others helps me remember to be kind, too. I’m benefitting from the kindness of others, even when I’m not the direct recipient of the act.

Sometimes a little act of kindness, a smile, or a word of recognition can make a big difference in someone’s life. Sometimes we don’t even realize we are being kind with our automatic response to someone.

Kindness of a village

For those of you who don’t know, CoCo is my youngest. She has pseudohypoparathyroidism. She loves people. She has a job. She loves her independence. AND, she needs a lot of support.

CoCo loses track of things. She leaves her keys behind, forgets where she left her wallet, can’t find her credit card, walks around with her purse zippers unzipped. I cannot count the number of times, we’ve had to retrace our steps to reclaim what she’s left behind. Sometimes these things are in her apartment; sometimes they’re squirreled away in a safe place. And sometimes someone has picked the item up to keep it safe. I am impressed with the number of KindSouls in the world. Only once, when we were in New York City, did CoCo fail to reclaim her Wayward Whatever. Her purse, her keys, her wallet all have trackers attached. I can find her watch and her phone with an app. We use these aids frustratingly often.

So, when she lost her watch, we knew what to do.

“Your watch is on the corner of Your Street and Library Street.” I said when she called.

She walked down Your Street to Library Street. I could see her as a little blue dot, moving down Your Street.

“On the other side of the street.”

“Which other side?”

“Walk over to the side that the school is on, not the side the library is on.”

I saw her blue dot obey.

A village of kindness

She looked in the grass, she looked in the yard. The houses were all dark, waiting for homeward commuters to bring them to life. CoCo turned on her flashlight and like magic, KindSoul#1 appeared to help her look. To no avail. CoCo pinged the watch.

“It says it’s at 24 Library Street.”

Loved-One got out his Map App.

“You need to cross Your Street and walk three houses down.”

KindSoul#2 came to the rescue.

“Did you lose a watch?”

“Yes.”

“I found it this morning on my way to work at the school. I was trying to figure out how to trace the owner, but I don’t have one of these myself, so I didn’t know how.”

CoCo thanked KindSoul#2 profusely. The two of them talked for several exhilarating minutes while I was virtually shoved into her pocket and ignored. Soon all I heard was the swish-swash of CoCo walking back to her apartment. (Still, I did catch KindSoul#2’s name, so I thanked her myself, via Messenger.)

It really does take a village.

A village full of KindSouls. All the technology sure is a blessing. But it’s the KindSouls that enable them into usefulness. I am reminded of a plaque that Wrestler #1 has on his wall.

Humankind
Be both

Such a simple message to end the year. Don’t you agree?

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 won’t stop 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.

See you next year!