Jump to content

Menu

Speaking of Random Acts Of Kindness...I have an idea. Who's in?! :)


Recommended Posts

I might be in.

 

I don't know why, but that made me laugh lol

 

I'd love to give it a try! I can't promise every week because I'm horrible about follow through, but I will try.

 

I figure some weeks it might be as basic as letting people in front of you in traffic or on a line somewhere, or putting quarters in a meter right before you pull away from it, or picking up litter simewhere, or whatever- it doesn't have to be something major every week!

 

It might be easier than loosing weight! Great idea!

 

Word!!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whenever we drive through the little town of Mojave, CA, I always look for the homeless man who - I think - lives somewhere out in the desert and wanders along the highway pushing a cart with some things he keeps. When I have seen him, I have even turned around to go to one of the little fast food stops on that small strip (it's only about a mile's length, with nothing but desert before and after for miles) to buy him something to eat. Once, it was rather cold, and I bought him a meal with hot coffee. I wasn't sure how he'd appreciate having a car pull up beside him to give him food, but that man - face and clothing dirty like those you've maybe seen from Dorothea Lange's photos - looked at me with his clear blue eyes and said, "Thank you. Thank you very much." *I* teared up after I pulled away from him. I don't see him often, but we always, always look for him. I've wondered about getting together some clean blankets, some socks, etc., to keep with me in case we see him now that's it's getting cold again. I think I'll do that.

 

Aw. That would be really nice!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love to participate. I know that there is a man and his dog that show up every so often at a store near us. I bought him and the dog food one day and it made me feel really good. I don't give people money but I do what it feels like to not have food and be cold. The next time I was with my dd and she asked if we could do it but by the time we got outside, he was gone.

 

Count us in:001_smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are in.

 

The kids and I were the recipients of a random act of kindness last week, and it was so appreciated, it will be nice spending a year doing those little things for others.

 

Ours was silly. We were at the pumpkin patch, I just shoved some money and my license into my camera case as I didn't want to take my handbag. I only grabbed bills, and the food dispenser by the goat enclosure only took quarters. Someone bought some food for my kids, it made their day. (This was at the end of the hay ride, so going and getting change was really not an option.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a random act done for dd tonight--we just got home from the ER. Dd took a bad crash at regional gymnastics tonight and her neck was getting worse and worse. She's fine--bad neck sprain, but the doc took a second and wrote "Good luck at State, the town is proud of you! (they took second--haven't placed in twelve years). It just tickled me pink--I want to do that for someone else!

 

We are in.

 

The kids and I were the recipients of a random act of kindness last week, and it was so appreciated, it will be nice spending a year doing those little things for others.

 

Ours was silly. We were at the pumpkin patch, I just shoved some money and my license into my camera case as I didn't want to take my handbag. I only grabbed bills, and the food dispenser by the goat enclosure only took quarters. Someone bought some food for my kids, it made their day. (This was at the end of the hay ride, so going and getting change was really not an option.)

 

Love little stories like these! It's the little things that really can put a smile on someone's face. I remember not long ago the neighborhood kids were playing ball on the sidewalk and the ball rolled into the street just as a car was coming up the road. The kids waited on the sidewalk for the car to pass so they could retrieve the ball. Instead, the car stopped, someone got out and retrieved the ball for them and threw it to the kids, then got back in the car and drove away. I saw this from my porch down the street and thought that was so nice.

 

Also took my cat to get spayed recently and met a woman there who had captured a stray and paid to have it spayed or neutered to avoid more unwanted kittens. It wasn't even their cat and they did that. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd love to, but I don't know what shape I'll be in after baby shows...

 

Def going to talk to Wolf about it, and have him implement it w/the kids though! Fantastic idea!

Your own dh and dc can benefit from it when you are housebound for a while. You can perform this random act of kindness on them. It doesn't have to be ALL for outsiders. Family members need kindness just as much as a friend or a stranger.

 

I am in and I will try to keep up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been doing this for a little while already. Paid for a soldiers lunch while at the airport waiting for my flight, cleaned out my best friends house after she passed, of things that needed to go years ago, so her husband wouldn't have to deal with it, and a few other little things...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Of course! :)

 

Glad to have a group of interested people already! I have made a notation on my calendar for 11/20 that week 1 of "random acts of kindness" begins so that I don't "forget" to start!

 

Would this work as a social group? You could post weekly or semi-weekly reminders to go over there are post (or just read).

 

I forgot all about the delay, and started this week, thinking I was well behind!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really, really love this idea.

 

Would this work as a social group? You could post weekly or semi-weekly reminders to go over there are post (or just read).

 

I forgot all about the delay, and started this week, thinking I was well behind!!

 

Well, what did you do? I'm going to need more ideas here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, what did you do? I'm going to need more ideas here!

 

One of the wards at the hospital had to move all their stuff and all their patients. This ward has the record for moves... 6 ward changes in 10 years. Other wards never move. So, to make them feel loved in their new building far away from all the people they have worked with for years, I baked apple bread for each shift and will bring it in tomorrow. I also went ward to ward around them and spoke to the cooks and bakers I'm aware of on the various shifts and encouraged them to do the same. I had a good response.

 

I'm also taking a double shift tomorrow to spare some unwilling doctor being drafted into it.

 

I also baked a loaf of bread for hubby to take to a friend he hasn't seen in 20 years, in the rural no-wheres of Vancouver Island, BC.

 

You know, thinking about it, I find "doing things for myself" really boring. I do a lot of things for others, and it isn't out of guilt or "have to". I'm happier doing for others. Last night, all caught up and alone in the house reading a **really** fab book (the Lyttelton/Hart-Davis Letters), it was very quiet, and I thought to myself, "this is what it will be like when I'm dead". I can't wait for the boys to come home.

Edited by kalanamak
typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have a beautiful heart, Nance. Just seeing this thread for the first time. Count us in. We try to do things here and there, but we're never really consistent. And...since "random" seems to be dd's word of choice these days, I can't wait to ask "what random thing are we going to do this week?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would this work as a social group? You could post weekly or semi-weekly reminders to go over there are post (or just read).

 

I forgot all about the delay, and started this week, thinking I was well behind!!

 

Oh, glad to see more people joining in! And that's good that you got an early start lol.

 

It's up to all of you guys if you want a social group. They do seem so limited in how many characters they let you type on the boards and in the few I've joined, they seem to go strong for a little while and then people sort of stop going and they just die out, but if enough people think it's worth it, we could give it a try!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Just wanted to remind you all that week 1 of 52 starts tomorrow! :) I will be posting a thread for week 1 tomorrow morning, and you can post to it for the week of Sunday, November 20th through Saturday, November 26th to let us know what you did the first week. Share your random acts of kindness with others to give and get inspiration!

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you all! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This morning, my son was playing a claw machine. When I took two of the littles to the bathroom, they were enthralled by the machine. Then a nice man who had been watching DS (who was taking requests because he actually got something with the crazy thing as he usually does) put in a dollar for my littles to play. They had never seen such a machine before, much less done it. It was really nice of that guy to let them do it.

 

We regularly do nice things, but I love the ideas. When we were leaving Children's (hospital) Friday, we saw an old vet (obviously ill and missing three limbs) on the corner. I felt bad that I didn't have anything at all to offer. Since it is a little cool, maybe we could put a blanket in the van so when we see him again (we are at Children's very regularly and it is about to become more regularly). Or maybe have a couple items if one may be more helpful than another. Thanks for the idea!

 

Just to let you know, we have a "foster grandparent" in the waiting room at our clinic at Children's. That may be an option for someone. We absolutely adore seeing Ms Hazel each time we go. Obviously, most people couldn't do it full time, but they probably have ways you can volunteer for just an hour or two once a month or something.

 

Anyone who thinks they'd be interested in doing a weekend of respite once every month or two could really help some foster parents out. Also, in many areas, we have a lot of need for occasional babysitters, but there are rules about who we can use. The process to babysit is pretty easy compared to respite or fostering. We sure could use the help sometimes! BTW, respite can also be used for special needs families.

 

I know these are bigger things and maybe less random. Just putting a bug in your ear :)

 

My fave (as I'm looking at one of the lists) is to give a big tip. We have been known to tip 20% as a given, 25-100% as we are able (assuming decent service). You just never know how much that extra $10 or $20 could help someone. If it allows them a candybar they don't usually let themselves buy because it is frivolous or to pay the copay to take a child to the doctor, it could really mean something!

Edited by 2J5M9K
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm just seeing this now! Thank You Nance. This is wonderful. We need this, all of us!! We're in. Can't wait - my mind if filed w/ good , kinds acts. What Good Karma!!! :001_smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad to see a few more of you joining in! I am starting the thread for this week now! So please go there to discuss your Random Acts of Kindness for this week!

 

And, Starr, you made me do a double take, but, this IS the General Board :lol:

 

ETA: Here's the thread for week 1:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326027

Edited by NanceXToo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On Tuesday, I spent the day cooking a 20 pound turkey to donate to our church's Thanksgiving meal ministry. Thursday, we spent the morning (8am until noon) serving at our church. We were part of a team of people who prepared, cooked, served, and delivered about 600 meals to people in our community. Many of them are low income, homebound or unable to prepare a meal. We had an increase in the number of meals served. Last year was about 425 meals...this year, they expected to deliver about 500 and then open the church to about 100-150 guests to eat there.

It was a great day to spend Thanksgiving. We've done it for the past 6 years or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...