
Now I Are One!
When I was young and knew everything, I said that there were certain things that “old” people did that I would never* do when I got old. My partial list goes as follows:
1. I would not put up anything in my garage to indicate how far I was to drive in before stopping. I saw lots of tennis balls and other objects hanging from the garage ceiling indicating that when the hanging object touched the windshield it was time to stop. Hanging my head in shame, I must now admit that I have one in my condo garage. I was not going to do it, I was never going to do it but… .there it is, hanging.
2. It use to drive me nuts when an older person ahead of me in a store pull out a purse or pocket full of change and count out the exact amount of money for the cost of the transaction.
*After 60 or so years my friend Jim and I decided not to ever say ”never” to anything. Because sure as heck once you say never to something………… you probably know the rest of this.
THE PRACTICE OF RAoK
Random Acts of Kindness (RAoK) are a means by which we make a deliberate attempt to brighten another person's day by doing something thoughtful, nice, and caring.
A Random Act of Kindness is a selfless act performed by kind people to either help or cheer up a random stranger, for no reason other than to make people happier. It may be either planned in advance or spontaneous.
The underlying thought behind RAoK is altruism, which is selfless concern for the welfare of others. Altruism is a core aspect of many religions.
Altruism concentrates on the desire to do good or help others without reward. The key to altruistic behavior is not being concerned with reward, as doing good does have its benefits. People who perform RAoK often find that doing so reduces stress and boosts their self-esteem, leading to better physical, mental, and emotional health.
Engaging in RAoK is a wonderful activity. Think of a community in which everyone engaged in them on a regular basis. It would make for a much better place in which to live. I try to practice RAoK as I venture on my path.
Please note that RAoK day is every year on February 17. There is also a Random Act of Kindness Week and this year (2016) it is celebrated February 14-20. But I believe it is best to practice it throughout the year, as you travel your path.