Random Acts of Kindness

On Monday, I posted about mood management. One of the things I mentioned for possible inclusion in a mood toolkit was acts of service. That got me thinking about the RAK movement.

I first came into contact with this at one of those little craft markets. Among all kind of bric-a-brac one vendor had a small wall plaque, with the words 'Practise Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Beauty.' I found this so beautiful that I bought it and hung it in my kitchen. It had a dreamy quality that appealed to me.

Years later, I realise it's a real social movement. Lots of people do RAKs. Some people even make it their principal hobby. There are groups dedicated to it. I actually joined one on Facebook for a while, but left it because I was't comfortable posting about my own RAKs. It felt too much like bragging. I felt I wasn't contributing to the group at all, so I left again. But I still love the concept. I wish I did more of them myself. I'm sure I don't do enough.

Over the years, though, I've done a fair few. I'm still not comfortable talking about them, so I'm not going to do so here. What I would like to do, though, is to share a few of those of which I've been the recipient.

Some years ago, I was walking back from the supermarket with my dog when we were caught in heavy rain. I had no umbrella, and as I stood at the lights waiting to cross I was getting more and more drenched. A handsome man in a beautiful red sports car waved to me and called me over. Now I'll stress that I saw nothing wrong in this. When you are out and about with a Scottish Deerhound, you get used to this. So I didn't suspect him of anything sleazy; I assumed he just wanted to ask about my dog. We went over to speak to him. And he handed me an umbrella. How will I get it back to you, though, I said. He replied, that doesn't matter. Keep it. You need it. 

I had plenty of umbrellas of my own at home, and this was a beautiful one - the expensive kind with a beautiful turned wood handle and everything. I convinced him to take my address and said I would leave it out on the porch to dry and was going out again shortly, and when I got back from my second outing it was gone, so he must have come and collected it. 

This disinterested kindness just made my whole week, and I will never forgt that man.

Earlier this year, I was in church with my dog. It was high summer and it was super hot, even in the church. The few small fans we have were not doing much. During the sermon, the lady in the pew behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked if my dog was allowed to have an Icy Pole. I said yes, not understanding the relevance of it, and she promptly walked out of the church and returned a few minutes later with a lemonade flavoured icy pole, which she held for Chips as he licked it. He enjoyed it very much. 

Another time, I was out having coffee with my dog. An elderly man came out of the nearby butcher and asked me if he could give my dog a bone. I was surprised, but of course I said yes. He produced a beautiful lamb shank, which he had apparently bought for the purpose. He gave my dog a hug, and said his own dog had died recently. I think about that man often, and the way he found solace for his grief in kindness.

It seems to be all about my dogs, I know. But I guess that's what people see when I'm out and about. People tend not to notice you so much when you are with your deerhound. But it's not all been dogs. Once, I went for a job interview and I had arrived at the building with half an hour to spare; I do this with interviews, both to avoid any possibility of a delay making me late, and to check out the environs. There was a cafe on the ground floor and I had a cappuccino, only to find to my horror when I was leaving that I didn't have my wallet. The waitress didn't miss a beat. When I told her, she just smiled and said she would pay for my coffee. I'll come straight back tomorrow and give you the money, I told her. Don't worry about it, she said. I'm happy to buy it for you. Hopefully it'll bring you luck for your interview. Of course I did go in and pay her, but she clearly hadn't expected it.

As I've mentioned, I'm not terribly comfortable recounting my own RAKs. I will say, though, that whenever I do one, it tends to make my day, every bit as much as when I am on the receiving end of one. That's why I mentioned it in the context I did on Monday. But the RAK has a wider use; tiny bit by tiny bit, it makes the world a kinder, more beautiful place. And who doesn't want that?