Saturday, June 13, 2009

Random Acts of Kindness



Not too many years ago I remember there was quite a flurry of talk about Random Acts of Kindness (RAKs). I haven’t heard too much in the media about it any more but I am happy to report that it is alive and well at least in our neck of the woods.

About 50 miles north of where we live is a beautiful, magnificent bridge: The Mighty Mac or the Mackinac Bridge which spans the gorgeous turquoise and deep blue waters of the Straits of Mackinac, (pronounced Mack-i-naw) that magical place where the waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron merge. (Waters from lake Superior also enter near here through a waterway.) The bridge is a suspension bridge like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco but is considered to be, at 5 miles long, the longest suspension bridge between two anchorages in the Western Hemisphere.

The bridge is a toll bridge. I forget what the toll is exactly, maybe $2.00-3.00 per car, and they have about 10-20 people DAILY who pay the toll for the person behind them. Isn’t that just great? The man on the radio said that during the Christmas season it goes much higher, when people are in that generous Holiday Spirit!

Chivalry isn’t dead either, but that is another post! Enjoy your weekend and give a thought to doing a RAK today yourself. It creates good karma! Not to mention that “pass it on” mentality.

16 comments:

  1. I truly love hearing about RAK. You're right the media does not focus on the great things going on all over the world every day. I truly wish they did. Just imagine what impact that would create!

    Blessings

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  2. What a wonderful post, Diantha. It's so encouraging to hear about the random acts of kindness. I love your part of Michigan - it's so beautiful.

    And thank you so much for all your kind words! Your positive energy is wonderfully contagious!

    I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

    Hugs,
    Angela

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  3. Beautiful post hon!!I agree I think it is alive an well here too. Isn't it amazing how simple little things can so deeply touch another. Sarah

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  4. Hi Diantha - what a beautiful name for a gorgeous woman! :) Thanks for finding my blog and leaving such a sweet comment. It IS fun to meet new friends through blogging, isn't it? We used to live in MI (Battle Creek to be exact) - such a beautiful state! I like your blog and will be back often to visit! :) Silke

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  5. Definitely, Sarah. Definitely. " Little things mean a lot" as they say! xo

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  6. Oh Silke, thank you for your kind words and for coming to visit! And yes, this is definitely a beautiful state. Lots of amazing nature here, most people don't know about! I didn't know until a few years ago and I lived only 6 hours away in Illinois! Thanks again for coming, my new friend! xo

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  7. Tabitha, wouldn't it be great to have a GOOD NEWS CHANNEL! That would make it so much more better. I truly think all the bad news builds on itself and people start thinking...and acting...in a negative way. This would be a great blog! THE GOOD NEWS BLOG! Maybe I'll start it! Thanks for stopping by...I always love your upbeat attitude! xo

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  8. Angela, thank YOU for your wonderful posts too! Tabitha has me thinking it would be great to have a blog where people post only good news. What do you think?

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  9. How timely and in sync too. On my way to the hair salon earlier today, I was inspired to do something special for the girl who always attends to me and styles my hair just as I like it.

    So I popped into a shop nearby and bought her a gift certificate for a pedicure. She just broke down and cried.

    Beverley works so hard, She is never perturbed when the waiting area is full. She is methodical, thorough and always, always pleasant and helpful.

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  10. What a lovely thing to do, Cheryl! You have inspired me to get a gift certificate for the girl who gives me pedicures. She is like your Beverley! Great idea! Thank you!
    xo

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  11. Diantha,
    It's good to be reminded of these things. I always resonated with Random Acts of Kindness and am ever hopeful that we will remember that we ARE innately kind, and make consistently kindchoices. Perhaps I will try this exercise the next time I take a toll road! Hugs!

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  12. Hi Jan,
    I agree we are innately kind. May your travels always be easy, safe and connect you to very kind people! xo

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  13. Hi Diantha! Lovely name and lovely blog! I am such a believer in the RAK way of living. I look for opportunities wherever I go. I also try to smile and chit-chat with store clerks, especially when the person in front of me was an impatient crab - poor clerks put up with a lot.

    Thanks for reminding us all to keep doing RAK - a simple act of kindness can change a person's life - or at least the day they are having.

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  14. Thank you suZen! (love that play on words!) You are so right, treating clerks and wait staff like people can turn the day right around for them! And us too! We may never know how far reaching an act of kindness will go! Like ripples in the water. Thank you so much for visiting. I love your blog too! xo

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  15. I almost thought that was the Golden Gate Bridge!

    RAK's, huh. Seems to me that I do participate in them, but am sometimes too blinded by the critic in me. Thanks for the reminder.

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  16. I know Mermaid! Doesn't it look remarkably the same! And yes, I bet you DO do RAKs. I can tell by your posts!
    xo

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