Random Acts of Kindness
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Random Acts of Kindness are those sweet or lovely things we do for no reason except that, momentarily, the best of our humanity has sprung into full bloom. When you spontaneously give an elderly lady the bouquet of red carnations you had meant to take home to your own dinner table, when you give your lunch to the guitar-playing homeless person who makes music at the corner between your two subway stops, when you anonymously put coins in someone else's parking meter because you see the red "Expired" medallion signaling to a meter maid--you are doing not what life requires of you, but what the best of your human soul invites you to do.
Most of us try hard to fulfill our obligations in life, to be responsible parents, to reward and discipline our children, to assist our employees or colleagues, to support and comfort our spouses, to do our share of the work at the office and at home. But these deeds are what we're expected to do, what, in fact, we have agreed to do because of the mates we have chosen, the lives we have decided to live. They come, in effect, with the territory. To be reasonable, decent, civilized human beings who maintain the stability of our lives and our relationships, we must and we will do all these ordinary things. But it is when we step outside the arena of our normal boundaries of our lives that our kindnesses, too, move beyond the routine and enter the realm of the extraordinary and exquisite. Instead of being responsible good deeds, they become embodiments of compassion.
To become the perpetrator of Random Acts of Kindness, then, is to become, in some sense, an angel. For it means you have moved beyond the limits of your daily human condition to touch wings with the divine. No longer circumscribed by "can" and "must", you have set your soul free to give for the sheer beautiful sake of true giving. In giving freely, purely, for no reason and every reason, you move into another person's emotional landscape--not because you must, not because you have no choice, but because, in your heart, that majestically super-human organ, you have felt the spiritual necessity of acting out your love. To become the person who behaves in this way is to be twice blessed. In enacting these beautiful, spontaneous, wholly gratuitous goodnesses, you transform not only the world, but yourself. The world--embattled, divided, discouraged, bon- weary with its dog-eat-dog mentality--becomes newly laced with the sweetness of imaginatively unpremeditated love. Its atmosphere alters. Quietly, almost imperceptibly, because of the little kindnesses that have been unleashed upon it, it will begin to sing. And you, too, will be changed. For in choosing to love not only those whom you have committed yourself to loving, but also those whose names, faces, and true circumstances you will never really know, you will be moved palpably, inescapably, into understanding that loving and being loved is the one true human vocation.by Daphne Rose Kingma
From the Introduction to Random Acts of Kindness (Conari Press, 1993)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What is Random Acts of Kindness Week?
A - It is a grass roots awareness campaign and celebration of the power of Random Acts of Kindness as a counterbalance to random acts of violence. Our goal is to reverse the tide of anger and violence in our society by increasing self-esteem and deepening our connection with others through the practice of simple, day-to-day kindness to our fellow humankind. The movement was sparked by a book published by Conari Press in 1993 and the idea grew nationally, spreading through classrooms, churches, hospitals, corporations, merchants, municipalities, and service clubs. Since our first annual campaign in 1995, it has been recognized and applauded by President Clinton; U.S., state, county, and municipal governments nationwide; and media outlets such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Leeza Show, and ABC News.
Q - Who participates?
A - Random Acts of Kindness Week is celebrated by millions of people across the United States and in parts of Canada, Scotland, England, and Australia. While many, many groups participate without our knowledge, we have been contacted by the following participants: 300+ towns, cities, and counties; 400 churches; 100+ national service organizations; 100 public libraries; 7500 schools; 75 youth organizations; 75 hospitals; 600 book stores.
Q - What kind of publicity has this event received?
A - Each year hundreds of articles have appeared in newspapers from coast to coast -- from Los Angeles to Boston and Lubbock, Texas, to Yukon, Oklahoma. Radio and television stations across the country covered this event -- and in many cases participated in, developed special programming for, and even organized celebrations and activities.
Q - What is the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation?
A - Established in 1995 to facilitate future celebrations, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation creates and distributes information and educational materials about both the movement and our annual campaign; recruits, trains, and assists volunteer community coordinators; and counsels individuals, groups, and institutions to help them design impactful ongoing and annual Random Acts of Kindness activities.
Q - Is the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation a legal nonprofit?
A - Yes, we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, incorporated in the state of California.
Q - What types of activities take place during the campaign?
A - Each community and group designs activities that reflect the needs and interests of its members. For instance, Seattle's Chief of Police rode his bicycle through the city giving out "Kindness Citations." In San Francisco, a Kindness cable car roamed the streets distributing free Random Acts of Kindness books and buttons. Children in Angels Camp, California, created kindness place mats used throughout the week by coffee shops. Hairdressers in Madison Heights, Michigan, spent their day off giving new hairdos to residents at a nursing home. On Long Island, 44,000 Girl Scouts pledged Random Acts of Kindness. Teddy bears were collected in St. Petersburg, Florida, and distributed to police cars to give to traumatized children. A third-grade class in Caledonia, Michigan, created a Kindness Quilt for their mayor's office. Dallas residents left their homes and offices at noon and joined hands as all of the church bells tolled.
Q - What's in our future?
A - While some details remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: the Random Acts of Kindness movement is here to stay. The fact that community participation doubled in our second year has inspired us to keep going until we reach everyone! With proper funding, we will create a promotional video with a celebrity spokesperson to deepen the involvement of the business community and local governments.
© 1996-1997 Conari Press -- Berkeley, CA
Random Acts of Kindness