31 Days of Random Acts of Kindness
I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was December 2007, and I was four months pregnant with Jude at the time and living with my soon-to-be-husband (we’ll have to share that story another time) and two children in a small 1-bedroom apartment that was on the verge of eviction. I dropped my children off at school in a very old Toyota Corrolla that my Uncle Pol had gifted me and I remember listening to 106.1 Kiss FM on the radio. Kidd Kraddick was still alive and he was always giving to charities, organizations, families. Every holiday season he would do KISSmas Wish on the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show and people would nominate others in need. These people would nominate by sharing their story of why this individual or family was deserving and KISSmas Wish would grant wishes for those selected who could use a little extra special holiday.
I cried so hard listening to those stories and I was truly happy for them even though our own family was facing similar struggles. I so badly wished that we would be granted that same opportunity for our children to have the best Christmas ever. And even though we were in a hard place at the time, I knew that all it took was one person to help us. My husband made a call to our Pastor for prayer. It was December and there was no food or money left. When my husband met with Pastor Ariel, he had BAGS of groceries waiting for my husband in the car and we were able to cook food for our family. He not only prayed with us, he also showed us kindness.
Pastor Ariel passed away the day after Thanksgiving 2018 (this year), and it was very painful to so many people whom he had impacted in some way. He was in his 50’s and they weren’t expecting his loss this soon. This post is dedicated to Pastor Ariel.
Pastor Ariel, I know I’ve told you this before, but THANK YOU. Thank you for taking the time to make a difference in our lives. It was a very small act, yet impacted us in a big way even til today. I will always remember the kindness you have shown us and you will definitely be missed. Rest in heaven.
The power of giving is THE most powerful action one can take in their life’s course. But you cannot give without the source of action — the act of kindness goes so much further than self-fulfillment, but teaches us how to become selfless towards others. With 2019 beginning in the next couple of weeks, I encourage you to put together your plan now. There are so many out there who need someone right now.
JANUARY RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS CALENDAR
1. Give to Salvation Army
2. Make cookies for the neighbors
3. Leave change on a vending machine
4. Open the door for someone
5. Compliment a stranger
6. Support someone’s dream
7. Volunteer
8. Bring dinner to someone
9. Join Operation Gratitude
10. Visit a nursing home
11. Donate old clothes
12. Help someone carry groceries
13. Create care packages
14. Shovel someone’s snow
15. Do an extra chore
16. Leave a note for the mailman
17. Go caroling
18. Make someone smile
19. Be thankful
20. Donate loose change
21. Recycle
22. Bake cookies for police and firefighters
23. Tell your family you love them
24. Buy the customer behind you a cup of coffee in the drive-thru line at your local coffee shop
25. Buy a homeless person a hot meal
26. Wave hello to your neighbors
27. Clean a friend’s garage
28. Collect toys for children living in homeless shelters
29. Spend time doing puzzles and playing games with your kids
30. Take old magazines to a local hospital waiting room
31. Pray for another person in need
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