1000 RAK's

One of my favorite I Ho Chuan requirements is that of 1000 Random Acts of Kindness.  When a person initially looks at that number it can seem impossible and a real feat to try to even come close to.  At the beginning of last year, I really struggled with writing down my acts of kindness.  I felt a little like maybe I was puffing myself up, bragging about what I’ve done and how wonderful I am (even though it was just written in my own journal).  Opening the door for someone or running after the neighbor’s dog for them or even just taking the time to say hello and chat to a lonely neighbor; these were things that I have always just done.  They are things that seem only to be common courtesy, deceit and helpful.  They never seemed like anything out of the ordinary. 

This past week I received an email from someone who was at the banquet, and who was “intrigued” with the idea of 1000 RAK.  They questioned how it was possible to reach 1000!  Got me thinking about how this requirement has changed how I feel about doing and recording my RAK’s.   Nobody has to ever search for opportunities, they are all around us.  What I found is that I started seeking out the opportunities and jumping on them, not to ‘rack up RAK numbers’, but because I saw the difference they made for the people around me and because I felt good after.  I also became more aware of the ‘missed ones.’  The ones that would have held me up an extra 5 minutes or those that would have pushed me a little beyond my comfort zone.  I always, without fail ended up thinking about these ‘missed ones’ and felt disappointed in myself that I didn’t take the time or take that step.   I learned for the next time!  There have been times when my offer of help has not been received well, like a lady who was loading a carpet cleaner into her trunk and was offended when I asked if I could help (maybe she thought I was calling her a whimp).    However, I truly believe that even those who may not take an act of kindness well initially, may well have some seed planted that might change how they feel next time and may even encourage them to pass it on to someone else when the opportunity presents itself. 

In a world that sometimes seems selfish and chaotic, it is refreshing to see that there are people out there who care, people who will take the time, people who will help, people who truly are making a difference!

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca