Randon Acts of Kindness Thread

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Over on Pauls Thread about helping unload a refrigerator, it was suggested there should be a Random Act's Of Kindness sub-forum. Perhaps that's asking too much, but why not start a thread and have others keep it going?

I'll start, but remember this is not about me or any poster, its here to show that RAK exists and maybe encourage others so when the situation presents itself, they will do something similar and then share.

My most memorable RAK happened the other day when I was grocery shopping and I went to checkout. In doing so I got in front of a older woman with only a few groceries so I said...

"Jeesh I should have let you go first since you don't have many groceries." At which she said...

"That's okay, you see I got all kinds of time, its just the money I lack."

I half laughed and said...

"Well I'm the opposite. I got plenty of money but no time."

As I waited for my groceries to be tallied and bagged, I thought of the situation. It is getting close to Thanksgiving guys. I then sized up the womans groceries, guessed them to be about 35 dollars and when I paid, I gave the clerk an extra 50 dollar bill and said quietly, "put that towards her groceries and if its less, give her the change", and then walked off. My only regret...not being able to see her face when the clerk told her.

So that's my RAK...any other FWWer's out there doing some RAK's?
 
That's an awesome idea Travis, and a great thing for you to have done.

That's the kind of thing that's a Win/Win/Win. She Wins, You win, The clerk Wins, Everybody wins.... That's they way things should be.

Way to go!
 
That's a wonderful act, Travis. Being older than you can somewhat cynical, I would have watched from some place to make sure the clerk didn't pocket the money, and that she actually got it.

Mike
 
Thats a very nice gesture mate.

Having been around the ww forums for a while I've made a few donations to people who were having a rough time. I thought of it as my way of paying for the info I get so freely.

When I wen't out to CA to build the first shed unit I knew I was going to be extremely tight on money. The job took longer than I'd anticipated and as I was out there building, I wasn't in front of my computer making any money. I posted a few ads on the forums to sell my festool saw and table to cover my expenses when lo and behold, a bloke off the festool forum emiled me and said he wasn't interested in my tools but he'd like to make a donation. That donation was a considerable chunk of money and it pretty much saved my arse. The only stipulation he put was to pass it on at some point.

I got to the point where I felt I could afford to and acted on it. It turns out that I potentially saved a persons life.

I'm not posting this looking for a pat on the back or anything but to show woodworkers karma.
 
That's a wonderful act, Travis. Being older than you can somewhat cynical, I would have watched from some place to make sure the clerk didn't pocket the money, and that she actually got it.
Mike

Yeah, I'm a cynical person too, but I've made up my mind that when I donate, I do it freely. If I get 'taken' so be it. Once you give something, you give up your right to decide how that money get's used. So when I give, I give and live in that moment. Now, if I know I've gotten taken, I will not make a repeat donation, but I try to still feel good about it.

Because really, my selfish reason for giving is that it makes me feel better about me. Sure I like to help others, but if I'm going to be honest, I like the way helping others makes me feel about myself...:huh:
 
i put my neighbors cows back in when they get out......does that count?
how about trying to offer the little knowledge gained from a few decades of workin` with my hands to the folks here?
still hold doors for folks and do what i`m able for my neighbors.......
`bout what i can do now:eek:
 
i put my neighbors cows back in when they get out......does that count?
how about trying to offer the little knowledge gained from a few decades of workin` with my hands to the folks here?
still hold doors for folks and do what i`m able for my neighbors.......
`bout what i can do now:eek:

In my book, that totally counts. Being there for your neighbors is what its all about...

And you've probably helped more people than you know with your knowledge sharing! :thumb:
 
We have a woman who cleans our house (every two weeks). She loves cleaning but hates cooking. So every now and again, I cook something for her to take home to the family. That way, she gets a bit of a respite that evening and the family gets a "different" meal. I've talked to the kids and they say they like my cooking:)

I cook New Orleans food since that's what I know.

Mike
 
Thats cool Mike.

Are you from Nawlins, or did you just adopt that type of cooking?

Myself, I love the spicy stuff and have been know to make a mean pot of red beans and rice. I tend to stray more towards the southwest, and tend to do more spicy clili's lately, but I need to get back to some gumbos and Et-Tou-Fey (Serious spelling problems, Im sure) at some point...
 
Thats cool Mike.

Are you from Nawlins, or did you just adopt that type of cooking?

Myself, I love the spicy stuff and have been know to make a mean pot of red beans and rice. I tend to stray more towards the southwest, and tend to do more spicy clili's lately, but I need to get back to some gumbos and Et-Tou-Fey (Serious spelling problems, Im sure) at some point...
I was born in New Orleans and grew up around there. I still have a lot of relatives there - my mother was one of 16 children (her parents were GOOD Catholics).

As a side note, some people grow up in or around New Orleans and wouldn't leave no matter what. Others, like me, got out at the first chance.

You may know this, but red beans and rice is the traditional Monday meal. Used to be if you went into any of the neighborhood restaurants they always had red beans on Monday - I don't know if that's still true. The reason was that Monday was wash day and red beans will cook without much tending. So you can put them on the stove on low and by lunch time they're ready. The best red beans are made with pickled pork (which is NOT salt pork), which I've only found around NO.

For anyone visiting NO, travel a bit up river* to LaPlace to visit Jacobs and buy yourself some andouille sausage. They'll pack it in an insulated container for you to take back on the plane. It's a dry smoked pork sausage. If you don't like it, send it to me. There's a whole bunch of things you can make with andouille sausage, including a very good gumbo.

I make a good jambalaya (among other dishes). If you're interested, I'll post my recipe (there's no measuring - but I'll try to describe how much of each thing to put in).

The reputation that NO has for hot food is recent. When I was growing up, the only thing we really made hot was the boiled seafood (shrimp, crabs, and crawfish). All the other food was normal - very little hot stuff.

The people of NO were (I guess still are) foodies, meaning that they looked for good restaurants, demanded good food, and talked about food. You could go into one of those neighborhood restaurants (which sometimes looked pretty seedy) and get some good cooking - different than the high end restaurants but very good food. If you go to NO, ask for advice and find a neighborhood restaurant - then order a fried oyster Po-boy. They may ask you if you want it "dressed" which means with lettuce and tomato. The hot roast beef Po-boys are also delicious. One reason they're so good is the bread - it's hard to find good French bread outside NO - and there, it's all over.

But I guess that's a lot more than you may want to know...

Mike

[When I went to Vietnam, I used to tell people, "It's hot, it rains all the time, and everybody eats rice. I feel right at home!"]

*All directions are in reference to the river. For example, someone will tell you "Go up the road for two miles and turn in at the road by Totsie's". That means "Take the river road north and turn right by the general store owned by someone who's nickname is Totsie". This is not NO but in the country outside of NO.
 
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I changed a tire in the rain for a older lady. She tried to give me some money but I told her that my mom was about her age and I hoped someone would help her out if she was having problems. One other time I was walking into a store and could see the reflection of a lady coming up behind me again elderly. I waited and held the door for her. She stopped and looked me over and said walking up she was wondering if I was a gentleman. Keep in mind I was dirty from work, my hair is almost waist length and I have a long beard. I did the same thing a different time for a woman and was promptly told that she was capable of opening her own darn door. She was my age. I apologized and told her I was sorry for mistaking her for a lady.
 
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We have several open city bus stops out here so when we go to the dollar store my wife picks up several umbrellas and we keep them in the car. When it's raining and someone is standing out there without one we'll stop and hand it to them. They look so confused but ain't arguing:D. We also basically run a clothes closet here too. It seem everybody within 20 miles of here calls my wife says " I got stuff, when do you want it?" There always seems to be someone who needs something. It's fun.
 
i put my neighbors cows back in when they get out......does that count?

Sure does Tod...RAK's do not have to involve money at all. During the election a 98 year old woman needed someone to hold her arm and bring her out to her car so she would not fall. Despite there being a line, I got out, helped her get into her car and waited as her driver got done voting. When I got back the line had not moved much.

The town clerk said "you had to get out of line to do a nice thing huh?" She said it hinting to the people that were once behind me to do a RAK too and let me back where I was, but they didn't get the hint. It's no big thing. I had the day off and was in no hurry.
 
That's a wonderful act, Travis. Being older than you can somewhat cynical, I would have watched from some place to make sure the clerk didn't pocket the money, and that she actually got it.

Mike

I understand, and I think Ronald Regan summed up that way of thinking best when he said "Trust...but verify."

Myself I believe in a "differently" if you will. If the clerk took the money, then perhaps her monetary needs were greater then the elderly woman's? If that was the case, then I am glad she got it because how am I to know who has the greater need? If not and she was a thief, then I always felt that the different power I spoke of earlier, can equalize things on my behalf. If I had stayed and watched, and the out come was the latter, then I would have been disheartened and always held a biased opinion on RAK's in the future.

To be perfectly honest with you, because of this area and the good people in it, and the way the clerk acted surprised when I told her what to do with the extra money, I am 99% certain the clerk did not pocket the money.
 
Is some braggin' about my state, Arkansas, OK?
The phrase 'random act of kindness' started here. It started with a very wealthy businessman in Little Rock named Jennings Owens. He earned his wealth through hard work. Long story. But, he is also a caring and sharing person who encourages others to do what they can for less fortunate people. He came up with the term and encourages others to do one RAK a day. BTW, what he does and the amounts he gives away are pretty astounding.
I've helped chase cattle back into others pastures many times. I sure wished I had neighbors who would have helped with mine. Looking for a bull half way across the county and turning him back ain't no easy chore.
Yes, I do RAKs but just do them and move on.
 
That's a wonderful act, Travis. Being older than you can somewhat cynical, I would have watched from some place to make sure the clerk didn't pocket the money, and that she actually got it.

Mike

I am also somewhat cynical. My Grandfather pastored the same church in the small town where I live for 30 years. He would sometimes get people coming by the house needing money to buy food, pay the light bill stuff like that. I was at his house one day when a fellow came by needing money. I knew the guy and when he left I told paw he was going to get something to drink (not milk) if you know what I mean. Paw told me he gave him the money to get what ever he said it was for. If he used it for other things it was between him and God. The thing about a small town. He would usually find out if they used it for something else and he would cut them off.
 
Oops deleted that this was orginally posted by Dale.

I did the same thing a different time for a woman and was promptly told that she was capable of opening her own darn door. She was my age. I apologized and told her I was sorry for mistaking her for a lady.[/quote]

Thanks Dale for this tip. Like many of the guys here, I too practice this gentlemanly etiquet. I have had the same reduff. I have been left so speechless up until now. :thumb:
 
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Oops deleted that this was orginally posted by Dale.

I did the same thing a different time for a woman and was promptly told that she was capable of opening her own darn door. She was my age. I apologized and told her I was sorry for mistaking her for a lady.
Thanks Dale for this tip. Like many of the guys here, I too practice this gentlemanly etiquet. I have had the same reduff. I have been left so speechless up until now. :thumb:
I would be speechless, too. I hold doors for people (not necessarily women) and other people hold doors for me. I never thought of it as anything other than helping each other out. I'd be shocked if someone took offense.

Mike
 
Oops deleted that this was orginally posted by Dale.

I did the same thing a different time for a woman and was promptly told that she was capable of opening her own darn door. She was my age. I apologized and told her I was sorry for mistaking her for a lady.

It should be noted too that Rob was the originator of this idea and not me.
 
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We had something similar Frank, at least as far as something simple turning into something big.

There was this banker up in Camden Maine on vacation when his car broke down. The local mechanic could not get the parts so he told him to take his own car and enjoy his vacation as he really did not need it. Now this was before the loaner cars and overnight parts thing came about. So the guy reluctantly took the mechanics car and vowed he would pay him back.

In the early 90's, now the CEO of MBNA...the largest credit card company at the time, he bought the derelict woolen mill in Camden, and ultimately 4000 Mainers can attribute their job to a RAK. Its been sold to Bank of America, but the jobs are still here.

Another philanthropist that began Dexter Shoe in Dexter Maine recently did a RAK on a grand scale. EVERY child born in Maine after 2006, regardless of economic status, gets an automatic $500 dollars for their college education. There are some golden strings attached, but still pretty generous.
 
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