Keeping Promises and RAK! [GIVEAWAY!]
In August, Peppermist turned 15. Her birthday was on a week when we had zero cash flow, and she – being the most awesome of awesomeness – accepted that I had a gift in mind, but it would need to wait a bit. I promised I’d surprise her with it soon…ish. That’s not to say we didn’t have us a family party with friends and family and cake and gifts – because we totally did! But she knew there was something coming for her still, and I kept reminding myself to get something awesome.
Problem was – I’d picked something already, and then lost the bookmark, and couldn’t remember what/where it was exactly, and OMG I’m the WORST MOTHER in the WORLD, right? RIGHT. I needed something to remind me, maybe an old fashioned string around the finger would help…
WAIT. THAT WAS IT! I REMEMBERED!
I don’t remember where I first saw the String Ring, exactly, but I remember loving the idea, and wanting to get one for Peppermist for her birthday. The String Ring takes memory one step farther – as it’s built around Remembering to be Kind. It’s a “cue to remind yourself, and those who notice it, to be kind to one another. To do a kind act, or even think something kind.” It comes with colored string, which signify different things from culture to culture – and they even have a handy list of what each color means, for you to chose your favorite one to thread your ring with.
It’s a beautiful ring – and two months later, my daughter is finally wearing one. And she “SQUEE”d when she opened it – so I knew I’d done good! It’s a beautiful ring – and VERY shiny, and we all know Peppermist LOVES the shiny!
This week is Random Act of Kindness week – surrounding World Kindness Day on November 13th. As part of the celebration – I have decided to give one of you lucky readers a gift! That’s right – FREE STUFF! For one lucky reader/commenter on this here blog entry, I’ll purchase and send you a String-Ring of your very own. Keep it, give it to another as a gift, remember to be Kind – it’s up to you!
So, hit up the comment section on THIS ENTRY ONLY, tell me about a Random Act Of Kindness you have done, plan to do, or experienced yourself, and I will enter you into random drawing for a String-Ring of your very own. Entries accepted until 11:59pm, Alaska time, on World Kindness Day, November 13th, I’ll announce the winner on Saturday, November 14th. Please make sure to use a valid email, so that I can contact the winner and get the necessary details for the ordering of your ring.
And today? Try this simple RAK: Say hello to a stranger – and smile.
13 Comments
I am sending some maternity clothes to a mom in need clear across the country.
My daughter and I were traveling back from Washington. We took the car and trailer down the year after we moved up here to get the rest of our stuff. She had just got her license. Driving the Alcan is an experience, and with a loaded trailer a challenge for a new driver. Besides all the typical animals in the road, the road itself offers challenges to cars. My husband had to work on the slope just before we left so he didnt get to set the car up with everything for the trip. So were driving back to Alaska about 20 miles from Toad river and this motor home is flashing us. I figured they just wanted around us so we pulled off the road, they followed. we waited a min and started pulling out when daughter say a woman get out and flag us. They saw the bulge on the trailer tire as they were following us. The gentleman was kind enough to help my daughter learn how to change a tire, unfortunatly a spare for the trailer was one thing that didnt get put in. They followed us to toad river and was even gonna help pay for new tire. They made sure we had a can of fix a flat, and they took off with the promise that they would come to our house for dinner. We met up with them several times on the drive home. they would ask how we were doing and they even pulled over when they saw us and thought something else was wrong, kids put their name on a hillside with colored rocks. They came over to our house for dinner later that summer and my daughter got to tell them how she changed a flat in the middle of the road at 2 am cause the car had a flat. We had a great time and we made some great friends from Arizona. they discovered how good razor clams and moose are. And we still email each other.
I experienced multiple acts of kindess during my very first trip out of my hometown. So many people helped me to relax and find my way around. It was great. For the upcoming holidays I plan to give a few gifts to a few of the kids at my daughter’s school who might not receive a gift this year.
Just wanted to tell you loved the blog….and thanks to you my sister will be receiving a string ring for her birthday next on the 17th….she has been through a lot this past year and working three jobs along with her husband taking every odd job he can while on unemployment. He is an electriction and it seems he is always laid off during the holiday season. I really think this will brighten her day. Thank you so much
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I just wrote about a random act of kindness on my blog. I’ll cut and paste:
Today, at the stop sign, an older woman approached me. She asked for a ride to Walgreens. The ‘old’ Walgreens was three blocks away. The ‘new’ Walgreens is four blocks away but there is a busy street to cross and a lot of traffic. I didn’t really have the time or the energy, but how could I say no?
Annie (that’s her name) was going for cigarettes. On the way she talked about how hard it is to quit smoking. Smoking a cigarette is her big treat and she looks forward to it all day. Kids, believe me when I tell you that you do NOT want to start smoking! She was missing most of her teeth and her clothes didn’t fit. She had a walker to help her because diabetes had done a number on her feet. Speaking of feet, she wasn’t wearing shoes. Her feet were so swollen that she couldn’t get them on. It looked like her skin was about to split open. We had a hard time getting her up and into the van so I offered to go in the store for her. She was $.22 short so I fumbled around in the bottom of my purse to make up the difference. On the way back to her house she chattered on about how thankful she was for the ride. Walking four blocks and back was hard on her feet. Her nurse is always telling her not to walk so much. I joked that maybe she should get a prescription for her smokes and get them mailed to her. For one second her face lit up until she realized I was joking and we laughed together. She seemed genuinely happy and content when I dropped her off.
I spent just fifteen minutes with her, but it made me grateful for the things I have and the people in my life. Thank you.
It was 15 Christmas’s ago, but that Christmas was the worst we were about to have. My hubby had finally gotten a job after being without out one for almost a year, we had to make a choice for our Christmas that year. Either get a tree and each one of the kid 2 gifts, or forget the tree and we could get them each 3. Unknown to us is that our daughter, Kitty who was 6 at the time, over heard us and kept it to herself until about a week before Christmas, when on the last day of school she started to draw a Christmas tree in class, taking such care in decorating it. Here teacher made a comment that it was a very, very pretty tree, and see said it was a present for her mommy and daddy for Christmas so they wouldn’t have to choose between a tree or presents. She asked the teacher to help her wrap it up so she could give it to us after school. By the end of the school day, when I came and picked her and my sons up from school, there was a tree waiting for us, the school pool a buck here and there went out and picked us out a tree. I was in tears, both out of gratefulness and embarrassment that our daughter had overheard our conversation. We tried so hard to hide our problems and do as best of a job we can with what we got. When we got home from Christmas Eve Mass on our front porch were a ton of gifts for the kids, and I mean a ton, and I don’t know who did it, but every Christmas since we made sure we give back what those Santa’s gave us in our time of need, and I don’t mean the gifts, I mean they gave us more than gifts, they reaffirmed our faith in our fellow man, woman, and child.
Over the past year or so we’ve been really on a tight budget because my husband was laid off in April and is still unable to find a job. We’ve been on the receiving end of some awesome generosity… But I kept feeling so guilty that it was all take take take… I sent out a few little RAKs, a crochet hook here, a postcard to brighten someone’s day there, but I still felt guilty. Then I realized that I have a talent. I made a set of printable Autumn leaf recipe cards… took me about 4 hours to get them just right… and then I made them available for free. It’s kinda neat to think that instead of just going to one person, these could be way bigger because they’re digital.
BTW, If you’re a Ravelry member, you can download the recipe cards here:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/frugal-homemakers/877379/1-25#1
As far as random acts of kindness go, I’ve done quite a few. Just random gifts of knitting patterns or yarn. I’ve also given a cell phone that still works to a friend online just because her little boy likes to see it light up.
A few weeks ago, I was having some financial issues, and a friend of mine online sent me a few bucks so that I could get something nice for myself. Made my week.
I think the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me was compliment me on a really bad day. I was having a down day at work, and he barged right in, gave me a big old smile, and told me I was a beautiful young lady. 🙂 It made my day.
I’ve also had people donate somethings for my school art projects, such as yarn scraps. I appreciated it so much! <3
I've done some RAK's, but I don't really want to talk about them. 🙂 I like just knowing that I helped someone, or made their day!
This fall I sent 65 lbs of yarns out to women in Rural Alaskan villages so they can knit and crochet this year without worrying about how to get yarn, esp. when it’s likely to be another winter of choosing between buying food and fuel. I also have another big bunch of yarn to send out to them soon, and I’ve knit scarves for some of my friends out there too. One was just widowed too young while pregnant. I’m hoping that they’re able to make things to keep their families and friends warm and feeling loved.