Kindness ringleader has 700 'agents'

Kindness ringleader has 700 'agents'

A Pittsburgh woman who set out on a mission of random kindness last year as "Secret Agent L" said more than 700 "agents" are now working with her cause.

"We're letting people know there's someone out there who isn't buying into the anger and the hate and the yuck that is out in the world. We're making deliberate choices to do what's good."

"You don't need large sums of money to make a difference in someone's life, you don't need to be rich, you don't need to be famous -- you just have to care," she said.

source

I really do believe we've lost, as a society, the 'art' of being kind.
It became outdated - when I'm not quite sure - but what I am sure of it's on the verge of extinction these days!

Great to hear this woman refuses to let 'kindness' die!

So ATS - what 'random acts of kindness' have you been a participant in - on either the giving or the receiving? And what can you do here on ATS to be 'kind'?

peace

[edit on 17-8-2010 by silo13]

Random acts of kindness is a wonderful practice to live by, but when it comes to talking about it, to me it's a bit like the superstition of not telling what you wished for. I don't tell because it's a personal thing. Just do it and forget it and move on to the next.

reply to post by ~Lucidity

I don't tell because it's a personal thing.

No joke, I really debated adding that in - the request to share if you've been the 'giver' of the kindness. I mean, I'm the same way - if I do something 'kind' I just do it, and, as you said 'move on'.

But, all in all I'm hoping by 'revealing' some of the good deeds (Eeek! I hate that [phrase) maybe we'll get people thinking and give some ideas. Especially ideas that cost next to nothing!

A silly one I'll share - or at least one I thought was silly but ended up going farther than I thought?

A neighbor of mine must have been a hundred years old, I mean this guy was stooped over to where I wonder if he ever even saw the sun. But regardless each and every morning very very early he'd be out gardening in his veggie patch and flower beds.

I'd often hear his wife complaining about this and that (voice raised) and how much time he spent out in the garden etc.
I hated it as he seemed do dedicated to his gardening.

One evening I spent about an hour making little signs and poked them through with shish kabob sticks.

I wrote little phrases like 'We Love You' with a picture of a carrot or potato, and others like 'Thank you for your love and care'.

I have NO IDEA what possessed me to do this other than he just was so dedicated and at the same time seemed so lonely.

(That and I'm an incurable sap)...

Anyway, I snuck out before it was even light and stuck the little notes all through his flower beds and garden.

I couldn't watch when he came out. I don't know why. But later I noticed he'd left the signs and I even noticed him repairing them until one day we'd a huge rain/wind storm and they got completely ruined.

After, I didn't hear the gripping lessen any, or his wife join him outside, but I like to think for a little while he felt more appreciated. He died that fall.

peace

Edit = Eeek! phrase

[edit on 17-8-2010 by silo13]

I'm happy to say I've been involved in many random acts of kindness. What small gestures can do to brighten someone's day is simply incredible and can make an indelible mark. Here's a story of something that happened to me -

Once I was driving on a toll road and as we approached the toll booths there was a long line and everyone was slowing down, everyone except the guy behind me. He smacked my car pretty good.
We got out to look at the damage and there was just a little scratch on my car (which was old)
His toyota had cracked a headlight and grill but was still drivable. I noticed he had out of state tags. He was really upset that he had hit my car and was going to call his insurance company. I told him forget it. he offered me money, again, forget it. So we got back in our cars and drove away.
As I pulled into the tollbooth I noticed the guy that hit me was right behind me. I told the lady at the booth I wanted to pay for both our cars. He passed me up the road later and gave me the biggest smile and wave.
You can buy a little happiness for a dollar!

Silo13:I really loved your story! I already know a lot about you from that.

[edit on 17-8-2010 by Asktheanimals]

reply to post by Asktheanimals


WAY cool post and RAOK!

I bet that guy has told that story a million times.

I also bet he'd paid for more than one 'person behind him' at the toll booth!

That's the way I hope these things work that is - I hope they're viral, the RAOK. I hope they're catchy. I hope they rule.

It's the only thing we can do to actively FIGHT what the world is ailing from these days. I truly believe that.

peace

[edit on 17-8-2010 by silo13]

reply to post by silo13

Such a thoughtful and creative thing to do...that made me cry. Damn it. Little things...

reply to post by Asktheanimals

Nice. Brings a feeling of peace, doesn't it? And lightness.


[edit on 8/17/2010 by ~Lucidity]

Originally posted by ~Lucidity
reply to post by silo13

 

Such a thoughtful and creative thing to do...that made me cry. Damn it. Little things...

 

reply to post by Asktheanimals

 

Nice. Brings a feeling of peace, doesn't it? And lightness.


[edit on 8/17/2010 by ~Lucidity]

You're right, it really does. Everyone should try it. Things others have done for me have helped me more than they could ever know - not for anything they have given me physically, but for knowing that somebody actually gave a # about a perfect stranger. It makes your faith in humanity grow in miraculous ways.
I always have to kick myself when I see an opportunity to do something nice for someone else and fail to do it. That, on the other hand is one of the worst feelings I can have.

reply to post by silo13


Great thread my friend.

As the saying goes,
"Blessed are those that give without remembering and take without forgetting".

S and F.(not random at all, entirely intentional in fact....hehe).

I think it is of utmost importance to do small acts of kindness when ever possible. I won't call them random, mostly because I think even if they are spontaneous, they happen for a reason, not randomly.

I try to do at least one a day, even something as small as holding a door for someone who may have there hands full. I think every little bit of kindness we can show each other is important. Having the knowledge, like a poster said earlier, that some complete stranger still cares enough to help another in a small way goes a long way to keeping us grounded.

Top 70 Random Acts Of Kindness Ideas

Some of the above are, IMO, just common decency, but a few are original.


GREAT stuff at this place!

Random Act Of Kindness Foundation

peace


[edit on 17-8-2010 by silo13]

For me, its important to not think about it too much. Kindness can easily become self serving and manipulative. If I buy my friends something to eat, open a door and all the other small things, I do it instinctively, but anything further than that and I have to tread carefully as not to become self serving (If I do this, he or she will owe me).



[edit on 17-8-2010 by SmokeandShadow]

Originally posted by silo13

Kindness ringleader has 700 'agents'

A Pittsburgh woman who set out on a mission of random kindness last year as "Secret Agent L" said more than 700 "agents" are now working with her cause.

"We're letting people know there's someone out there who isn't buying into the anger and the hate and the yuck that is out in the world. We're making deliberate choices to do what's good."

"You don't need large sums of money to make a difference in someone's life, you don't need to be rich, you don't need to be famous -- you just have to care," she said.

source

I really do believe we've lost, as a society, the 'art' of being kind.
It became outdated - when I'm not quite sure - but what I am sure of it's on the verge of extinction these days!

Great to hear this woman refuses to let 'kindness' die!

So ATS - what 'random acts of kindness' have you been a participant in - on either the giving or the receiving? And what can you do here on ATS to be 'kind'?

peace

[edit on 17-8-2010 by silo13]

Hello Silo13-

I try to stay as positive as I can in this world of mostly negative thinkers. I cannot say with 100 percent proof of how we got to where we are but I have my Ideas.

So lets take today for example. This world is so negative right now that something big is about to happen. When that something big happens it will change the world as we know it. Many many people will die but all the negative deaths will produce a positive result. -1 x -1 = 1

Now lets say this something big creates 100 percent positive thinkers and this positive goes on for a long time. Eventually there will be a negative among the 100 percent positive because you can never have 100 percent positive just like you can never have 100 percent negative.

This negative is very clever because it sees all the positive around it but doesn't want to tell positive that its negative so it tricks the other positives and they start doing very very small negatives to other positives.

If the positives do not realize that they are being negative, then that one negative will do alot of harm to the positives until you reach where we are today and the whole process must start over.

If you look around today you will see there is not many positives left so that something big is comming.....