Random Acts of Kindness (RAOK) in Action

 We just celebrated RAOK (Random Acts of Kindness) Day on Wednesday.  I hope you participated and performed many RAOK's.

I was heading out to run some errands on Wednesday and noticed an elderly gentleman standing in the street by his car.  As I got closer, I noticed his car was stuck in a snow bank.  He was trying to dig some of the snow out by using his foot.  

I couldn't just leave him there, stranded.  I decided to pull over.  Of course, this is before I realized that I don't have a shovel in my car.  I don't even have a plan on how I can get him out of the snowbank all by myself.  

He called his wife to bring a shovel.  I told him I would wait with him.  I thought this was good, the wife brings a shovel, gets him out of the snow.  Then I started putting a little more thought in and realized that she might be just a few years younger than him.  Once she arrived, I told them that I was going to make a quick trip home and get my shovel.  I phoned ahead and picked up two shovels and Bella.   Girl Power!   Bella and I dug out the snow around the car and tried to get as much snow from under the car.   I asked the man to try rocking the car (reverse, forward, reverse, forward).  Unfortunately, even with a little pushing, we couldn't get the car to budge. 

I did a little more digging under the car and was trying to get the blanket under the tire when one of the neighbors walked over with a shovel.  I was grateful that he was able to help us free the car from the snowbank.  It felt like a great success.

I was super proud of my daughter, jumping in and helping out.  She didn't complain and was determined to get the car out.  Of course, I think she knows that any complaining on her part would not have mattered and that we would have stayed there until the car was free.

Several cars passed by with able bodied individuals while Bella and I were working on freeing the car but did not stop to ask if we needed any help.  I was a little disappointed in my fellow humankind.  

Performing a simple RAOK doesn't take much time and can have wonderful results on both parties.  Make sure you look around you and see if a fellow human needs a little help.