R.A.K: Random Acts of Kindness

 

Now, is it just me but have you ever had the feeling that someone may feel a little intimidated when you do or say something nice to them? You know, that awkward approach they have whenever you say “I love the way you’ve styled your hair today” or  “That colour really suits you- you should wear it more often.” 

I’ve come to believe (albeit, I must state my opinion is not based on any scientific experimentation/ theory. Just my own mental satisfaction.) that we have forgotten what it means to be kind exactly. We have become so expectant that our ‘species’ is naturally wicked that we always need to sleep with one eye open.  On that note, I fully agree that you cannot trust anyone and everyone but the defence mechanism we created is hindering our freedom to fully accept open kindness.

I offered to cook my flatmates Sunday dinner.  When I announced this to them- their shock was enough to see their hair turn grey. Why would I want to cook them dinner, they asked? Do I want something in return? Money towards the food perhaps? A favour maybe? No. I just thought I’d be nice.  I did cook the dinner and it went down a treat but then again, there is no student who will ever turn down home cooked food- I wondered why it had been so alien to them that someone would want to be kind.  I felt like I had overstepped the personal mark-  maybe I was invading their private space.  Yet, the fault, I believe, does not just lie with us, as givers or doers, but also with our role as receivers.

Women, more so than men, find it difficult to accept compliments because we feel that if we accept “wholesome words” to that effect, especially in the presence of other females that we are merely full of ourselves and will definitely be hot gossip topic of the week because we think we’re all that.  But, why have we been tricked into believing that accepting kindness is a weakness or failure that the world frowns upon?

This has been a challenge that I, myself am carefully taking steps towards.  So, yesterday, as I sat in the library revising for yet another exam- I put my anatomy book to one side and took out a piece of a paper and began to write some simple- but encouraging words.  Words that I need to hear every so often.  I even got out the colouring pens that are usually strictly for the purposes of trying to make revision fun and I proceeded to colour in the words on that piece of paper.  It looked pretty good. In the end I was satisfied,  a nice encouraging message, with a bit of colour.  It would hardly win the turner prize (But then again anything is art these days..) but it was kindness- on paper.  So, what did I do next? Did I scour the library to find a suitable candidate and hand over my paper gift? Nope.  I merely packed my bags, for, I’d surely had enough revision for one day, and left that piece of paper there for the next person who was bound to come and sit in the same seat I had, probably plagued with a mountain of essays, assignments and tests to complete before the end of term.  Because, I wanted them to know that although it’s not always easy- it can be done. 

I challenge you-  as much as I’ve set a challenge to myself to undertake more R.A.K’s as I like to call them because as cheesy as it sounds it may not be able to heal the world, but it can and will definitely help soothe the pain that life’s tumbles cause along the way.

I came. I saw.  I blog.

Ruthie x