Have You Committed Your Random Act Of Kindness Today

Yes, I did, Jerry.

I headed to the Baltimore Inner Harbor (large and popular tourist area) to grab a couple of specific shots for a site I am rebuilding. A hot but not a humid day, I was wearing my USPictures.com logo t-shirt and a Kilt in "American Heritage" tartan (nothing like a bit of "branding" when I'm out working).

As I passed a group of about 25 youngsters with a couple of teachers - one of the teachers stopped me to ask if I was Irish (I get that sometimes when wearing a kilt). I am a bit Irish...and Scottish...and Dutch...but all American. I noticed that some of the kids appeared curious and I asked if they had any questions. Well a bunch of hands went up. I was s social studies and geography teacher in a "former life" so I felt at ease answering about a dozen questions about kilts. They were on a day tour from Fort Detrick and were a nice group of pre-teens. Spending ten minutes with them seemed to make them and their teachers happy - and made me feel good about teaching them a bit of something new.

~ Bill

Very nice,Bill...the strange thing about committing a "Ramdom act of Kindness" is that I always receive much more back than I gave.Very strange, is'ent that? Whenever I give ALL of my pocket change to someone who asks for it or just at random..I get MORE back, because they allowed me to be human to another human being.A fantastic feeling. We can ALL committ a random act of kindness, even if its just a smile.Thanks for sharing Bill...Hope I see you again. I haven't committed my act yet today..or have I ?

i freed a bird the other day caught under my bird netting. it was mostly my fault for not securing it, but i did let it go.

---Mike Savad

I let the fly that had gotten into my home out the back door. That's about all I could muster today.

Well...Diane...That's at least something! Good for you. I admit, that as a Buddhist,if a fly is IN my house, I try to kill him.I can not lie so...you are a good person...unless the fly carries an illniess and gets people sick. My flies hang out very close to the dumpster so I send them to heaven. I hope I will not be judged too harshly. Jerry

ok ANYBODY out there who has done a random act of kindness today?

if i'm going to commit something it will be on any old day, and not a specific one.


---Mike Savad

Any suggestions on how to do random acts of kindness when alone in my art studio all day? Does rescuing a frog from our pond filter count? :)

i stopped and spent time having a chat with a homeless man who said, "hello Miss" when i was walking by. sometimes spending time just listening to someone helps, i think. will that count, Jerry?

i didn't push anyone down a flight of stairs today... does that count?

---Mike Savad

No random acts of kindness from me today....but I do try to be as cool as possible to everyone, every day. I think it makes the world a better place to just be easy.

Today while on a service call, I was hired by an elderly lady, she hired me to assemble a cat tower and a piece of furniture and hang a picture but I also repaired a shower head for free. I do get pleasure from giving people more than they expect. I sell premium cooking spices as a side business, and every order I have ever filled I have included a free spice for them to try, I do this because I can imagine a person I don't even know open a package received in the mail and greet it with a smile for getting more than they expected from a stranger.

Jerry...the fly came close to meeting his doom today, but he was lucky. There is a group called Art Abandonment that advocates making small pieces of art and abandoning them. There is a Facebook page and a common website that finders can report their finds. While I don't usually abandon actual pieces of art, I have lots of practice pieces that I will collage into notecards and those I will abandon, in fact, I haven't done one in a while, and it always cheers me up. On the list for tomorrow.

I randomly rescued some children and small animals from a burning building. Randomly. I expect nothing in return.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

I sent a friend two of my images for his birthday.

I was supposed to be working all day, but my mother-in-law called and asked if she could bring my niece and nephew from out of town over to swim, so I spent my day entertaining them instead. That will have to suffice for today.

Hello my act of kindness was after returning from the doctors office and being informed I was in remission once again and do not have to return til 6 months. On my way home I stopped off at the Kinko's to make copies of a sales form for a recent photo job I did. I went inside and mentioned to the clerk there was a package on the ground by the curb and while I was working I had noticed the driver of the Fed X driver was inside and had indeed made a delivery. Well, the package must have fallen off his cart doing deliveries. She went outside with me, and we found the delivery truck around the corner, and walked up and he was in the back securing other boxes for his next delivery and going to pull off.

She handed the package and she said excuse but this gentleman found this package on the ground around the corner and the diver was extremely relived, and thanked me many times.. It seems we both had alot to be thankful for, No idea what could have been in that box, it could have been easily picked up by the wrong individual, My good deed of the day!

I didn't do one today but did Saturday at the end of an art show.

We saw an old man sitting on a bench, all dressed up, watching people go by. I saw him doing the same thing the day before.

So we gave him an 8x10 print and said we were watching you from our booth across the street and just wanted to give you a little happiness...

Random acts of kindness, where do I start!
Holding a door open for someone, running to a door to hold it open for a person with their arms full while out and about. Letting a person with less items go ahead of me at the checkout. Paying for the person behind me inline. Letting an older person, pregnant lady or disabled person take my seat on a full buss, in a waiting room and pretty much anywhere. Bringing lunch to a homeless person, food to a family in need. Telling a complete stranger that they are beautiful, not that they aren't but people don't just compliment anyone anymore. It feels good when someone you don't know just walks up to you and says "you have a beautiful smile" or "that outfit really compliments you".
I think it should be a daily activity for everyone to do something kind for a stranger!

Yea...thats the idea,Christina.Thank you for listing some simple things that anyone can do. This isent difficult...almost like ZEN.just think of someone else and not yourself...and it will happen. Thanks everyone for posting..Being kind to another person is more important than you think or realize. It has a "ripple" effect that spreads to others. See you later.Have a great day everyone. Jerry

Good reminder. I volunteer for a street dog sterilization project here in Thailand, but they are closed for 4 months a. Thus I am running low on good deeds. I'll think of something. Perhaps sharing the work of some other FAAZ artists online or...

Nola....Just smile at a stranger and or say Hi. that works..".Kindness" is the key word here. Even in New York City? OMG! The Buddha would be happy with all of you.A 'Random act of Kindness" How cool is that?

Here's something I do quite often. You know when you find some money on the ground and it puts you in a good mood and makes you feel lucky, even though it may only be a quarter and you can't really buy anything with it. Well, now I just leave it there and it'll put someone else in a good mood when they find it.

Andrew..that reminds me..a woman that I know, who is also of a ZEN mind....she leaves the change that a vending machine deposits after she buys her candy or soda or whatever. She leaves it in the machine FOR the next person,and has no idea who that person may be...That qualifies as a random act of kindness. Thanks everyone here, for your random acts of kindness.

@Crista - "Does rescuing a frog from our pond filter count? :)"

It definitely counts, especially if that frog turns into my future husband! I'll be forever grateful.

Hang on a moment, kindness has been relegated to random acts? Seems somewhat retrograde from the principles I was inculcated with as a lad.

No Mick...Kindness hasent been relegated to random acts. Who said that? Why is this difficult to understand? Did you committ some type of "Kindness" but it wasent random so you are insulted or upset that I even suggested it? Who suggested Kindness was now being relegated to random act? Perhaps this isent your style?Nothing wrong with that.

Yes I poured myself a glass of red wine. I expect nothing of myself in return.

I fed a drenched chipmunk some sunflower seeds this morning! (It has been raining and cool for last couple of days here in Ontario)

lol Dave, such a kind person!

Thankyou for this thread Jerry,
yes my friend tried to get a parasol base for her garden, but it was to heavy to carry
so yesterday l went to town brought the one she needed,
and l turned up at her door surprised her, she was over the moon (very happy)
I will do anything for my friend also my family.
I like to be a samaritan, its part of my work too,
it makes me, and others happy.

@Christine we must start with loving kindness towards ourselves first lol.

Donating a painting to raffle for breast cancer awareness benefit. All of the proceeds go toward finding a cure.

Done! I saw some Lonely Planet types walking with full packs today and offered them a ride to the train station. After all, that was me 15 years ago. Anyway, I live in one of the few Thai beach communities left with no taxis, tuk tuks or songtows to accommodate tourists. Score one for Karma. I was on my way to have my car worked on for what I had been told was for 1 hour. When I arrived they told me 3 hours (that is 5 hours in Thai Time), but then the young man at the shop saw my dismay and to offered to drive me home. Paying it forward works!

Hi Jerry, since you posed some explicit questions, I should address them.

Am I insulted or upset?

Not insulted, or at least I don't think so, probably a bit upset but not because I'm particularly kind, at least not by any measure you might apply, in fact you might consider me callous or even cruel. No the reason for the upset is that I find the notion of random kindness offensive, despite your protest, an event cannot be random if it occurs within a continuity of such events, you know, like currents in a cake? So your suggestion evokes comparison with the Sunday afternoon glow, the ostensible virtue practised for a few hours a week. Don't worry, just because I take personal offence at a notion doesn't mean I need such notions expurgated from my presence or impose some template on others, It's just that might wave a flag of dissent on such occasions.

Thanks Mike, for your reply.I'll stop talking to you now.

nice comment considering the title of the thread. there is only so much good one can do, or classify as good you know.

---Mike Savad

I showed my neighbours 7 year old son how to detach his thumb from his hand (the old classic optical illusion using both thumbs). He was absolutely delighted as he had never seen this trick performed before, and now he can't wait to get back to school to bamboozle all his friends.
Passing on this sacred knowledge was also very satisfying for me.. a random act of kindness benefiting both of us :-)



edit:Jerry.. Reading over the thread it's really disappointing, yet not surprising to find that certain people find the need to try and disrupt your efforts with their not so random acts of attention seeking.

Hi Jerry.... Great Idea for a thread! I believe we probably share a lot opinions, I'm not religious but have always maintained that if I was forced at gunpoint to choose one..It would be Buddhism.

I believe that every "random act of kindness" as described in your OP and other posts is actually one of the ultimate virtues of selfishness... :-) As selfishness does indeed have it's virtues..
Giving to receive... beautifully paradoxical..

I'm sure Ed wont mind me sharing his wonderfully sculpted "Monks Bowl" to emphasize the point... :-)


...and my comment......
The monk is his own bowl, and he knows that the best way to keep the bowl full...is by giving away whatever's in the bowl.

I didn't yell at anyone yesterday at Wal Mart when I really could have

-- the family of four camped out in the aisle taking up all the room
-- not enough cash registers opened
-- the person at the self check out who really didn't know how to do the self check out
-- the employee with the ear buds in on the one part of the vegetable aisle I needed to get at

Joe..Lol.. sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.... I would have been yelling at every one of them in the hope that someone would take notice and maybe do something to improve the service..benefiting all in the long run :-)

Wow, it's amazing how anyone can find this topic offensive, must be that they are, never mind, not responding is my act of kindness for today!

The other day, I took the time to talk to an elderly lady about some random topics as we were both doing the laundry.To be honest, my heart wase'nt into it and I was kind of forcing myself to hold the conversation but my intention was to be kind to this stranger. I don't see people that often so maybe I was off that day.Usually I like people.

Yesterday a young boy was riding his bike in the park as I was passing through. I think he was trying to show off to me as he continued to get closer and closer to me.as he passed me, he wiped out on the sidewalk. He was all skinned up but mostly red raced.He got up and started to get on his bike and leave but his handle bars were twisted, I fixed them for him and asked if he was ok and told him to be careful. He rode away real slow.

I try to think of incidents from the other person's perspective. For instance, when I woman came into the shop where I work the other day ranting and raving and cussing, I tried to think of what could be going so wrong in her life to make her like that. And even when she was personally attacking me as if I had done something to her, I held me tongue and kept telling myself it was some kind of displacement...that something must be really wrong and that she needed a "safe place" to vent. I try to do this all the time...when driving, when shopping...what ever, when ever. But it does have the side benefit of helping me not get all worked up and angry or upset so...hmmm not sure it counts.

Also, I live in the country and am frequently encountering little critters who have placed themselves on the road. Yesterday, I helped a turtle cross the road and I stopped and waited while an obviously confused chipmunk made up it's mind which way it wanted to go.

I think often we all do little things that others find are extremely kind, but to us they are so little that as soon as they are done, they are forgotten. It may be why this site is not flooded with all the kindness I know that people do...the gentle smiles when someone is having a tough day, helping someone carry something or pick something up, distracting an upset child so that the parent has a moment to catch their breath...we all do them. We just don't always notice that we are being kind anymore.

Yep, I think you are right, Melinda. And of course, NOT blowing up at people that behave that way, is an effort of kindness on your part, for sure.Not many people can or are willing to do that for a stranger. Yes, I think that most people do random acts of kindness without thinking about it,but maybe if we think about it we can actually do better at times and take the credit for being kind to another, animal,human, dosent matter. For myself, I realize that I have many chances of being kind drurning the day,but I let a lot of them pass me up.And thats food for thought...We just don't always notice that we are being kind anymore.

"we can actually do better at times and take the credit for being kind to another"

Hi Jerry... If we are being kind to another in order to "take the credit" then we are really only being kind to ourselves.. don't you think? maybe a wee bit? I only mention this because you state in your OP "do not think of yourself or how the act can benefit you..".. I don't mean to be argumentative or undermine you in anyway.. I just think it's worth pointing out that there is a slightly contradictory substance to this thread. I feel it should be really taking off as a thread.. it is such a positive outlook that I assumed most artists would be able to relate to and "play along" with. But then the more I think about it, the more I suspect it is this paradoxical feature which may be holding it back!
Anyhow...maybe something to consider...Peace!

While taking my dog to the local field, I discovered a few dangerous broken bottles and torn drinks cans with sharp edges strewn across the path. I took the time to pick all of this mess up and took it to the nearest bin some distance away.. When I got to the bin I found a discarded tennis ball lying nearby. Just what my dog needed. A reward for my efforts? I think so! A fine example of instant karma! :-)

I feel that for the purposes of this discussion some misunderstand (purposefully?) the idea of Random Act of Kindness. I don't think this should be confused with always (or mostly) being polite, kind, or nice. It boils down to the "opportunity" to do a nice thing and taking advantage of said opportunity. But then peeing in the soup (so to speak) in a discussion certainly does not constitute a random act of kindness. Nor does my commenting on such, BTW.

Spent the last three hours with eleven 8-11 year olds teaching Lego robotics.

There was a lady cleaning the restroom in a public building downtown. I gave her a few dollars and told her to have a Coke/coffee on me.
You should have seen her face ...priceless!

Kevin... Forgive me if I am wrong, but I speculate that your "peeing in the soup" comment is a reference to my previous post...? maybe not! But if so, I agree... this does not constitute a random act of kindness. It is actually a well considered and thought out act of kindness. To suggest a potential reason for the thread not taking off as expected and to highlight a few contradictions in a non-confrontational and friendly manner is certainly a kind act.. Peace :-)

Ok Lynn, that is just a great thing to do!

Barry, thoughtful response but no, it was not directed at you. I think you were on point. Random kindness talked about, must necessarily be on some level self congratulatory. Still it is a good thing in this world of whining complaints to feel that so many are being nice.

NO. I hardly ever do "random" acts of kindness. When I can, I help those that need it. I reach up on shelves to get things for folks that are height challenged, I smile and say hello or give some greeting to most everyone I meet. I haven't yelled at anyone today and I did get up this morning. I have killed a few mosquitoes today and emptied out a few things that had standing water in them - but that's a kindness I share around in self protection as well as for my neighbors. It's been a while since I carted a neighbors cat off to the pound that was trespassing - and I keep my traps set. Mind you - I like cats - I don't have a cat or a dog - and I don't want my neighbors - and I don't want their 'stray' kittens that happen about every 4 or 5 months either. I quit feeding birds - makes them lazy and easy for the cats to catch, and brought the animals to my yard. I do randomly pull weeds from the flower beds - I suppose you might catch me there - as I don't do it regularly - and it is a kindness to the flowers - keeping the weeds from taking the nutrients that are meant for regular flowers.

Barry...Thank you for keeping this discussion going, Well, you are right in that observation, from a certain view point, but the reason I said to take credit for your kindness is to accept and be concious that you ARE being kind...thats what I ment. Not to be kind in order to take credit for it but to take credit for it in your heart and not dismiss your kindness. Did that sound better? Kindness is kindness dosent matter if it is random or not, but I'am challenging people to do a random act of kindness because its the right thing to do (to be kind)and maybe, at times we forget to be kind or nice when we have the chance to do so.

Kevin..thanks for your observations on this. Your right and thanks.

This discussion is not directly art related so maybe it should not even be in here. I started this as a way for people to get connected in a positive way of thinking and acting.

kindness to others but no random act of kindness today. Staying in the house and trying to avoid anxiety,P.T.S.D.

Being kind is gift to one self as it makes one feel better. Some of the "random acts" like saying thank you, holding the door for someone used to be a normal part of our culture.

Yea, that's true Edward and in fact, i'am sure that happens all the time, all over the world. I'am postive that people are committing random acts of kindness all the time and maybe it becomes such a habbit for some that they do not even realize they are being kind. I started this because I had noticed that where I once lived, people had forgotten to do this and I thought it would be nice to get people thinking of this. It seems so small but I think we sometimes have to be reminded of this. I love to hear stories of people putting this into effect.Thanks for the comment

Iv'e been an endless stream of kindness for the past 3 days.. I think the fine weather were having helps! :o)

Well..I've put all of my positive energy to good use.. and spent the last few days working on images for charity.

Inspired by various events, conversations and possibly this thread.. I offered to work on an image with the aim of raising funds for the charity in question. This happened to tie in with another project I've been working on. and the resulting pair of images will hopefully(soon) be made available for sale/license with any profit benefiting this and/potentially similar charities!

Wounded Warriors: The Latest Battle.


Wounded Warriors: Joe's Car. (Mustang Image kindly provided by Joeseph C Hinson :-)


The costs of fuel !

I believe today's society has gotten a little socially awkward with everyone's nose in a phone or computer. The simple things like saying hi to people you walk by is fading fast in my eyes. So today like most of my days...i say a simple Hello w/ a smile to everyone I walk by. To some its nothing, or I'm weird, but to many it puts a big smile on there face b/c they are indeed lonely..& to have someone recognize them is smile worthy. :)

Its how we are raised. Parents teach their children to hold open the door for the elderly, pick up a dropped item for a lady, respond when spoken too, not to stare at an infirmity etc....I see a lot of parents missing opportunities to show their children to respect and be kind to others in public. It starts at home training.

Melissa i completely agree with you I also feel teachers should be role models as well since they do have the children 8hrs of the day 5 days a week. They play a big role as well on what a child "copies" as good behavior in a childs own eyes

Yes, you are right, Melissa and Katie..I agree with both of you. And Melissa reminded me that I was not always nice. My parents were non-loving and very spiteful people and I grew up in a state of depression. I attempted suicide at 16 and have been dealing with bi-polar/manic depression, generalized persistent anxiety and P.T.S.D. all my life. It was not until after I got out of the Navy that I started to really think of other people. I had to actually teach myself how to smile and be nice to others. I still deal with all of this emotional stuff and have anxiety around strangers but I can smile and think of other people and be kind at times. In fact, i am on disability because of my anxiety, but when I can, I do think of committing a random act of kindness. I am happy that people are responding mostly in a positive way with this discussion. Thanks for your comments.

Found some websites for artists that I'll be sharing with my groups soon. Anyone else?

Hey everyone...anyone committed a random act of kindness today or in the last week?Sure could use the good news.Jerry