RAK attack!

Have you ever been RAKed? Wait. You don't know what RAK means? Well, then, allow me to enlighten you.

Random Act(s) of Kindness. Following me now? So, have you ever been RAKed? Ever RAK someone? Let me tell you, as one who has been on both ends of the RAK "experience", it is WELL worth it. Not only does it make the day of the person that you RAK, but it makes your day, too.

It doesn't take much to RAK someone and you can even RAK people you don't know. Sometimes that is more fun than RAKing people you do know. I try to make it a point to practice RAKing as much as I possibly can. Sometimes, when I am going through a toll both, I will randomly pay the toll for the person behind me. If I can safely watch my rear view mirror to see their reaction, I will. It's kind of funny. :) Yesterday, I was near a Starbucks (imagine that!) and I got a drink for our receptionist. She is so sweet and takes a lot of (ahem) crap from angry parents. She works hard and is such a nice person. She was stunned that I would do that for her. I'm not tooting my own horn, mind you. Please don't think that. It just made me feel super good to know that I was able to bring some happiness in her day. It didn't cost me much and her happiness was WELL worth it.

I have been RAKed, too. I can clearly remember a time in college when I was REALLY hurting for money. It was my freshman year, my dad had been laid off from his job for quite a while, and I desperately needed money to do laundry. I came back to my room to find an envelope on my bed. Inside the envelope was ten dollars. To this day I don't know who gave it to me but I can still remember the feeling that I had when I realized that it was really for me, that it wasn't a mistake, that someone was really thinking about me.

I've been RAKed many times since then. My best friend, who, by the way, as I have mentioned before is the BEST bestie in the whole universe. Sorry to everyone else who may be thinking that their bestie is the best...mine has you beat by light years! Anyway, I digress. My best friend is the best RAKer I know. She will spontaneously send me a card for no reason other than to make me smile. Last year she took a picture of us and had it put on a note pad with the heading "Best Friends". I love that notepad. I love it so much that I don't want to use it because then I won't have it anymore. Shut up and quit laughing. I'm sentimental that way. She also made me a scarf and hat last year simply because I had really admired the ones that she made for her daughter and niece. I told you--she is the BEST bestie.

Every once in a while my dad will surprise me too. I'll get a card or a call or something like that. One time he sent me flowers. I LOVE getting flowers. My mom didn't like it because they die. She would rather have a plant. Not me--again, I am sentimental that way. There is just something about getting flowers that I think is so super sweet. I'm not even talking about a huge bouquet of roses--frankly roses don't do it for me. I mean something simple like a bouquet of carnations or Gerber daisies or something like that. My brother does that for my sister-in-law at the beginning of every school year and I think it is so sweet.

So. RAK someone today. Send a card, write a note, pick up a gift card (if you can), send flowers, buy a cup of coffee, make them brownies. AND DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING IN RETURN. That's the best part of a RAK--doing something to make someone's day and not wanting anything back. Try it, you'll be glad you did! :)