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Welcome! This is a place to share how we celebrate & deepen our relationship to Nature. Here you will find stories, images, & ideas about wilderness, human nature, & soulfulness. Drawing from the experiences of everyday living, the topics on this blog include: forays into the natural world, the writing life, community service, meditation, creativity, grief & loss, inspiration, & whatever else emerges from these. I invite you on this exploration of the wild within & outside of us: the inner/outer landscape.



Friday, November 11, 2016

RAOK: Random Acts of Kindness ... Or, A Mini Primer on Kindness

Kindness matters. It matters a lot. Being kind is not optional, frivolous, extraneous, or insubstantial.

A random act of kindness is: “a non-premeditated, inconsistent” action designed to offer kindness to the world.

Kindness has emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual benefits for the giver as well as the receiver.

I would add…

A RAOK shies away from recognition.
A RAOK is not imbued with an expectation of a particular outcome.
A RAOK is not always received when it is offered. It is in the offering of something, whether received or not, that kindness is added to the world.
A RAOK can alleviate stress, anxiety for a good long healthy moment.
A RAOK stretches a minute into an eternity, but does not demand any future engagement.
A RAOK does not concern itself – at all – with the many ways in which we separate ourselves from others (i.e. judgments, race, class, party, nationality, status, religion, gender…) for it is inherently unbiased and connective.
A RAOK joins hearts; thus, divisiveness is impossible.
A RAOK might never be remembered beyond the moment in which it is received, but this does not diminish its impact.
A RAOK is sometimes never, ever noticed or known by anyone other than the kindness-doer; it is still a kindness to and for the world.
A RAOK has a ripple effect.
A RAOK is soft and friendly. 
A RAOK has limitless manifestations.
A RAOK focuses a person outward – on others - giving their inner life a chance to heal, replenish, clarify, bloom anew.

A few possible verbal responses to a RAOK:
What are you celebrating?
Thank you.
Why are you doing this?
You’ve made my day!
Do I know you?
For me? Really?!
Or, the unfolding of a story about why this person needed this particular kindness on this particular day.
Or, the deeper unfolding of a much larger life story…

A few possible physical reactions to a RAOK:
A smile.
Giggling.
A Shrug.
Tears.
A deep sigh.
A hug.
The reaching for a hand.
Closed eyes.
A stunned expression.

November 13th is World Kindness Day: a global 24-hour celebration dedicated to paying-it-forward and focusing on the good.

February 17th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

I can personally attest to the power of RAOK! Just ask me…





 All blog images created & photographed by Jennifer J. Wilhoit unless otherwise noted. Please circulate images with photo credit: "©2016 JenniferJWilhoit/TEALarbor stories. AllRightsReserved."
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