My New Happy: Random Acts Of Kindness

Friday, February 6, 2015

Random Acts Of Kindness


The Style Me Bloggers are back today with a wonderful link up.  There was lots of discussion towards the end of last year about doing some non-style related topics, so here we are.  I think this is a great one, and I hope you'll visit everybody today and see how they practice random acts of kindness.

Nothing makes us more human than being kind.  Quietly being kind to someone, with no wish for anything in return, is the best form of kindness.

Everett, Washington, the neighboring city to the south of us, is home to Naval Station Everett.  Since 1994 it has been the base for two aircraft carriers and many support ships, and at any given time there are about 6,000 sailors stationed here.  



We often encounter soldiers in the restaurants and stores around this Navy town, and without exception we have found them to be polite and courteous. Whenever possible, my husband and I quietly pay for their meal.  Nobody ever knows it was us, which is how we want it to be.  

To me, war itself is a stupid invention.  But I would never confuse government with the military individuals whose job it is to wage that war to provide for our well being. These brave men and women keep us safe from those who would destroy us if they could, and there is nothing I can ever do to repay them.  The best I can do is buy them dinner every once in a while. That's my random act of kindness.

This leads me into another topic that I have wanted to write about:   American Sniper, and all of the controversy surrounding the movie.  If you haven't seen it, you should.



American Sniper tells the story of Chris Kyle, a real life Iraq war veteran and sharpshooter.  After multiple tours of duty, he returned to America where he was shot and killed two years ago by a veteran with post traumatic stress disorder.

This is what I think about this well done movie.  American Sniper is neither an anti-war nor pro-war film.  It isn't about the rightness or wrongness of war.  It's about people - soldiers and their families back home.  It addresses the extraordinary psychological and personal sacrifices that every soldier and their family goes through when fighting a war or being deployed.  Nobody is perfect, but the work these men and women do are the reason we are free.  And for that they deserve our respect and thanks. The End.

Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry wrote a great post about this subject a few weeks ago.  Her husband is currently deployed in the Air Force, so she has first hand perspective, and it's well written and to the point.


Be sure to visit the other Style Me Bloggers, and link up with us below!




32 comments:

  1. Your right, the perfect act of kindness is silent and it must make those soldiers day when they find out their bill was paid for! I am looking forward to seeing American Sniper! Thanks for sharing your review! Have a great weekend Lana!

    Jill
    Doused In Pink

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    1. I hope they realize how much we appreciate them!

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  2. My son and his family quietly had their meal paid for the other day here in Edmonton. What a kind, touching, beautiful thing to do. Thank you for being one of those angels. They and their families appreciate it more than you know..

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    1. Aww...thanks Diane. It's such an important, difficult job and we don't say thank you to our military members nearly enough.

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  3. "The End." Perfect...

    I'm shipping a random act of kindness package today...and one of my most favorite RAOK are simple little things I do for an elderly widowed neighbor: shoveling snow, bringing up the paper and mail, returning her recycling bins to the garage, or preparing for her little care packages of toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, scented hand soaps...

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    1. I'm sure your neighbor appreciates those little things so much! It really is the small stuff that means the most, I think.

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  4. yes, kindness with no acknowledgement or reward is the best kind.

    I need to see that movie... everyone keeps talking about it and I feel out of the loop!

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  5. That random act of kindness is perfect! I am horrible and did not get it completed. I will soon, and then post about it. But I got the sick, the my daughter, and now my son, Suffice to say, we've been sticking close to home lately...

    and yes I need to see that movie.

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    1. It's so hard when the little ones are sick. Take care and feel better soon!

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  6. I love this. I, too, live in a Navy town. My dad was in the Navy and I was a Navy brat. So that particular RAK is especially close to my heart! I just saw American Sniper with my son two nights ago. It was really good!

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    1. Thank you to your dad for his service! And to you for your sacrifices as well!

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  7. "Quietly being kind.." totally hear you on this one.

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  8. I prefer to do my giving in quiet when possible, too. I appreciate that you've generously given to Sailors. It is wonderful when their sacrifices are appreciated by others.

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  9. I love your act of kindness. I prefer to also give quietly. I'm sure it made their day!

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  10. That's really sweet that you pay for soldiers meals!

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  11. I've heard the movie is excellent! And God bless you for quietly paying for meals for our service men!

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    1. It's a really good movie, and an important one for everyone to see.

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  12. After 911 we became a military family. My husband signed up later in age than many. He was 34 when he went through basic training. The first four years he was away from home about 50% of the time. People have done this for us...paid for meals, etc. It means so much! Thank you for doing this for military people. It means so much to me to know people appreciate our military. Dang it...can't stop the tears!

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    1. Wow, I had no idea your husband enlisted after 911. What a brave thing to do - for him and for you! I definitely appreciate you!

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  13. I think random acts of kindness are wonderful and I think it is super sweet that you and your hubby pay for soldiers meals... I bet that picks their day up..

    I have been thinking about ways I can do this with Valentina, I like the idea of teaching her to give back anonymously.. plus it doesn't have to cost any money xox

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    1. I think it's so important to teach this to our children!

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  14. Quietly kind is the best kind of kind. As a former Army wife, thank you for treating some of country's heroes to a meal.
    To say I "enjoyed" American Sniper would be inaccurate but it moved me, and rekindled my hatred of war, too. Thank you for your honest review.

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    1. Yes, American Sniper isn't really an enjoyable movie, but it is an important one! Thank you so much for your service as an Army wife - it's very difficult on the families too.

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  15. What a beautiful random act of kindness. I love that you buy their dinner by staying anonymous. I am very much against the war, myself.

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  16. This is something that has affected me very closely in my life. My son was a Marine stationed in Afghanistan and it was the hardest thing of my life. He now suffers from PTSD and it has been awful. I have some upcoming posts related to that but I remember my son how touched it made him feel when people would do this for him. So as the mom of a Marine thank you for making sure my son had a good meal!

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    1. I can't imagine how hard it must be to watch your son go through that. Hope he's continuing to heal.

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