Trish Rankin, getting a randomly kind lift from David Rankin

Hiya, Pinkies! Happy Saturday! I am delighted to introduce my Pink Mommy, Trish Rankin, who is debuting with her first Owning Pink post. Give her a big PINK round of applause for her beautiful words and loving kindness. You have no idea how amazing this woman is, Pinkies. She is my Mother Earth, and we can all benefit from her loving wisdom.

Recently I read an article about about the health benefits of kindness. By doing something nice for someone else, we actually benefit our own bodies. But even more importantly, practicing random acts of kindness if fabulous for your mojo.

I have been the recipient of such random kindness often but never more so than when we returned late from MD Anderson Cancer center at midnight on December 22, 2005, after my husband David (Lissa’s Dad) had just been told that his two months of treatments for melanoma failed to shrink the tumor.

Our son, Chris, had forgotten to empty out our car when he delivered it to the airport. Trying to load the car with four oversized suitcases, one bulky wheelchair, one walker, one briefcase, one computer, and two carry-ons, proved to be more of a juggling act than I could emotionally or physically manage. Packing the car had always been David’s forte. Typically, I sat by and watched as David deftly fit everything inside, but the weight of my emotional load was beginning to crush me.

“I just can’t get all of this stuff inside this stupid car. This is so frustrating” I kicked at the car, as if that would somehow shift things around and everything would magically slip into place. Suddenly, a strange couple began taking everything out of my car. I stared incredulously as they successfully repacked our Excursion. I thanked them profusely, but as I helped my weary husband into the car, I realized I didn’t even know their names. Although they were likely already out of earshot, I lowered the window and yelled loudly into the dark night, “Thank you Airport Angels! Thank you!”

At the time, I truly don’t know what I would have done if they hadn’t come along with their random act of kindness. I was at my wit’s end and might have just crumpled on the pavement. I guess they just followed their hearts, saw a need, and stepped in to fill it. I hope they somehow felt as good about doing it as I did about receiving it.

So I challenge you, Pinkies. Lets choose Thursdays and make them Random Acts of Pink Kindness Day. Perhaps you can carry a pink ribbon along and when you complete your act, hand them a pink ribbon. Here are some suggestions for Pinkie Kindness Days:

Random Acts of Kindness

1. Pay the toll for the car behind you. (Be sure you’re in a cash line, now that many cars have fee scanners.) I love watching in my rear view mirror for their reaction. It’s worth every penny.

2. Return someone’s grocery cart from the parking lot so they don’t have to walk it back.

3. Let someone go ahead of you in the check-out line. Always a crowd pleaser, and your halo may begin to show.

4. Hand someone a Wet One who really needs it. Carry them in your purse and help out a frazzled Mom or a grown-up who just spilled something.

5. Return a neighbor’s empty trash can after trash day. I’ve had neighbors do this for me several times since my husband died. How sweet, well maybe not sweet smelling but …..

6. Deliver a neighbor’s paper to their door. It may save their slippers some tread. Do it for one entire week and you’ll have them really stymied.

7. Wash a random car windshield at a gas station. They will be shocked but see life more clearly.

8. Rake someone’s yard, pull some weeds, or mow the lawn. If you live someplace cold, shovel someone else’s sidewalk.

9. Bring a container of hot herbal tea or gourmet coffee to work and pass it out to your co-workers.

10. Leave a kind, unsigned note on a car windshield of someone you know is having a tough day.

11. Write a thank you note to a serviceman or two. Seek addresses through the USO.

12. Mail a card to someone in need, without a signature. Sign it “Someone who cares.”

13. Take a photo of someone who is at a special place without a camera. Then get their address and mail it to them. They’ll love you for it, even if they don’t know you.

14. Offer to photograph a couple or family group together so the cameraman or woman can be in the photograph. Take several, then turn the camera on yourself and take a shot just for fun. It will give them something to show their friends at home of that crazy girl they met on vacation.

15. Pick up a free balloon where offered and then randomly give it to someone who looks like they could us a lift to their day.

16. Bring an extra bottle of water (still sealed of course) along on a walk or hike and offer it to someone who looks thirsty at the destination spot.

17. In a restaurant, pull out the chair for someone being seated nearby. Then hand them their napkin.

18. Give up your taxi willingly to someone else seeking fare. Boy will they be shocked at this small random act of kindness.

19. Take a cake or casserole to the local firestation to say thanks for a job well done.

20. Deliver Christmas gifts to the doorstep of a friend you know who has little give their children that year. Have an unknown “Santa” deliver them.

21.Bring along a bag and gloves and pick up some trash along one of your city streets. Maybe it will spread. We did this once on a trashed deserted island- Wow!

22. Now that my husband spends his birthdays with God, I find a charity and give them the amount of money I would have spent on David’s gifts. I write them a letter and they often send me a thank you card. I place the card on the Christmas tree (his birthday is at Thanksgiving) and we open it last on Christmas morning. Somehow it feels like David is present and the family awaits discovering what charity benefited by David that year.

Why offer unconditional, just-because kindness? The world needs it, Pinkies. And so does your mojo.

Let’s do it Pinkies! Surprise the world and then share with us on Thursdays on the Pink Posse forum how your act brightened one little corner of the world. Do you have other ideas? Other stories of random acts of kindness? Inspire us and share your stories here.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Shine on Pinkies! Halos aglow!



With random kindness & lots of Pink love,

Trish (Lissa’s Mommy)

Lissa's Note: Here's some tips from Owning Pink's friends on Twitter (thanks to all of you for your great ideas!)

zaraoceanI have a thing for carrying a new pair of socks in my handbag to give to those who are on the street.

GinaRobertsGreyHelping a senior. It usually results in an interesting conversation with one of my lovely Grandchildren. It's a win-win even though I'm not liking to win.

RawEpicureanI don't practice 1 favorite random act of kindness, I simply give/do when my heart speaks to me to do so :-)

booksrgoodI love bringing friends in need food. I also love letting people merge in busy traffic (most people in Memphis don't do this)

TheStacyKaiserI love to put money in peoples parking meters if they are about to run out.

lisa617Ones that I don't tell other people about to get credit. Ones between just me & the person I help out. :)

LGReillyDepends on situation! Smiles, open doors, pick up dropped items.

ZenRabbitCalling friends I haven't spoken with in a while.

whiteblouseSmiling. Giving extra tip $.

zaraocean Find a mom at the grocery store with kids hanging off her ....push her cart to the car.

Thank you all for your brilliant ideas. I'm inspired. What random act of kindness shall I do today? What will YOU do?