Today, February 17th, is Random Acts of Kindness Day, and I have a problem with that. No, wait - not the kindness part, the other bit. Random. There’s not much that Philosophers and Computer Scientists can agree on, except that nothing is truly random. If you were asked to pick a random number, you’ve probably got an array of your favorites at the ready, or maybe it's as simple as a physical number you pass on your daily commute to work. Even if you try to believe it's random, it rarely (if ever) is. If that's true for something as simple as a number, what about these Acts of Kindness?
Some might say that random acts mean suddenly, in reference to the timing of the thing. Not necessarily that all kindness should be a surprise, but all surprises should be filled with kindness. I’m not quite sure that I buy that notion! To me, the greatest kindness requires careful planning and consideration, sudden gestures are those that run the risk of being unintentionally rude.
Perhaps it’s a kind act deemed spontaneous, or ‘against the plan’. That doesn’t quite add up either… Shouldn’t all of our plans include kindness at every turn? I know, it’s not that simple, and I’m as guilty as the next guy. For me, it’s every time I’m at the grocery store by myself. It never fails: I’ll grab a drink or candy bar for the drive home, and as soon as I’m in the line, my conscience reminds me that my wife deserves a snack too. All I’m saying is, make kindness a part of the plan – that way you don’t lose your spot in line.
Last but not least, there’s the idea that the act is unexpected – which sounds no better than before. Who does anything without the expectation of being kind while they do it? Maybe it’s the recipient of that kindness who finds it unexpected… and with that, I can agree! Shakespeare said “Expectation is the root of all heartache”, and you know the best way to be pleasantly surprised is to lower those expectations.
If we all share this mentality, then the world will be ripe with opportunity to show kindness abound. Together, we can make it not-so-random anymore.
