Random Acts of Kindness in Oak Park

Have you ever heard of Anne Herbert? No? Well maybe you've heard her quote "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." Isn't that quote, in itself, just beautiful? How difficult is it to practice random acts of kindness?

IT'S EASY. So easy, in fact, some people probably don't even realize they're doing it - random acts of kindness may just seem like good manners or simply being neighborly. In a tight-knit community like Oak Park, we can observe such acts on a daily basis.

Take our store, Divine Consign, where we observe such kind acts on a daily basis. Sometimes the simple act of opening the door for one of our young men carrying out an end table to a customer's car. We've seen perfect strangers offer to help load items into cars - or even offer to help customers bring items into our store.

Since we tend to be on the chatty side, we even hear from our customers about random acts of kindness they've benefited from - someone offering a quarter for the meter, a neighbor shoveling a front walk without being asked, a home-cooked meal brought after a new baby arrives, the list is long and wonderful!

I remember when I first moved to Chicago I was a young woman in need of directions. When I nervously asked for directions, rather than just pointing in the general direction, a perfect stranger walked with me for several blocks to show me the el train location. I don't remember what she looked like or even which station I was going to, but I remember that simple act of kindness and the impression it made on me.

Want to join the movement? Visit the Random Acts of Kindness website where you can get some great, simple, easy ideas on how to brighten someone's day or truly help someone in need.