. . .and, here in the Hive, we believe that’s always a very good thing.  Of course, ‘RaK’s’ are welcome any day of the year, but for some reason as we approach the twin goodness of Thanksgiving and the mother-of-all holidays that closely follows, it seems even more pertinent to acknowledge the need to pay it forward – if only in the tiniest of ways – as much as possible.  So, in the spirit of being grateful for a multitude of things, how about trying a week’s worth of random acts of kindness?  To get you started, here are seven easy ones that are basic and inexpensive but could leave lasting impressions:
1. Purchase some $5 gift certificates from your favorite fast food establishments, place them in individual envelopes and keep them in your car where they will be easy to pass on to someone in need as you pass them on the street.  Even better if you’ve also written a personal note of encouragement to that nameless person who will maybe be able to have one hot meal that day.

2.  Have a cup of tea and a little conversation with a housebound neighbor.  It’s only one cup, but it could be the deed that finally brightens their day and takes the weight of loneliness off, if only for that brief visit.  Bonus points if you bring some home made cookies or cake along with those tea bags.

3.  Make a point to actually listen and be present for an entire conversation with someone you love, and try really hard to do this in a zone of non-judgment.

4.  Take a garbage bag with you on a daily walk and just do what needs to be done to make Mother Earth a better place.

5.  Speaking of Mother Earth, wrap yourself up on one of these cool nights and spend some time silently staring at the stars.  This random act is for you and your weary, overworked soul.

6.  Send a card, note of encouragement or thanks to someone who needs a lift.  Even an email delivered via cyberspace holds weight if it says something meaningful.

7.  Buy a favorite game or toy that you identify with good memories from your youth and put it in the Toys for Tots bin in honor of the joy it once brought you; then say a little prayer that the good karma of your own happy memories travels along with it to new owners.

The possibilities for your own combination of RaK are endless, and hopefully these simple ideas are already sparking some personal ones of your own choosing.  Whatever you do, make sure it’s done with intention.  Selfless acts can have positive effects on so many levels, now and any time of the year, so pick your season, remove the noise in your life, and perform a simple miracle or two.  Maybe even load up with a week full.

Remember that every day, we’re creating with both our actions and inactions, the world in which we live.