RAK'd

Today I was in Oxfam looking for some gifts and somehow I got talking to the woman on the register about money/rent/benefits - I am currently having difficulties with all three. Anyway, as I was getting my stuff ready to pay she announced she was going to treat me to a couple of the books. I'm not in a position to argue over something like that right now, so gratefully accepted. However, as I left I couldn't help but wonder, am I that pathetic that an old woman who works in a charity shop feels that bad for me?

Usually I am on the giving end, or at least the offering end (if someone doesn't have the right change or a couple of quid short or needs a carrier bag, I almost always offer to help). Until now I’ve never understood why so many people refuse to accept my RAK (Random Act of Kindness); to me it’s always been a way to spread love and hope around. But it seems

So yes, I accepted the gesture, as I wish others would accept RAKs from me (whether they need it, or it is just a gesture of kindness), but it wasn’t without the nagging feeling that I shouldn’t have. Now I have a better idea of why others don’t want to accept it, as our society has made it so we treat every RAK with suspicion (especially if from a stranger), and when it involves money, even just a few pence, it mutates into creating shame and awkwardness. That won’t stop me from offering as I believe this world can always do with more kindness and love, and if I can do nothing else, at least I can spread a smile.

Have you ever RAK’d someone? What RAK will you give this week?

Babies are Cute ??!

The first baby I found cute - my baby brother (2008)

I have never been a fan of children. I think even when I was a kid I didn’t really like other kids - partially due to bullying, but most likely because I preferred the company of a book. The worst though are definitely babies and toddlers. To be honest, I don’t fully understand why anyone would want one - they make a lot of noise, can be really annoying, and in general just look deformed as their features are all out of proportion (in my mind anyway). So yeah, there are very few babies and toddlers I would classify as ‘cute’.

The other day, though, I was out eating lunch and there was a baby looking at me and he was cute (the dad was quite yummy as well), to the point that I waved at him (the baby) and he broke out in this incredible smile which in turn made me smile. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this has been happening more often recently - me finding babies cute! Okay, so they stop being cute the moment noise comes out of them, and they have to have hair to qualify, but it’s weird for me to imagine wanting to be near anyone that young for any amount of time (hence being a Scout Leader and not a Beaver or Cub Leader).

Perhaps it’s just a hormonal thing (which is easy for me to believe as my body has been doing weird things these past couple of weeks), or perhaps I’m just growing up. Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t want to have a baby, and I still find the majority of young children really irritating.

But finding the occasional baby ‘cute’ gives me hope that I’m not such a terrible person after all; and believe me, the looks I get when I say I don’t like children you would think that I’d just told them I was going to kill all babies (which is ridiculous as I have no idea how I’d go about that without them starting to scream and I don’t want to be near that).

Anyone else out there who don’t usually find babies and young children cute?