Day 6: Read a book to my daughter/Donated a book to children

There is nothing I enjoy more than spending time with my daughter. I love talking to her, I love playing with her, and I love reading books to her. She doesn't fully grasp what I am reading yet, but she loves looking at pictures. Through numerous gifts from friends and family, my daughter already has a giant library from which she will be able to learn how to read. Having access to these books is something that I want her to really appreciate. A sad statistic I have learned about is that 1 in 3 children in the United States does not have a single book in their home, and thus has more of a struggle with learning to read. A friend recently told me about a website that helps to add books to children's home libraries both here and abroad. The We Give Books (http://www.wegivebooks.org/) campaign allowed me to read a book to my daughter online. After completing the book, you are then given the option to donate a book FOR FREE to a child either here in the United States or abroad. If you have a child, niece/nephew, or if you want to just buzz through a book to donate, please go to that site so that more and more children worldwide will experience the joy of reading.

Day 5: Let Everyone Go First, EVERYONE

They say that patience is a virtue. For me, however, this is not a virtue that I have practiced most of my life. I have always been easily frustrated if it took too long to leave the house, if I had to wait at red lights, and if people were walking slowly ahead of me. There is really no good reason to feel like I am in a rush all the time. Everyone only has a finite amount of time on this Earth, so why not take some time to slow it all down and appreciate what is going on around you. So today's act, on top of it passing kindness to others, will also be an exercise in patience and appreciation for yours truly. Not every act of kindness has to be a donation or charity. Kindness can be spread through doing small, courteous things everyday. So the random act of kindness for today is that I am going to let everyone go first ahead of me. So if I am at a 4 way stop sign, I will wave on the other cars to go first. If there is a line at the store, I will let others in front of me. Getting on an elevator? I will be the last one on. Whatever the situation, if there is some sort of order, I will do whatever it takes to let everyone else go in front of me.

Day 4: Helped Promote Someone Who is Trying to Help Others

I started this journey with the hope that others might see what I am doing and perform their own RAKs or help others in need. I also wanted to make a point to promote people who are making a difference, raise awareness for certain charities, and to show how easy it is for one person or act to have an impact. The other day I received an email from a friend who, for the 5th straight year, is participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. By participating in these walks, she has been able to raise a significant amount of money for breast cancer research. It is people like her, through these types of efforts, that can help find a way to finally eradicate this terrible disease. I don't intend to come on here every day and ask you all for money, but if you can join me in donating even a small amount, I know it will truly be appreciated. So if you get the opportunity, please visit her personal page here.