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ARK - Acts of Random Kindness

Last night, I was spending some quality time with my husband by watching a movie – “Evan Almighty”. I heard it wasn’t really good but we decided to watch it anyway since it’s free and funny. Surprisingly, I like the movie!

In raising my daughter and three sons, I pray and hope that they’ll live their lives being kind and helpful to others.

My daughter’s been baby sitting her younger brothers since she was 10;
When tidying-up my son’s rooms, I bumped into my ever-aloof 17 year-old's “Kindness and Justice” certificates from the High School. It tickles my heart knowing that he, too, has a big heart even though he acts like he does not have a care in the world; My eight year-old showers you with his cuteness every single day.

Today, while driving my 13-year old to TaeKwon-do, he was telling me that he wants to compete in the Nationals (choir competition). You see, my 13-year old is lucky to be blessed with intelligence, personality and opportunities. He’s an honor student, a piano teacher with 11 students, the President of the Student Council, etc, etc. etc….BUT the one thing that made me so proud of him today is knowing that with all the blessings he’s had, he also has a BIG heart. (Just like his Dad).

He has a friend who’s also a great piano player. (In fact, my son thinks his friend is way better than he is.) You can say that there’s a competition going on between them. Their musical director favors his friend more than he favors my son. However, his friend was inspired to teach piano, too, after reading an article about my son last year. But his friend still has one student and is curious to know how he can get more students.

So earlier today, my son said, “Mom, I’m going to teach and show my friend how he can start growing his business and start getting more students”.

I asked him, “Why would you do such a thing?”
He said, “I just want to help him. Who knows I can be his agent someday. But truly mom, he’s my friend and I just want to share what I’ve learned.”


We try to tell our children to “DREAM BIG”. My 13-year old wants to go to Harvard University, be a doctor and a lawyer and be a President of United States someday;
He wants to make a big difference in people’s lives.
- He already coordinates talent shows to help St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital;
- Donates part of his income to support a scholarship fund that helps a poor child in the
Philippines;
- Coordinates and teaches his 11 piano students to make a difference by donating to the local
food drive to benefit the needy;
- As a kid who got picked-on, he stands up for them and encourages other kids not to be
“bullies”.
- Entertains the local senior citizens with his music.


But not because he wants the glory for himself but he wants others to learn from him and for others to be successful and make a difference too.

My 13 year-old, Jonathon, is your kid next-door. When mothers approach me and pat me in the back to say, “Your son is such a wonderful child. He has all these things going for him, and yet he’s your regular kid, the kid next door, an approachable kid ….”

Just like in the movie, "Evan Almighty" – sometimes little ARKs ( Acts of Random Kindness) is all you need to change the world.




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