A Thanks to the Anonymous Giver

Right around Christmastime, I started to receive monthly deliveries of Reader's Digest magazine. At first I tried to remember if I signed up or not, and after deciding that no - I did not sign myself up for this - I posted a "status" on Facebook to see if anyone would volunteer the information that they had signed me up for the subscription. Whoever this person was had definitely signed ME up - the magazines are coming addressed to me - and I'm assuming had some knowledge that Reader's Digest is one of my all-time favorite magazines. This letter is a response to that person's gift.

Dear Giver of the RD Subscription,

I would like to extend to you a sincere thank-you for the subscription you sent me for Reader's Digest. This is a magazine that I have enjoyed reading for at least 20 years but never brought myself to actually go out and get a subscription. My parents and grandparents were subscribers, so I was able to enjoy the articles, quips, tips, and humor through the copies that could be found most often in their bathrooms and living rooms.

2 of the issues I've gotten - I'm slow to read, but I do read them cover-to-cover. Love this magazine!

My favorite parts to read have always been the stories of how people's lives have been positively changed and impacted or how people from all walks of life have reached out to change the world. For example, in one of the issues this year (the one with the smiling bacon on the front) the woman behind the mosque/community faith center near Ground Zero was featured. Reading her story was amazing; hearing someone out there who just genuinely wants to bring God's love to the world no matter their faith was incredibly inspiring. I remember reading stories in RD growing up about people who have overcome amazing odds to do great things; RD has always brought stories like that to the forefront and I have always enjoyed them.

But you, gift giver, are also an inspiration. To send someone the gift of a magazine subscription that they genuinely enjoy and keeping yourself anonymous means that you really and truly just wanted to do something nice for someone. I have now gotten 3 or 4 issues delivered to my mailbox of this treasure-filled magazine and each time I am reminded that there is someone out there touching people's lives and looking for NO recognition for it. The subscription is a simple RAK - Random Act of Kindness. Imagine if we all operated like you - just doing random things to make people smile. Imagine if that became our modus operandi in each of our every day lives.

Forget the insurance - imagine if we all did small things to make a difference?

So to whoever you are, thank you for the gift. I truly appreciate it, and not just for the entertainment value. I appreciate the sentiment behind it, I appreciate the anonymity, and I hope that I (and anyone who reads this letter) are continually inspired to do random things to make people smile - without looking for a thank-you.

Love,
Danielle