This week’s GratiTuesday, February 17th, is RAK Day 2026 – Random Acts of Kindness Day®. National Random Acts of Kindness Week – RAK Week® – began on February 15th and runs through the 20th. This annual week-long observation is promoted through a privately endowed non-profit foundation.

Make Kindness the Norm.”

A bit of history…

The origin of #RAKDay hails back to a particularly violent summer season in the 1990’s. Word is that a reporter in the San Francisco Bay Area suggested people shift their attention from the regular news stories focused on “random acts of violence” and, instead, begin “practicing random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” Yes, please.

The mission of the RAK Foundation is…

… to “Make Kindness the Norm.” Yes, please. The Foundation is committed to the “belief that all people can connect through kindness and that kindness can be taught.” Yes, please. Based on this vision, they develop FREE educational resources that operate within a circular framework: Inspire > Empower > Act > Reflect > Share. Yes, please. These educational resources are split into three spheres — Work, School, Home. Yes, please.

For more information and FREE downloadable resources, please visit:
Kindness in the Workplace
Kindness in the Classroom
Kindness at Home

Check this out…

Kindness and Gratitude are kinda-like cousins. They can both be practiced on others; focusing our good intentions on those around us. In addition, they can be practiced on and for ourselves. What’s more, just as there is a science of Gratitude, there is also a Science of Kindness . For example, when either is practiced, they share similar health benefits, such as reducing stress, anxiety, depression and blood pressure. Yes, please.

Whether you choose to practice gratitude, or random acts of kindness, or acts of senseless beauty, everybody wins! So what will you choose for you — and those around you — this day, this week, and randomly from here on out? Yes, please and Thank YOU!

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for Random Acts of Kindness. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ____________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #meditation#gratitude #gratituesday #randomactsofkindnessday

On this GratiTuesday I am reminded of William Arthur Ward, who wrote, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”  Hmmm. Unexpressed gratitude likened to an undelivered gift. Don’t think I’ve given this concept much thought before now. Of course, Mr. Ward’s words and their larger meaning have been careening around my cranium ever since I came across them on the interweb.

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” ~ William Arthur Ward

Why, how come, what! could come between the felt sense of gratitude and an expression of it? Let’s meditate on this, shall we? Perhaps the ‘expressor’ is super shy; or far away, hiking halfway up Mount Kilimanjaro; or they are wrapped up in a critical project at work – like at the UN, or maybe performing brain surgery; or what if their pen ran out of ink; or they’re fresh out of stamps; or their blasted email server is down; or their precious phone dropped down an ice crevasse up there on Kilimanjaro; or they’ve been abducted by friendly space aliens just moments before… It could happen. Anything could have happened. In other words, an opportunity to express gratitude might slip by.

However, it’s not the end of the world should we find ourselves faced with the choice between licking a stamp for a thank you card and zooming off to distant galaxies with our new space alien friends. In fact, I don’t think the card itself is the point. It’s the feeling of gratitude that really matters. So, don’t beat yourself up if you missed a chance to say, ‘I appreciate you.’ I’ll bet a another situation, person, or place will inspire you to give the gift of gratitude again and again.

Oh and let’s not forget the gift given to ourselves each time we acknowledge any one of life’s simple pleasures, or the elements of our lives we often take for granted. Reviewing our mental Gratitude List or actual Gratitude Journal can fire up our neuroendocrine system, wrapping us in blanket of warm-fuzzies.

Ultimately, it’s all good. Express your gratitude in any way that feels authentic to you. Or just think about it, and your warm-fuzzy mood will lift the mood of those around you. Or you could always ask the friendly aliens to deliver your sentiment of appreciation. They might. You never know. It could happen. Anything could happen.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for friendly space aliens. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ____________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #williamarthurward

GratiTuesday – Gratitude for the Olympics. At a time when I/we may be feeling at odds with “others”, I am grateful for the Olympics. The Olympic Games, which kick off this Friday, February 6th, are a joyous, inspirational celebration of both sportsmanship and international friendship.

Dig this: Humans from all over the world gather to play together at a giant state of the art playground. Hooray for play! These humans then dazzle us with their athletic prowess and indomitable spirit, as well as the extraordinary effort required to get there (years of training!) and, you know, actually pull it off (can you say ‘logistics’)!

The Olympic motto is Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together — Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter for those of you who appreciate Latin. The togetherness element – Communiter – is a recent addition to the motto. It was tacked on in 2021, to emphasize the “unifying power of sport and the importance of solidarity.”

“Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter”

Whether watching team or individual events, it is the “personal best” aspect of the games that is most captivating for me. For any given athlete that “personal best” may be exhibited in a flawless performance or an unexpected fall. In either circumstance the most inspirational athletes are those who haven’t a prayer of medaling, yet still give it all they got.

Thank you, Olympians, for striving to exceed perceived limitations of mind and body. Your extraordinary efforts to reach beyond what is considered humanly possible embodies the purest form of self-transcendence. To do so while upholding the highest ideals of sportsmanship and international friendship is truly inspirational.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for inspiration. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: _______________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #olympics2026

On this GratiTuesday I gotta’ ask, ‘Are you exhausted?’ I am. I am plumb worn out, worn thin, and worn down to my very last nerve. And that last nerve is frayed.

In the days following our nation’s most recent spate of horrifying apocalyptic display(s) of insanity, I have been casting about for how to process and respond. My usual go-to – gratitude – feels like a weak platitude during times like these. Finding agency and taking action, no matter how small, is a widely recognized method for moving through difficult and uncertain times.

I found a way I could respond and along the way, I also came across the phrase “Be Good” repeatedly…

“The #BeGood campaign aims to honor Renee Macklin Good and Keith Porter  while also reminding us what it means to be good to one another in the face of such horror – to be a good citizen, neighbor, friend, ally and human. Everyday, everywhere, regular people are being good: keeping kids safe when they walk to school, filming fathers who are being disappeared from their workplaces, donating to fundraisers to support organizations who are keeping us safe.” ~ ACLU, Maremoto, Move On, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Working Families Power

This acknowledgment is not only a reminder, it is also a creed: Be Good. This creed, embodied by Renee Good, has now been recognized and honored by poet laureate Amanda Gorman in her most recent poem “For Renee Nicole Good Killed by I.C.E. on January 7, 2026.”

They say she is no more,
That there her absence roars,
Blood-blown like a rose.
Iced wheels flinched & froze.
Now, bare riot of candles,
Dark fury of flowers,
Pure howling of hymns.

If for us she arose,
Somewhere, in the pitched deep of our grief,
Crouches our power,
The howl where we begin,
Straining upon the edge of the crooked crater
Of the worst of what we’ve been.

Change is only possible,
& all the greater,
When the labour
& bitter anger of our neighbors
Is moved by the love
& better angels of our nature.

What they call death & void,
We know is breath & voice;
In the end, gorgeously,
Endures our enormity.

You could believe departed to be the dawn
When the blank night has so long stood.
But our bright-fled angels will never be fully gone,
When they forever are so fiercely Good.

… our bright-fled angels will never be fully gone,
When they forever are so fiercely Good.” ~ Amanda Gorman

It is entirely likely the insanity will continue in any number of ways for “a while.” Perhaps gratitude can be a useful practice to build resilience toward our capacity to process and respond to whatever is next. Another option could involve reflecting on the creed of Good. Remember good. Do good. Be Good.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for Good. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ___________________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #ReneeGood #KeithPorter #AmandaGorman

A final GratiTuesday in 2025 inspires appreciation for successfully making yet another journey around our local star. This time of year reminds me of a quote by Hal Borland, “Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”  ~ Hal Borland

The passing from one year into the next is less an ending and more an opportunity for moving forward into our tomorrows. At the start of a new year we get to choose what’s next. Do we continue; same as it ever was? Shall we stay the course? Or will we seek other options and forge new paths into the year ahead?

In truth with each new day, in fact, with each rising moment, we are offered an opportunity to choose our next step. Whichever choice is made brings about our life’s experiences. Reflecting upon that experience, acknowledging our role, our hand in how the experience played out, gives rise to wisdom. That wisdom, then, may inform future choices.

Or not. The choice to reflect, or not. Act, or not. All are chosen. All choosing may be chosen differently each time a choice is presented. The choice is yours. What a gift! What fun! A potential adventure born with each new now. What will you do with all your choices?

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for new nows. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: __________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #yearsend #halborland

On this Christmas Eve eve, amidst the hustle and bustle of last-minute holiday shoppers, I am happy to express gratitude for the compassionate giving spirit of Saint Nicholas.

Who is Saint Nicholas?

While there does not seem to be any verifiable historical documents attesting to his existence, Saint Nicholas, a.k.a. Nicholas of Bari, or Nicholas of Myra, was very likely a Christian bishop in the 4th century. Accounts of his life’s adventures vary widely. He may have been orphaned as a small child of Patara (Lycian seaport city), traveled to Palestine and Egypt in his youth, and later became the bishop of Myra. He is reported to have been imprisoned and tortured with other Christians under the Roman emperor Diocletian, and is rumored to have made a ruckus during the Council of Nicaea.

Why was he sainted?

That is not entirely clear, given the sketchy nature of his biography. However, he is legendary for his kindness, generosity and reports of miracles he performed for the poor and downtrodden. First he sold his parents estate and gave away all the proceeds to those in need. Then followed tales of gold coins miraculously appearing in the shoes of destitute. There is also a story of him saving a ship set upon by a terrible storm while at sea. Finally, Saint Nicholas is reported to have brought three small children back to life. Now how the three children met their end is a story you can explore on your own.

Aside from the miracles and whatnot, what is the historical significance of good old Saint Nicholas?

Well, the answer to the question lies within the question. ‘Good old Saint Nicholas’ became a popular protector of children, sailors, unmarried girls, merchants, and others. Magnificent churches were built and named in his honor all over Europe. Yet, the single most significant aspect of his legend is traced back to Holland, where where he was revered as Sinterklaas – a Dutch variant of the name St. Nicholas.

From Sinterklass to Santa Claus

During the 17th century, Dutch colonists brought Sinterklass with them to New Amsterdam – now New York City. Over time the legend of Sinterklaas as a kind and generous old man was merged with Nordic folktales of a powerful magician who knew who was naughty and who was nice, punishing or rewarding them accordingly – with or without presents – left in their shoes set by the fireplace in the wee hours of December the 6th, Saint Nicholas Day.

The full character of Santa Claus crystallized in the 19th century, here in the United States, as patron of the gift-giving festival of Christmas. Believe it or not, Coca-Cola helped shape the image of Santa Claus. In the 1930’s, the soft drink company hired Haddon Sundblom, a illustrator from Michagan, to develop advertising images depicting Santa as himself, enjoying a coke with a smile. The ads ran in the Saturday Evening Post, the Ladies Home Journal, National Geographic, The New Yorker and others. The ‘Coca Cola Santa’ went viral so to speak, because this is the Santa image that has persisted right through to the present day.

From an orphaned Lycian boy, who earned a sainted place in our hearts as Bishop Nicholas for his kindness and generosity; to the magical Sinterklass, molded from Dutch and Nordic lore; to the jolly apple-cheeked Santa Claus whom children still set out shoes – or stockings! – by fireplaces to this day, hoping to be rewarded for their goodness… What a journey?!! I am so happy to express gratitude for the compassionate giving spirit of Saint Nicholas that lives within the gift-giving spirit of our present day holiday seasons.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for Saint Nicholas. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #saintnicholas #sinterklass #santaclaus

This week’s GratiTuesday celebration is extra special because of an annual celestial event, the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year. In other words, the first official day of winter here in the northern hemisphere, arrives on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 10:03 A.M. (EST) Woohoo!

You may well be wondering why a long dark night and the onset of our coldest season would elicit joy in my heart. After all if you know me, you know, I do not ski. Not a fan of snow per se, nor do I enjoy being cold in any way at any time.

The reason I make such a big deal out of the winter solstice is because this day marks the ‘return of the sun.’ Each day marching forward from December 21st, our star — the sun — will rotate into view a moment or two earlier each morning, and rotate out of view a few minutes later each evening. The days will grow incrementally longer, with the potential for more light, more sunlit hours. For me more sunlit hours equals more fun outdoors in the sun! Yay!

Here Comes the Sun.”

I am not alone in my enthusiasm for the Winter Solstice. Many cultures around our world recognize and celebrate the winter solstice. If you’re interested to know more about different cultural practices consider exploring:

• • • https://www.sapiens.org/culture/winter-solstice-celebrations/
    • https://hraf.yale.edu/winter-solstice-celebrations-around-the-world/
    • https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/winter-solstice-festivals

While the list of links above is not meant to be exhaustive, they do reveal the richness of global cultural diversity and the commonality of the human experience.

Please join in with my personal annual winter solstice celebratory song by the incomparable John, Paul, George and Ringo, “Here Comes the Sun.”

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful for longer daylight hours. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: __________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #wintersolstice #thebeatles #herecomesthesun

Celebrating GratiTuesday all day here, doncha’ know. Truth be told, it is my plan to celebrate gratitude throughout the holiday season this year. What’s more beginning Sunday, December 14, I will pause each day – counting from one to twelve – for this holiday season’s Twelve Days of Gratitude. This is one way I have found to slow down during what is often a hectic time of year.

This year I am particularly excited to start this countdown because December 14th is the first day of Hanukkah! Of course, I recognize not everyone marks these particular calendar dates – Hanukkah or Christmas – as special. Still, who says a 12-day gratitude practice must be used to count down to a specific holiday. One could count down to a birthday or anniversary of some kind. We might even start or end each month with Twelve Days of Gratitude.

Consider the twelve prompts below. Consider interpreting each prompt in your own way. Consider coming up with your own set of twelve prompts. Consider revisiting Twelve Days of Gratitude often throughout the coming year.

• • • 1st Day of Gratitude – Start a Gratitude Journal
    • 2nd Day of Gratitude – Be thankful for all you have
    • 3rd Day of Gratitude – Be content with who you are
    • 4th Day of Gratitude – Be grateful for those around you
    • 5th Day of Gratitude – Model gratitude to your children
    • 6th Day of Gratitude – Be generous to a stranger
    • 7th Day of Gratitude – Be kind to someone in need
    • 8th Day of Gratitude – Count the blessings of your good health
    • 9th Day of Gratitude – Hug a far-away-friend with a call, text, email, tweet
    • 10th Day of Gratitude – Remember those who support you
    • 11th Day of Gratitude – Reflect on the past year’s ‘little victories’
    • 12th Day of Gratitude – Be present

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Whether you choose to opt in to any of the considerations offered above, or you dream up another way to interpret adopting Twelve Days of Gratitude this month – or next! – it is my hope that the gratitude prompts above will inspire you to embrace some form of regular gratitude practice someday soon. Today I am so happy and grateful for your consideration and these Twelve Days of Gratitude.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful to to BE Present. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: _______________________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #12daysofgratitude

Today’s GratiTuesday is also GivingTuesday, and is perhaps my favorite notable date of the year. You may well be wondering, “What is GivingTuesday?” I’m so glad you asked.

GivingTuesday, a day of giving traditionally recognized as the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States, was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, and grew into its own organization with co-founder, Asha Curran, as its CEO in July 2019. It began as a simple idea: set apart one day to amplify and encourage people to do good. GivingTuesday is now a global movement inspiring hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Let’s transform the world through radical generosity” ~ GivingTuesday

Moving forward I plan to acknowledge and participate in GivingTuesday every year. One of the things I appreciate most about GivingTuesday is its foundational idea that giving is more than making a monetary donation to a charity. Sometimes the most effective, impactful giving doesn’t involve money at all. For example, consider this list of ways you might participate in this and future GivingTuesdays:

• • • • • Post a Message of Hope
        • Create Blessing Bags
        • Pay for a Stranger’s Order
        • Use Your Voice to Help Others
        • Check on Your People
        • Surprise Someone with a Parade
        • Offer More Compliments
        • Offer Help to Your Neighbors
        • Volunteer in Your Community
        • Do Something Kind Today

For more information about GivingTuesday please visit their website: https://www.givingtuesday.org. Find out how you can be active in a giving community at home or abroad. Explore ways to expand and extend your spirit of giving every day, every where.

As always, each Tuesday we invite one another to express one thing – in the comments field – for which you are grateful, and/or Share that sentiment as a post on your favorite social media site. It needn’t be lofty and can certainly reflect something we usually take for granted. I’ll go first… I AM so happy and grateful to community generosity. Now your turn. I AM so happy and grateful now that/for: ___________________________________________________________________

#laurelblossomyoga #yoga #meditation #reiki #gratitude #gratituesday #GivingTuesday