Kay:

Hey there Questers and welcome! It’s Monday, October 12th, and this is the day after a very special day in the Morris household…

Shi:

That is right! Our youngest daughter (just yesterday) turned seven years old! So happy belated birthday Annadel Layla Morris! Seven years ago, we had a little girl and two three-year-old twins, and I never want to go back.

Kay:

Well, today’s quote is to celebrate one of the kindest young princesses we’ve ever known, little miss Annadel, who has such a sweet soul. And today’s quote is from Princess Diana, who Annadel actually got to represent in a presentation last year in school. And, she says, “Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”

Shi:

Well, seeing my kindergartener dress up in a princess outfit and talk about the life of Princess Diana is definitely an unforgettable moment for me and one that I will treasure forever – especially because I want to be a princess, (and that can go so many different ways)! But her choosing someone like Princess Diana, and then getting to learn about Princess Diana alongside Annadel was pretty special. And this quote really encapsulates, I think, what so many people loved about Princess Diana and what was beloved about her and what was truly that heart for people that she had, and that place of service, and that overall overwhelming desire to act in a kind way and see others do the same.

Kay:

She had such a giving soul, and was known to be a princess of the people. She was known to be the kind of person who “cared about the least of these,” she did volunteer work – and, obviously, many Royals are known to be philanthropists – but Princess Diana did it in a very special way. And, one of the things I love the most about this quote is the combination of two principles here, and that’s the combination of the principle of no expectation and the paired principle of safety in knowing. Because having no expectation and safety in knowing might seem like they’re the same thing, because you might think that safety in knowing means that you have an expectation. But, there is a subtle difference there that makes a world of difference when it comes to the meaning of the quote.

Shi:

You’re absolutely right here. It really could be just the first one, two, three, four, five, six, seven words here, “Carry out a random act of kindness.” That’s the real advice here, right? But Princess Diana elaborates on this in a way that helps us carry out that random act of kindness so that we give the most benefit, but that also means that we get the most benefit, and that’s what she’s indicating here with these two qualifiers after, “With no expectation of reward.” Because, it’s not a transaction. To carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward means that we go out and we do something nice because it is nice, because of the act in and of itself, and because of this embodiment of this vote towards positive influence among other human beings, because of the kindness and the positivity in and of itself, not in the transaction, but the most beautiful part of life. And that miracle we get to experience here on this earth is that the more we do that without that expectation, the more we do get. The more that we can be safe in the knowledge that one day someone will do the same for you and so you getting to put that in the pool makes the water rise for everybody.

Kay:

Well, you might’ve heard the very popular saying that, “Seeing is believing,” right? So, if you are going to believe in the kindness of human beings, then see it in the kindness of your own heart! Know that it’s there because you are the kind of person who displays the acts of kindness, and understand that that exists within other people as well. And, it only gets deeper and more fulfilling as you go if you express that in your life – because you become your own evidence for the good in the world!

Shi:

Oh my gosh, I LOVE that. Well, to remind you, Princess Diana’s quote – (in honor of Annadel’s birthday yesterday) – is, “Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”

Kay:

All right, gang – that means today is a random act of kindness quest. Today we’re asking you to perform, (you guessed it!), a random act of kindness – and know that somebody out there someday will do the same thing for you! Are you ready?

Kay & Shi:

Let’s quest!