Riggs, P: Our Random Acts of Kindness

Phil Riggs felt the desire to create a book with as many random acts of kindness as he could find.

Many studies have shown that performing random acts of kindness helps boost our physiological well-being, by activating the feel good neurotransmitters in the brain, often referred to as a ‘helpers high’. This is based on the theory that giving produces endorphins in the brain to mimic a ‘morphine high’.

Riggs uses his wit, keen humour, and love of humanity to compose stories from the community: Our Random Acts of Kindness - everyday neighbours being good, decent people. Riggs tells of two paths a person can take as to whether he or she turns out to be a Scrooge or a more saintly member of society. It can affect your psyche in a positive or negative manner that can turn you into a marvelous person, like our dear Santa Danny Janes, or you may turn out to be a Charles Dicken’s Scrooge.

There are stories of different kinds of Santa Clauses who perform such random acts out of the goodness of their hearts. Others perform these kindly deeds and don’t even realize they are doing them. It just needs the right person to record these deeds and share them others.

From Paddy’s girls not realizing that every Christmas morning Santa used to leave their friends’ Christmas gifts under the tree in the Duke’s. Or Danny never once taking a cent for himself when he performed many evenings as Santa. Any money he received would quickly be given to the local Children’s Wish Foundation. To Kay who never feared having a stranger come into her house and spend the night there, a stranger who she soon discovered had delivered a life saving liver transplant for her daughter Donna back in Toronto. Even our beloved pets benefit from random acts of kindness, like Riggs' dog Tobin, who after she passed, still experienced kindness, consideration, and empathy when cousin Kirk and his stepson Lucas arrived at Phil's doorstep with a beautiful pine box for Tobin.