Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #3 - Girl Gets Up At 5AM To Decorate Her Entire Street
As part of her personal mission to try to bring some unexpected cheer to her neighbors, UK-based Zoe Green—who goes by the moniker Pea Green Girl—got up at 5 one April morning, or what she calls “Happy Street Day”, to decorate her entire street. Along Shelbourne Road, she hung balloons at a bus shelter, post-box and telephone booth; stuck Post-Its with encouraging messages on a telephone pole; and pasted a “Good Morning!” sign along the bridge so that people who drove under it could see the greeting. Green’s little project aimed to inspire people, and it must’ve brightened up someone else’s day—and it was her tiny step to changing the world, one smile at a time. “I don’t intend to change the world, but I know that if you brighten one person’s day, they are highly likely to brighten someone else’s day,” she wrote on her blog. If you left your house one morning and walked down the street to ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Anthea Quay
- Dec 30, 2013
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Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #4 - Meredith's Letter From the Post Office
Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought that we could, so she dictated these words: Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog? Abbey died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I'm happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. Love, Meredith We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith, addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Meredith pasted several stamps ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Laura
- Dec 29, 2013
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Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #5 - It Was All My Choice!
Yesterday was my 51st birthday. While some may wonder why I would write about me, it is because I made a choice. I have never been a big fan of my birthday. Hurts from the past and just not enjoying the "wisdoming" (instead of aging) process up to now, has usually left me either quiet about my birthday or just plain grumpy about it. But yesterday, when I woke up, my first thought was: Thank you God for letting me wake another day. The next decision was: I am going to choose to be happy today, no matter what day it is, and I'm going to let others in on it too! I thought of several things for me to do, one of my favorite being that since I turned 51, I sat down with my journal and wrote the numbers 1 through 51 and next to each one spent some time ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by momov3
- Dec 28, 2013
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Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #6 - "I feel good doing this!"
"But I feel good doing this!" The little boy´s answer rang in my ears as I walked into the mall. He stood right outside the entrance, in the bitter spring wind, collecting donations for cancer research. Nose red, hat deep over his ears, he warmed one hand in his pocket and held a list with his other hand. I noticed he had no gloves. I checked my purse, but had no coins. It is a principle of mine to always give money to cancer research - I have lost dear friends and family members to the disease, and want to do my little part to help find a cure. "I´ll bring you some money when I come back," I promised the young boy. "Thank you!" he smiled and sneezed into a big tissue. A very worn tissue, I might add. I looked at him. If you have ever seen little children who refuse to come out of ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by princessliz
- Dec 27, 2013
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Top 10 Stories of 2012, Story #7 - Lessons from a Mother's Love
About eight years ago, I was a new teacher in the local women's minimum security jail, where most of the inmates are incarcerated for drug offenses. During one of my classes, a woman was crying and in a lot of pain. Her 17-year-old daughter had been recently assaulted. She wanted to see her, but had no way to get to the hospital 30 miles away which cares for children with no health insurance. Having a daughter the same age, I asked the superintendent if it would be possible for me to drive the woman to the hospital. I was granted permission to escort her for three hours on the following Saturday. I found some nice clothes for the mother to wear and I borrowed my friend's blue convertible. On the 30 minute drive to the hospital, we rode with the top down and sang to the songs from the disks I brought. ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by cking
- Dec 26, 2013
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Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #8 - An Anonymous Gift I'll Always Remember
I sold a tech company for a small exit in 2010. Everyone was extremely proud of me, but no one knew the exact amount I made, but everyone assumed I did really well. In actuality, I only made just over a hundred thousand dollars. I purposefully hid the amount because I wanted to use all the money to buy my parents a house, and I knew that my parents would never accept me buying them a house with the money from my sale. So with no one knowing, I drained my account (after paying taxes) and bought my parents a 1-story house in Texas (where I grew up). I did this because they had been living in a small two-story house that, in recent years, could no longer accommodate my sick and increasingly wheel-chair-bound dad. Everyone assumed I had made a large amount of money and that this was one of many ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by anonymous
- Dec 25, 2013
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Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #9 - Never Too Late
Nearly thirty years ago, I was a high school student. I was also an alcoholic. I was using alcohol to self-medicate pain from a childhood abuser, and it wasn't working. Instead, it made me angry, obnoxious, and rude. Needless to say, I don't like the person I was back then. (I didn't like myself back then, either.) But with a lot of therapy and a lot of love, I have moved on and though I am financially poor, I find myself rich with the blessings and love of family and friends. I try each day to be the kindest person that I can, and to help wherever and whenever I can. Recently, I helped a young friend with a bake sale and raffle to benefit a middle school student who is battling brain cancer. I didn't do it for the recognition, but because it just felt like the right thing to do. ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by purplecola
- Dec 24, 2013
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Top Ten Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #10 - 8 Things To Do Every Day That Will Make You Happier
1) Thank someone First thing in the morning, send an email thanking or praising someone. Research shows this can brighten your day. 2) Spend money — on someone else Harvard professor Michael Norton, author of Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending, explains how spending money on other people can generate more happiness than spending on yourself: 3) Give 5 hugs People assigned to give or receive hugs 5 times a day ended up happier than the control group. From Sonja Lyubomirsky’s very interesting book, The How of Happiness: In a one-of-a-kind study, students at Pennsylvania State University were assigned to two groups. The first group was instructed to give or receive a minimum of five hugs per day over the course of four weeks and to record the details. The hugs had to be front-to-front (nonsexual) hugs, using both arms of both participants; however, the length and strength of hug, as well as the placement of hands, were left ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by anonymous
- Dec 23, 2013
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Help in the dead of night
I was in Houston a few weeks ago, and needed to be back home in Austin by midmorning the next day. Though I planned to leave that evening, I'd had a long, tiring ride home, so I decided to leave around 5 the next morning. I was on I-10 in the middle of Houston when I realized I left my inhaler at my MIL's house, and knew I had to return to get it. I took the first exit I could, but when I rounded the corner, an 18-wheeler was stopped dead in the exit lane. I swerved to avoid it, but clipped the curb and my tire blew out. I pulled into a small parking lot and unsurprisingly found the area deserted at 5:15am. I've lived in urban areas most of my life. I'm fairly street-wise and don't spook easily, but I knew I was in a pretty tough neighborhood. There was ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by tracey1
- Dec 23, 2013
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Paying It Forward....one Caramel At A Time!
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This was a really good day!! I made homemade caramels last night and took some to work for coworkers, gave some to the therapist who does such a great job here at the residential treatment center with the teenage girls, and I took some to the workers of my favorite mom and pop eatery I go to once a week to eat lunch!
All people were so appreciative! But, the coolest of all was the therapist. She wanted to know what the occasion was and I told her I was trying to practice my kindness skills!
She then said she was taking her stash of caramels I made for her to her supervision meeting to share with her fellow coworkers!! Paying it Forward one caramel at a time! I believe tonight I will finish cutting the remainder of the caramels and take them to the fire station near my house! Oh happy day!!
- Posted by Lindy
- Dec 23, 2013
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Coffee And Kindness
Last year I went to the local coffee shop drive thru to treat my coworkers to an afternoon latte. After ordering five coffee drinks, I pulled up to the window to wait patiently for the drinks as it was a warm afternoon and the place was very busy. I looked into my rearview mirror to see a man tapping on his steering wheel and looking extremely cranky. The lady working the window opened it up to give me the total for my drinks. I smiled at her and said that I would like to pay for the drink of the man in the car behind me as he looked like he was having a bad day. She paused and asked me to wait for just a moment. Upon returning to the window she smiled and said, "It is taken care of." I replied thank you as she handed my order over through the ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Daziejane
- Dec 21, 2013
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A Friendly Lunch
A new friend at work showed her true colors to me last week.
We were working a lunch shift together. She works as a sous-chef on a more than full time basis. Our gardeners had been outside in the heat working all morning.
As she finished up lunch for the clients, she turned and went out the door for a moment. I could see her speaking with the two men who spoke little to no English. She then returned to the kitchen and made both men a heaping plate of food.
After giving the food to the men, she returned to the kitchen without a word and continued working. When they finished with their plates, one gentleman handed his plate to me and apologized in broken English that I would then have to wash the plate.
I assured him that it was no trouble. He thanked the two us many times, gave us a huge smile, and went about his day. What a lovely way to thank these men for the beauty that they create and care for everyday!
- Posted by Daziejane
- Dec 20, 2013
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The Water Bearer and the Ceramic Pot
There once was a water bearer who every day to earn a living carried water from the distant river into the town where he lived. To do so, he owned two ceramic pots, which he hung at both ends of a pole he balanced over his shoulders . While one of the pots was bright red, smooth and perfectly waterproof, the other was old, discolored and a bit cracked, in fact it dripped water on the way. Each day the pot became a little more porous, and dripped a little more, till came a time it was only able to retain half of its content by the time they'd reach the town. This caused the pot great shame, and so finally, unable to contain its embarrassment, the pot addressed the water bearer: "Master, please break me! throw me! dispose of me! I can't stand this misery any longer, I'm unable to ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Sheetal
- Dec 17, 2013
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Kindness During Half Term
This last week we had half term holidays and my niece stayed with us for the week because my nephew ( her brother) was going to have a delicate spine surgery and it was easy for the parents to concentrate on looking after him. My daughter, my neice, and I went out for some last minute shopping and while I was on the line waiting to pay the girls asked if they could wait for me at the door. Some minutes later they return to ask if they could give the sweets they had just bought to a man in the street, so there they go and give their sweets away, another 2 minutes and they return to ask me if there was anything else they could give the man, I told them that I only had the 3 ginger bread men they had bought for dessert, so they took the biscuits to ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Bluebell
- Dec 16, 2013
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A Person Lost, And Kindness Found
It's rare when an act of kindness comes up to you :) I was in a parking lot when a tall, sincere, bespectacled man approached me asking for help with directions. He had a printout of google maps directions from the airport to a hotel on the main street, but just couldn't find his hotel. He clearly didn't have a phone, so after validating his written directions, I mapped it on my phone and showed him exactly where he needed to go. He mentioned that he had tried going there, but there was no such street number and he just couldn't locate his hotel. I confirmed it again for him, he thanked me with a big smile, shook my hand, and took off. I got into my car and he got into his, and we parted ways. As I drove to the next grocery store and went in, something wasn't sitting right about ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by kindsauce
- Dec 15, 2013
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Water
When I went to get my morning sandwich and kombucha at Whole Foods, there was a sign asking for water donations for the homeless here in the desert. So I bought a 35 pack and donated it. Also went through my scarves last night so that I can donate my wigs and scarves to the local cancer center.
- Posted by pinksmoochies
- Dec 14, 2013
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Courtesy In The Traffic Craziness
The school bus was in the wrong lane at the busiest time of day. The driver needed to get into my lane so she could get off at the right ramp.
I was glad I was in front of the bus waiting for the light and could let the her in. That section of the highway is three-lane craziness with cars darting left and right and nobody seems to want to be courteous.
I'm glad I could do something about that!
- Posted by Dobby
- Dec 13, 2013
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What Nelson Mandela Taught Me About Empathy
What Nelson Mandela Taught Me About Empathy Years ago, in 2007, I visited Sierra Leone to work with an organization, iEARN, which was using technology to help youth recover from the gruesome war which had left millions of lives destroyed. As I listened to stories, and then some more, as part of a project that we were doing to record peoples’ lives, I became emotionally distraught and confused, and angry at the perpetrators at the same time. However, there was an interesting demographic of people that I had mixed feelings towards, even compassion – child soldiers. Those youth who were brainwashed or forced into killing their brethren - their parents, grandparents, siblings – and becoming drugged and desensitized during the process. I wondered to myself, what was the reason for wars, in general, and how do people heal from such trauma? The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was ongoing to help bring forgiveness, ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Sarika
- Dec 12, 2013
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A Gift Of Foofoo
As I was coming home from a trip to a neighboring region I stopped to buy something for my kids.
That's when I saw a very old man buying something from a girl of about ten. I went over and saw she was selling wrapped cassava-based foofoo (a kind of carbohydrate food popular among the Yoruba and Igbo people of Nigeria.) The old man explained what it was before the girl had a chance. I was thrilled!
As I was standing up after selecting my foofoo I saw the old man trying to untie the handkerchief he had his money in. I quickly told him that he should just go, and I would pay for his food.
He prayed for me as if it was more than than a simple purchase. I felt elated and I was glad I had done it - a lesson learned from KindSpring!​
- Posted by AAJ4Smile
- Dec 11, 2013
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Healing His Spirit - With Flowers!
Over a month ago my boyfriend was brutally beaten by six people in a hate crime.
While his physical injuries are healing, his spirit is taking much longer.
A couple of nights ago he raided our "piggy bank" for the $30 or so that was in it. Then he went to the grocery store and bought an armload of mixed bouquets of flowers. Then went to a rougher neighborhood in the city.
There, he walked up and down the street slipping a flower into the door handle of each car he passed.
Everyone came out the next day to find a little generosity and beauty brought into their life by a stranger.
He told me he did this because he was having a particularly hard day with regards to the beating, and he knew that doing something beautiful would help him heal!
- Posted by Pastorbridgetmke
- Dec 10, 2013
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