Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Paying forward $20 and making a beautiful connection

My son is currently in law school in a large city, and therefore he's basically broke.  Recently, I sent him a card with a twenty dollar bill so that he would go eat. He was so excited to receive the card and money. 

Upon leaving the post office, he saw a homeless woman standing on the sidewalk next to him.  She asked him a question about a sports team listed on his shirt, which led to a lengthy discussion about sports in general.

When he left, he gave her the twenty dollars. 

I'm so proud of my son. Not just for passing on the money, but for "seeing" the woman on the street and talking to her, not as a homeless woman, but as someone with an opinion and ideas.  Since then, he's gotten to know many people that he randomly meets on the streets and on the bus. 

He makes this mom proud.  :)

1356 Reads

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted

Yesterday, I was at the grocery store buying myself supper.  I actually borrowed money from my boss/friend because I was totally broke.  On my way out, there was a lady there who looked to be in her thirties with a little girl about nine or ten years old.  They had a ridiculous amount of bags filled with empty cans.  We get a five cent refund for each can returned.  Although they had  a lot of cans, their refund most likely only added up to a few dollars.  Maybe they were just doing some spring cleaning, but when I bring that many cans or bottles for refunds, it's generally because I really need money for something.  (Sometimes I'll spend all a lot of time collecting my cans and counting it all out so that I can afford a loaf of bread to eat.) Seeing the two of them there really struck me. I walked by ... Read Full Story >>

6822 Reads

New Yorkers 'pay it forward' After 9/11

Some New Yorkers mark the anniversary of the September 11 attacks by going to a memorial service or observing a moment of silence. For the past 10 years, Jeff Parness has been helping others. Every September, Parness brings hundreds of volunteers from New York to help another disaster-stricken community in the United States. "It was our way of saying, you know, New Yorkers will never forget what people from around the country and the world did for us in our time of need after 9/11," said Parness, a 2011 CNN Hero. "So that's how the mission started. It was just to pay forward the kindness that we experienced." Over the past decade, Parness' nonprofit, New York Says Thank You, has assisted victims of wildfires in San Diego, tornadoes in the Midwest and Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. Many of those who receive help are so inspired that they travel across the country the next year -- ... Read Full Story >>

1886 Reads
  • Posted by Kathleen Toner
  • Sep 11, 2013
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Moustaches And Smiles

I have a friend who isn't feeling well. 

I have been sending her cards to keep her positive and I sent a really funny one with a photo of three of her coworkers. I used an "app" to add moustaches to each of the three people in the photo. Two of them are women! 

She actually called me a work and was laughing so hard at the funny photo. She said to please keep the support coming because it was helping her more than we knew.​

1082 Reads

Never giving up on seeing the good in people

While I was deciding what kind of bread to buy at Trader Joe's a young man who works there asked me how I was doing. 

As usual, I told the truth. 

He said, "I'll be right back."

I figured he was another one who thought I talk too much, or go on too much, and had politely excused himself. It was crazy busy in there. 

I was heading to the checkout when he came back and handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers! He said, "Have a Happy New Year," gave me a hug and left. 

I will never give up on seeing good in people and I will never change who I am in order to make people like me. 

The kindness of this young man, a complete stranger, moved me to tears. It had been an exceptionally difficult day. My heart was hurt and an angel on earth gifted me with kindness. My healing begins.

1449 Reads

More Listening Than Talking

I have been doing more listening than talking lately.  

You would be surprised at how many clues you can pick up on what people need in life when they are talking about anything and everything.  

While listening to someone I am usually searching for little things I can do to make their lives a bit easier.  

Try it. You will be amazed at what you can pick up.

1617 Reads

A Gift that Keeps on Giving

A couple of years ago, I had two very dear friends who would be spending much of Christmas alone. That year, I took a basket and picked out seven inexpensive gifts (such as a pocket calendar, candy, etc.) and wrapped them individually with a scripture and note attached to them. They were given the instructions to open one gift a day, seven days prior to Christmas.

This year, I expanded it to my co-workers, and picked out gifts for the five weekdays prior to Christmas. They were excited to come to work each morning to “open their gift”.

Not only is this a small way to provide a gift, but more importantly, it is a sweet way to offer a part of you to each recipient.

I have now decided that this can be done in a variety of ways without having to wait for Christmas. I know several young women that are having struggles with different issues and have started thinking of different gifts that can give them hope and encouragement.

1449 Reads

Arcade Smiles and a Big Sigh of Relief

I work for a nonprofit organization that serves children with developmental disabilities. I love every minute of it and a particular experience today made me appreciate it even more. We often go on an outing with the kids, and last Friday we brought them to an arcade. I was working with three young ladies who all had Down Syndrome, among other disabilities. I should note that they are the most loveable girls in the entire world. We were running around from game to game, and the girls were having a great time, regardless of the stares and looks from people around us. We were on a simulated rollercoaster ride when the moment that I will remember for the rest of my life happened. The girls were laughing at each other, screaming in excitement on the ride, when a young woman tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around. She politely told me that ... Read Full Story >>

1986 Reads

To Be Present for Mom

My mom turned 70 last year and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago. Through some unfortunate investments, she lost most of her money and is in debt. She lives by herself, and some distance from me. Door to door, I need three hours to get to her. In the last year, some of her friends have contacted me, inquiring about her, as she withdrew from most of her social contacts. She just stopped answering the phone and letters. After a year of this, I was getting worried she was depressed. I don't view depression that negatively. My take on depression differs from the mainstream insofar as I consider it an opportunity to delve deeper into oneself. But with Parkinson's, you need to stay active, otherwise you loose your abilities more quickly. And if you don't move enough, there's always the danger of a stroke by thrombosis. So I decided to visit ... Read Full Story >>

1846 Reads

Extra Ordinary Tomatoes

I read an interesting quote today:  "You could spend your entire life chasing the horizon ... but you won't even scrape the surface of our universe.''  That made me think. Perhaps there are many times when we think we cannot make a difference in life, but for other people, we may be their universe.

Before I rushed off to office this morning, I picked a few tomatoes from my tiny garden (they grow in pots) for one of my colleagues. She lives in a flat and she was so grateful.

In reflecting on this gesture, I didn't really try to do a good deed. Rather, I simply intended to share the abundance that I have. And it didn't cost me anything.   After a huge loss in my life, I discovered the importance of wounded healers. They came to me when I needed them, and it's now up to me to pass on the relay stick. It's amazing how much we can share when we begin to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, everyday aspects of life.

1745 Reads

Family with Epileptic Son Touched After Stranger Pays For Dinner

A North Carolina family with an epileptic child was given a touching gift on Friday when an anonymous stranger paid for their dinner at a restaurant, leaving them a note that is, not surprisingly, going viral online. The note read: "God only gives special children to special people." The message was delivered to Ashley England and her family, including her 8-year-old son, Riley, at the Stag-N-Doe pizza restaurant in China Grove, N.C., on Friday by a waitress. "I'll try to do this without crying," the waitress told the family, according to WBTV.com. "But another customer has paid for your bill tonight and wanted me to give you this note." England said Riley, who is nonverbal, gets frustrated because he can't speak, and he had been especially rowdy during the meal. "He threw the phone and started screaming," England told WBTV. "The past few weeks have been very hard and trying for us, especially with public ... Read Full Story >>

3097 Reads

Pocketful Of Chocolates

I always keep a little baggie of bite-size chocolates in my purse, or pocket, to give whenever a nice gesture is required.
Often, I accompany the handful of treats with a Smile card to thank someone for good service at a store or restaurant.
Everyone needs to be appreciated!

1726 Reads

Beyond Dollars A Day

When I worked in a large city, passing by someone experiencing homelessness wasn't an uncommon sight. The plight of those I saw touched me deeply, and I often felt, "There but for the grace of God go I."  I felt compelled to do something, and as a single mom and newcomer to my field, I decided to come up with a plan that fit my limited budget. I began by setting aside five to ten dollar bills each payday, and during the week, passing them out to those I met on the street. Though a dollar felt like a small amount, I realized how powerful it was to give the gift of being seen: for me to recognize that those I passed by were people just like me. Sometimes we would joke a bit and smile together. On some occasions, I was able to give more. I'll never know how and if the dollars helped, but I ... Read Full Story >>

3996 Reads

24 Photos of Acts Of Kindness

Sometimes its the small gestures that count.   1. When Reddit users got together to send this dying man hundreds of letters and packages. imgur.com / Via reddit.com 2. Sophia’s letter to the president about her dads. lettersofnote.com …and his response. lettersofnote.com 3. When this older couple paid for a younger couple’s Valentine’s Day dinner. reddit.com 4. This small gift. smilesmakemyday.tumblr.com 5. The driver captured on dash cam. youtube.com 6. The family who got a complimentary meal after their 3-year-old blurted out that their house had recently burned down. reddit.com 7. This guy. faithinhumanityrestored.com 8. The couple who does what they can for each other. amazonintl.in / Via buzzfeed.com 9. A shared umbrella. reddit.com 10. These men protesting domestic violence by “walking in her shoes.” Flickr: walkamileinhershoesinternational Flickr: walkamileinhershoesinternational 11. A sign. Twitter: @ThatEricAlper 12. This man who loves going to work every day. reddit.com 13. Wendell, the brave 10-year-old who saved a cat from being tortured by a group of boys. buzzfeed.com 14. The man whose final wish was that his family give someone a $500 tip. youtube.com 15. The softball players on the opposing team who carried Sara Tucholsky to each base after she injured her knee touching first on ... Read Full Story >>

24.5K Reads
  • Posted by Summer Anne Burton
  • Sep 2, 2013
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Letters Of Gratefulness

For me, this year started with lot of love being showered by lot of people. I received lot of acceptance, forgiveness, and I felt the love of the universe in the way it sent angels into my life to take care of me and ensure I reach places and meet people who would support my journey.
 
Needless to say, the year also started with a feeling of gratefulness. The fact that I am what I am today is largely because of the people who have come in my life. It doesn't matter if they were there for short or long periods of time. They have touched my being and changed my life in their own unique ways!
 
My heart was so overflowing with gratitude that I wanted to tell all these lovely people how much they have meant to me! So, I decided to write "letters of gratefulness."
 
I wanted them to be handwritten and I also added a bit of art work and added one special thing we shared in some form.
 
It's three months down the line and I still continue to write. This is perhaps the only new year resolution I have ever kept!

1824 Reads

A Moment of Truth... and Ice Cream

I recently had a touching moment with my son.  These past few months have been a huge struggle for me due to medical issues that put me behind on by bills.

Finally, I had $10 in my purse for once, and I decided to give it to my 11 year-old son. He is always asking me for a simple dollar to buy something from the ice cream man. :)  The ice cream man came and I watched through the window as my son and his friends bought ice cream and candy.

One boy stood in the back and happened to have no money. This boy has been in school with my son since kindergarten, and his mother had passed away when he was only in the first grade, at 6 years old.

Out of all the children, my son was the only one who handed him money to buy ice cream. Upon seeing this, my eyes filled with tears. In that moment, I was the proudest mother ever!

1589 Reads

Chocolate bars, flowers, and a morning I'll always remember

This morning, I arrived at my office a bit earlier to catch up on some emails. It was relatively empty, with people trickling in here and there. On the way to work today, I had also stopped by the grocery store to pick up some fruits to share with my colleagues during our morning meeting. I couldn't help it when I passed a fresh stack of yellow flowers on my way to the cash register... I had to pick some up, along with a few chocolate bars, to gift in some way. With the office so empty, I decided to take the opportunity to pick a few random desks to plop the chocolate bars on. :) My heart raced a bit as I scurried through the office, headed towards cubicles and areas where no one had come in yet. :) I placed one on the CEO's desk, and snuggled a smile card ... Read Full Story >>

5355 Reads

The Battle For Goodness In The E.R.

I work in a busy Emergency Room. This weekend, I had a patient who was very jittery and paranoid.     After looking at his chart, I saw that he was seeking treatment for alcoholism.    There is an immediate bias against substance abuse in my E.R. One - we do not have a detox facility. Two - persons seeking treatment for addiction are sometimes looked down on as being less worthy of treatment than, say, someone with angina or other serious "physical" ailments.    At first glance, he was very emaciated, tattooed, pierced, and had a generally belligerent character. He could not sit still, and had a tough, "nobody messes with me" exterior. He had not had a drink in four days. His hands were shaking and there was a scared look in his eyes.   He told me that he had been drinking for seventeen years. He had tried to quit many times before but had ... Read Full Story >>

4429 Reads

How someone's presence can make a difference

In the midst of our grief after our only child passed away, a parent who had suffered the same terrible loss, came to our house.  She didn't talk much -- she was basically sitting shiva with us -- a beautiful Jewish custom where the family of the deceased gathers in one home and receives visitors.  When she talked, we could listen.  She taught me the importance of just being there for someone with your presence, and without all the answers.  It's amazing how much can be communicated without words. And how much is said by simply showing up.

11.8K Reads

Visiting The Orphanage

My aunt  took me to visit the local orphanage and I spent some time with the children. I couldn't sleep that night for thinking about them.
 
I have made up my mind to do something for them. I would like to go there every month and spend some time with them. 
 
I went back there on my birthday, distributed sweets and spent some time with them. The last time I had gone there they asked me my name and they talked very well. A month later, on my birthday visit, they remembered my name which really amazed me.

They prayed for me that day and I cried like anything. They don't know much about me but their concern made me feel very cared for.  We have many things from children. I am glad I got to give a little back by helping the orphanage. 

11.4K Reads




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