Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Two Thanksgiving Smile Cards

This is my first time posting a story on helpothers because I have not had the opportunity to use my smile cards yet, but yesterday on Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to use them twice :) Yesterday morning was thanksgiving and my husband and I were getting ready to head to Atlanta to spend the holidays with family. I was outside packing the car when I noticed a car sitting at the corner of the lane with the flashers on. There was a line of cars behind honking and getting very aggravated but the man at the wheel was just sat there. I called out to my husband and asked him to go see if the man needed help. My husband rushed across across the busy intersection and asked the man if he was okay. The man sitting there had simply ran out of gas, and could not get intouch with anyone to help him and he didn't have a gas can. My husband called me ... Read Full Story >>

Planting A Smile Card Surprise

Today I had nothing planned for lunch so I went to the Good Will store nearby just to look around.

I remembered that I had 2 smile cards on me. I also had 2 one dollar bills in cash so I folded the dollars and paper clipped one dollar to each smile card.  I then  decided to place them inside 2 different purses.

I think it will bring a SMILE to the people or person who finds them!!  It made me smile just planting them!

Helping Generations of Children Get To School

In our town, there is a very busy inter-section which many children have to cross on their way to and from school. There is a man who stands there every morning and evening, as the children are going or coming from school, and he guides them across the road. He is not an official, and he doesn't get paid, but he has been helping children in this way everyday for many, many years.

He is such a familiar figure that even if he is not there for a single day, people are notice and enquire about him.

He must have helped generations of children.

Compassionate Cakes for the Community

I entered the monthly Kindness contest, answering the question, "What would you do with $100 to help your community?" I said that I would buy 100 cake mixes and bake 100 cakes and deliver them to 100 different blocks in my community, encouraging the recipients to share their cakes with their neighbors! I wanted to deliver not only food for their bellies, but food for their souls! I wanted to show the love that I had for my community and encourage others to talk with or meet their neighbors! I named the idea, "Compassionate Cakes". To my surprise, my idea was chosen and a $100 check was sent to me to do my project! Now, I had to get to work. I bought the cake mixes and made "tags" telling the recipients about the project and encouraging them to visit the website, www.helpothers.org. I added a "tag" to each cake delivered. ... Read Full Story >>

Helping Amputees With Smile Cards

I lost my foot about two years ago and it was a terrible feeling.  When it happened, some people tried to come and talk to me about it and help me.  I now talk to others who have missing legs or arms and try to help them get thought it. I give out smile cards and it puts a smile on their face.

I have now a group of about 10 people that get together and have lunch and talk.                                       

Making A Difference With A Simpe Acknowledgement

I had been having a miserable day. It was one of those days when I felt like like the world was against me. It was grey and raining and getting dark. I was going to the bank to put some money in. I shuffled in, wet and tired, the bank was practically empty. The fact there was no liveleness or ques (suprisingly) made me feel even more depressed.

I walked up to the counter that was free. There was a middle aged women, with grey cropped hair, dressed in a purple jumper. She said hi to me. "I want to put £10 in". I mumbled back. Then I waited, just wanting to go home 'You must be a Zoey then' she said. I was shocked and looked back at her. She smiled and nodded towards the computer "it says". When I left she said " have a nice day sweety". I came out and couldn't stop thinking about her. The fact that someone had been cheerful and acknowleged me made tears come to my eyes. 

You never know the power of your words and what they might do for someone.

Band-Aid Smiles

This idea is so simple, and I've been doing it for SO many years that I never even gavea thought to posting it here before.

I carry "children's bandages" - you know those fancy printed or brightly colored ones that kids love - in my purse, tucked into an old, small plastic "raincap holder". Over the years, I have seen quite a few parents dealing with a crying child who has fallen and scraped a knee. I immediately reach into my purse and bring out one of those bandages, hand it to the parent and move on. Of course, it won't always make the scrape feel better, but it does usually ease the crying of the child and tension of the parent. I ALWAYS get a smile.

Smile Card Magic In The Sky

I was at Karma Kitchen, a gift economy project, when a volunteer asked if anyone could use some free drink coupons for a particular airline.  I enthusiastically accepted, knowing that even though I don't usually drink, I could use those free drink coupons to "tag" someone with a smilecard.  I loved the idea of "tagging" someone with a smilecard and a free drink coupon on an airplane! Fast forward a month or two later, when my girlfriend and I were on a flight to Las Vegas as the first stop of a trip to the Grand Canyon.  I had several drink coupons and smilecards ready, and it was just a matter of figuring out the "Who" and the "How" of tagging someone on an airplane, while still trying to stay completely anonymous. As luck would have it, we had an awesome, amazing, hilarious flight attendant, who was very, very funny (he really could have been ... Read Full Story >>

A Rainy Afternoon Brightened With Little Acts of Kindness

If you are on the lookout, you can almost always find an opportunity for kindness.  I filled my afternoon with small gestures today, they didn't take much time or effort, but I hope they made a small difference to the people who received them. I was out and about because I had to do a few errands this afternoon.  My first stop was the supermarket.  I wanted to buy some croissants with chocolate on them for my daughter Rita.  I also decided to get  a few plain ones for my husband, my mum and me. Armed with the croissants, I went on to my second stop - a local charity bookshop.  I wanted to see if they had any books on Unicorns, since Rita loves them (and, I have to admit, so do I).  While I was there, I struck up a conversation with the lady at the counter during which she commented on the smell ... Read Full Story >>

An Unexpected Blessing

I traveled two hours in the rain to be with my high school friend for her 50th birthday.  I had a wonderful time.  I stopped for gas on the way home, and after paying, I was walking back to my car and something caught my eye on the ground near a mud puddle.  I bent down and picked it up.  It was a $10 bill – soaking wet, but nevertheless, it was money :).  It may not sound like a lot, but it was a true gift for me.  Money has been tight for a while, and I almost chose not to attend the birthday party.  However, my desire to be with my friend overcame my inhibitions, and this spontaneous money paid for the gas required to travel back and forth.

Unexpected blessings are always welcome!  I followed my heart and it “paid” off.  I encourage you to do the same.  :0)

Homemade Halloween Treats

On Halloween this year, I decided that I wanted to do something for the kids in my neighbourhood. I am not married and have not had the blessing of my own children, however I am truly blessed by those in the co-operative housing complexes close by. So, I set off making "ghost pops", rice crispie shaped ghosts covered in a white chocolate coating with black licorice eyes. I wrapped each up and specially tied them with a bow. Then I set them out for parents and kids to see as they came by trick-or-treating. I cannot tell you the elation of the parents and the thrill of the kids around this treat.   For me it was far greater, as I grew up in a time that any and all 'homemade' food, apples or something not properly sealed was thown out - razor blades, pins and parents being safe.  I figured it would help if I ... Read Full Story >>

Joy From A Gift Card

I previously signed up with my local mall to fill out email surveys.  Recently, the mall sent me an email saying it would give me a free gift card if I printed the email and brought it to the mall at a certain date and time.  When I arrived, a young girl ahead of me was attempting to obtain her gift card, but they realized she had to be 18 years old, and her birthday wasn't for two more weeks.  I felt really bad for her, but she was polite, though obviously disappointed.

I took note of the direction she headed, and after receiving my card, I headed that way.  I saw her entering a store, so I walked up to her and handed her my card.  At first she turned down my gift, saying that I did not need to do that…but I just smiled and said "happy holidays" very quietly and walked off.  It was so nice to see the surprise and pleasure on her face.

I didn't have the $10 gift card before entering the mall, so it wouldn't hurt to give it away.  In fact, rather than “not hurting,” it brought me much joy!

I only regret that I didn't have a Smile Card with me to accompany the gift card!

Finding A Way To Offer Something

My doorbell rang and I opened the front door to find a man standing there holding an identity card.  He must have been in his late twenties. He said that he had been to a reform centre and he was trying to make good by selling things door to door.  

Unfortunately, I do have any money to buy things, but I did want to help this man.  I remembered that I had a small piggy bank full of coins.  I asked the man to wait and I went and got the piggy bank.  I emptied it into one of the man's pockets.

He was so happy.

A Regular Person's Christmas Compassion

This was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:  I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay.  When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something ... Read Full Story >>

A Penguin Surprise

I saw the cutest little penguin Christmas tree ornament, which made me think of a teacher at school who really loves penguins. It was inexpensive, so I was able to buy it.

I saw the teacher leave the room for her lunch break, so I was sneaky and left the ornament on her desk...with a little tag saying, “Just for You...I hope it makes you Smile!”

She was so surprised when she found it there. She told the faculty that she is going to figure out who put it there.  I don't think she will, but I do know that she was smiling as she walked up and down the halls that afternoon. :)

Six Hours to Help

Today, I went to the passport office to get my passport renewed. Even with doing some of the renewal online, I still had to wait like six hours to submit my application.  Feeling a bit frustrated by that, I decided that instead of getting annoyed, why not help people fill out their forms. Most of the people who were there were either elderly or not from the country, and needed extra time with the forms in their non-native language. I was happy helping them with their forms in any way that I could. All of them were very appreciative but the greatest happiness was seeing them smile when they were able to successfully submit their applications. 

The 6 hour waiting time turned out to be so much better than I expected because I had an opportunity to help others...I  walked out, passport renewed and a happy man!

Spreading Smiles During Cruise Ship Season

In New Zealand, our summer period runs from December through February, and during this summer/Christmas break, we have many, many tourists! Today was the first day of the Cruise Ship Season, and there were busloadsof tourists everywhere, most of whom seemed to be American tourists. During this year’s Cruise Ship season, we have 45 cruise ships from all over the world, which come into Mount Maunganui/Tauranga, New Zealand. During my lunch break, I noticed a few tourists (I could tell from the cruise ship passes hanging around their necks) who were standing there, looking extremely confused. So I walked right up to them and asked if they needed some help. They were rather lost and were looking for the nearest hotel. So I stood there for a few minutes, had a bit of a chat with them, and then showed them towards the hotel, after which they were very thankful. I  love the Cruise Ship Season because, as ... Read Full Story >>

The Gypsy Flower Boy

In 2000, I was on holiday with my friends on the  island of Corfu, Greece. One night we were walking along the main road that was lined on both sides with bars and nightclubs and it was very late maybe 11:30pm.  I noticed that there were children walking along in front of me and I thought, "It is late for children to be up and about," but then I noticed that they were gypsy children, young girls and boys selling roses, or trying to sell roses to drunk tourists and gangs of girls out for the night! I felt sad when I saw one boy, probably no older than 8 or 9, trying to sell theflowers to the passers by and getting polite and sometimes agressive responses from the people that thronged the street. "Where were his parents and what was he doing out at this time," I thought.  I just ... Read Full Story >>

Unexpected Warmth At An Airport Counter

One important meeting lingers in my memory for  a long time through which I learned an unforgettable lesson.

Way back in 1991, I was traveling for the first time from India to another country. I was at Mumbai airport , not familiar with all the formalities of flying and reasonably anxious, and was standing in the queue to collect my boarding pass.

A Lost Kindness Opportunity

So today was a monday Morning and like millions of others,  I left home to get to work. The slight difference today from most Mondays was that I was running half hour late and I was feeling stressed about it. 

Just near a major bridge, a car in front of me broke down and I panicked and shifted gear and went ahead, as I was driving past the car, I noticed it was a lady in the driver's seat and the look in her face was quite helpless. I saw her and yet I did NOT stop.

The 'being late' thing was on mind and the fear that my boss will have a comment or two was in my mind and that made me decide to not help the lady. Now I have reached office and feel so miserable.

I am a person who always helps others and this time I did not.

Should I have stopped to help the lady? While I knew the right thing to do was to help that lady at that time, why did the being late to work created such a havoc for me. 

What should one do when faced with a similar situation next time?