Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Awarding My Students For Their Personal Growth

For the last 25 years, I have surprised my students after ‘Improvement Week’ with a celebration. Today was that day.

The Students focus on six areas for personal growth: absences, homework, spelling, times tests, grammar and reading fluency. They just try to do better than before.

Little do they know I have procured items for their areas of improvement: dictionaries, watches, calculators, books, etc., as well as donations from local businesses for eateries, mini golf, and more. 
The ones that improved in all six areas receive a plaque.
They don’t expect this, and it made them feel good. 

This fits all the Random Acts of Kindness criteria. (The faces of those without masks in the photo have been blurred. They don't look that way.)



48 Reads

Sowing Shrubs of Beauty


As I'm on Easter break here, I managed to get out and finish off filling the gaps in the hedge row along my morning walk with 11 more Hawthorns. In the afternoon I made a good start on the Dryside road which runs through to Kinross by planting a couple of baby Yews, two small Beech which will hopefully become hedges rather than full grown trees and 14 young Hawthorns.

These are much more noticeable than the elder and willow cuttings which I'm hoping will take root, so might see some noticeable growth on these this year.

I will take a look at my wild Rose cuttings and see how they are faring later this evening.

Sunflower seeds now sown in pots for planting later round the village Peace Pole to honour the people of Ukraine.

May Peace Prevail on Earth.
 

118 Reads

You are the Difference


Again, absolutely slammed at the food bank with families in need.

It’s amazing, but as the need increases, so do the avenues of support: a bevy of new volunteers, folks with overflowing baskets of fresh eggs to donate, a used desk perfect for my sister's apartment.

Brought some snack-sized Easter candy to share with the families, along with a plate of peanut butter cookies for the volunteers.

“Oh, Mindy always brings in homemade treats for us!” another volunteer told a newbie. “2nd Saturday. Remember that!”

Adding that little extra, always makes a difference.
 

163 Reads

20 Years of Connection

Laura and I worked together at a school about 20 years ago. She lives about 90 minutes from where I live, but I see her and her beautiful family every year at an Independence Day festival where her husband's band plays (They're good!).

She came to town today with the kids and surprised my students with Galaxy Donuts for RAOK Month. The kids were thrilled and it was great to see her.

128 Reads

Red Light Ripple Effect

On the way into work the other day, I was at a big intersection at a red light. A homeless person was standing in the cold with a sign asking for help. No one seemed to offer anything.

I had some granola bars in the car (as a back-up snack for my kids) and so I rolled down my window and gave a smile and a granola bar.
I got a big thank you and smile back, and then all of a sudden another car in the lane next to me rolled down their window and gifted something, and then another car behind that and a 3rd thereafter with the homeless person dancing in gratitude from car to car. 

You never know when the ripple effects will take you but it certainly led to a big smile on my heart!

132 Reads

Helping My Neighbor


I have a 95-year old neighbor who takes care of her daughter with special needs. I call her every Saturday to see what she might want from my Sunday shopping excursion. Today I brought her a baked chicken, some zucchini and tortillas. I feel so fortunate to have known her for over twenty years.

#AprilRAOK

171 Reads

Breakfast served to a little king

One morning I was at home with not much to do, when a child from the street came and asked for food.
I told to wait, then I went in and prepared a feast. Boiled egg, bread, coffe with milk and that. I gave him, he enjoyed and then left. Other day I did the same with someone else when my friends were with me, the envioroment was weird, that I remember. But afterwards they thanked me for being kind to him.
Have a good morning everyone. Wishing great things, rely on God and he will provide.

117 Reads

Distribution Of Sweets

Yesterday some relatives came home and they gave us a sweet box. At home no one were interested in this particular sweet in the sweet box. So my father and myself took the sweet box to our shop to distribute it to people.
We gave one of the pieces to a child and that made me happy.

122 Reads

Easter gifts

I found some packages of small stress balls and squishy toys in the Easter basket stuffers bin at a local store and everything was half off!   Each package included 12 small toys.  They would make wonderful small gifts for kids in restaurants, Dr.'s office etc (With their parent's permission of course). I gave a couple of the balls to two kids at a restaurant where we stopped for lunch.

 

100 Reads

Brownies Week


Brownies Week has begun! Gary and Catherine of my local radio station were the recipients of my first batch this morning, but Catherine wasn't in. Hopefully Gary saved a few crumbs for her...Yes, they're that good! 🤣


130 Reads

Sharing Chairs for Community Acupuncture

One of my neighbors was giving away a beautiful recliner that no longer fit in her house. There was nothing wrong with it. I needed a new one for my community acupuncture practice. She helped me load it in my car. 
My patients loved it and I have a feeling it will be the most popular chair now.

Two zero gravity lawn chairs that I had as back-up in my office will now go to the Trauma Healing Project’s clinic as the older ones are beginning to wear. I want very much for the patients there to have real recliners when receiving acupuncture but as a non-profit on a tight budget, they are not easy to find, even used (often too dirty or broken).


133 Reads

Planting Kindness for the Future

I took my spade and trowel to the wee community woodland yesterday.  I'd had my eye on some Hawthorn saplings which were growing there.  I'd spotted them last week when I noticed that they'd taken root too close to the path and wouldn't survive long there.   I was pleased to find another one growing right up against the trunk of a Birch, so I looked for more that had rooted in this way and eventually came away with around two dozen baby Hawthorn, four young Yew and four slightly larger Beech.  The Beech would eventually have grown large and smothered everything else underneath, so I was rather pleased to get these out early.   The woodland mostly consists of Birch, Sloe, Wild Rose, Bramble, Hazel and other native large shrubs. This morning I took a walk along my usual route outside the village and managed to plant and water in 11 of the Hawthorns and two of the Yews.   Further ... Read Full Story >>

210 Reads

😊 Treat Yourself And Volunteer!


I volunteered to give out treats at the Center for the children’s community Easter walk yesterday evening.

Oh, what FUN!

🐰 With each “Hoppy Easter!” as we dropped a treat into their complimentary bags. We were rewarded with smiles, thanks, and return wishes, not only from the children but the parents/guardians as well.

That’s what volunteering does, it gets us out of our own heads and into the encouragement of others, which helps us in return.

And those children are so adorable! One family even had a strolling minstrel guitarist accompanying them 🎶.


179 Reads

Day 7 April RAoK

I went back to the McDonald's that I had visited yesterday and found another fella in need. He sat reading his book in front of his bike. I asked if he'd like a bag of goodies that I put together. He looked in and was genuinely thankful. I asked his name and he asked mine; then we fist-bumped<3.

The image below is not one of my bags, but it's close: my bags include socks, water, a snack, bandaids, toothbrush and toothpaste, and more.


196 Reads

Birthday Celebration By Serving

On my birthday, I visited the Gurudwara with my husband and son and spent some time sitting quietly and listening to the uplifting kirtan sung by the musicians. We then did sewa (service) by serving food to the visitors. Finally, we enjoyed the langar (food) and gave some donations, and then returned home. I am grateful that this serving opportunity is so close to my house as I enjoy serving and so does my family. It is really a blessing.

224 Reads

A Quieter Kind

A moment’s pause from the stack of books beside my chair, leads my focus to outside, where signs of spring are feeding: American goldfinches are turning more golden, a robin takes a quick dip in the heated birdbath. I am finding a new, quieter kind in my rebalancing. Still folding and giving flocks of origami Peace Doves, with an emphasis on Ukraine Doves lately. I still enjoy an occasional early morning baking, with sharing in mind. I also keep our seven backyard bird-feeders filled. I offer my widowed brother-in-law a meal every week and replenish the fresh flowers on the “altar” mantle where my sister's ashes reside in a beautifully hand-crafted wooden box. Time is spent editing and assembling pamphlets for sister’s Celebration of Life service scheduled for late May. Making progress, both infinitesimal and great, in guiding my other newly relocated sister to a fresh start in the area, which is teaching me patience, the ... Read Full Story >>

259 Reads

We All Have Abundance To Share

These are some of the things I shared recently: Food - a banana to a homeless man on the side of the road; a roast chicken and potatoes to a hungry family at the farmer's market; an apple to a hungry kid who was pestering her mom for snacks at an event I attended; homemade food and sweets to two neighbors and treats to friends. Seeds harvested from our garden with two different people. Time and energy - for a student who needed to cry (on Friday); for volunteering all weekend. Flowers for an elderly neighbor who is coming home from rehab! Books - I bought a few copies of a book recently written by a friend and have gifted it to several people who will enjoy it. An idea - for friend's birthday is tomorrow. Her young daughter helped me chalk up their sidewalk with birthday message/decorations/artwork while she is out. Stealth kindness is the best!               ... Read Full Story >>

320 Reads

Swapping the Rickshaw for Organic Walking

While buying organic vegetables, I gave some quote cards and bookmarks to other shoppers. After buying the vegetables, I was walking towards home. One gentleman gave me a ride to the main street which I really appreciated. I got off his scooter and I gave him a bunch of quote cards and a booklet on positive thinking. I also told him a story about positive thinking and my experiences with it.

Further on down the road, I gave some donations to needy people including enough to one lady with two kids, to buy some groceries and slippers for her daughter.

I never save money walking in place of taking the rickshaw. Instead, I meet people who need help and give some donations. This is like organic walking to me.
 
I am thankful to Sri Sathya Sai Baba for sending opportunities on my way and helping and guiding me. I am just His instrument in this regard.

182 Reads

Planting Perfection One Cutting at a Time

Most of my morning walks take me up a quiet road near Glentarkie and returning home along the edge of a couple of fields. I love this little walk which takes around 45 minutes and passes some of my favourite foraging areas. Later in the year, I’ll collect crab apples, brambles, raspberries, rose hips and elderberries and if I remember some elderflowers to make cordial. The rest will go towards jams, wine and chutneys. As it’s become ‘My Walk', I’ve also cleared up most of the litter from the roadside verge, mostly for my own benefit, but I know that others must enjoy it being litter free too. I’ve noticed too that there are stretches of grass verge where there are no shrubs growing, which is a shame as the wee animals and birds could be hiding there or making their homes. Last year I considered planting hawthorn along the verges, but raising them ... Read Full Story >>

232 Reads

Dollar Store Antics


I accompanied my wife to a dollar store to get decor for a party in her class and I found this die that I thought would be good to have in the classroom this month.

When we checked out I rolled it and it came up, "Give a Compliment". So I told the young woman, "You look wonderful today," then changed it. "I have never seen you before, so you just plain look wonderful for any day."

She laughed and thanked me. When we collected our items I grabbed the die and some other items including a Butterfinger candy bar.

"So, you bought a candy bar, did you?" asked my wife.

"No, this isn't mine. I thought it was yours." It wasn't. So, we told the young woman she could enjoy it on her break. She smiled again.

#AprilRAOK

 

175 Reads




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