Stories of Kindness from Around the World

If You Thought This World Was Small

[A while back, I wrote a story about my 9/11 experience -- One of a Thousand Stories to Tell.  The story took me two years to write, but I never realized that so many would be touched by it.  Thank you for all the heart warming comments.  Below is a follow-up story.] When I went back to New York in April of 2002, we went to the Port Authority Command Center to offer the money that our local firefighters had raised -- $31,600. They took us down to Ground Zero in 2 of their police vans to present the check. "Where are you from?" the driver of police van asked all of us.  I said, "Michigan."  He was very moved by what we were doing for them, and the families of the Port Authority Police would benefit a lot from the money. As we were presenting the check at Ground Zero, the Police ... Read Full Story >>

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  • Posted by David G. Nadeau
  • Sep 11, 2019
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Aftermath of September 11, 2001

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, my friend Pamela and I founded United We Quilt to recruit volunteer quilters to make memory quilts for families who lost loved ones in the attacks that day.

Overtime 500 generous quilters were recruited from all over the U.S. and from several other countries. They were matched to families who requested a quilt to be made from clothing and/or photos of their loved one. More than 500 families were gifted with personalized memory quilts made with love. Here is a photo of such a memory quilt.

1853 Reads

Making A Teacher Smile

I downloaded your Smile cards. I then wrote small welcome back to school notes to my friends/colleagues at the school I work at. I included a smile card in the note. I just wanted to pass along a small kindness to them and thank them for the important work they do everyday in the classroom. I was so excited sealing these envelopes. It makes my heart happy to do small acts of kindness. Thank you for this wonderful, simple and easy idea.

1481 Reads

Love Beyond Labels

Last night, when I went to see my grandmother, she was sitting alone at the nurses station with her word search book (when my grandmother, who has dementia, came to live here over 5 years ago, I tried many things to keep her occupied – painting, magazines, crossword, music, coloring, mazes…but it was only her word search book that kept her interest…the one thing her mind could follow – she began to think of it as her job; it kept her from wandering – over these 5 years, I have gotten her the same BIG EASY WORDSEARCH book at least 17 times… each one has 100 puzzles and she does them all. Recently coloring simple pictures like fishes has gotten her attention too)….. SO my grandmother was sitting at the desk with her book but no pencil just staring at the letters as if she was trying to find the word. ... Read Full Story >>

1049 Reads

Tito, 2nd Picture. This ...

Tito, 2nd picture.
this is his poor body picture. he is all ribs and hip bones. he was used as a race horse until he was considered unprofitable, then he was sold to a farm where he was used every day, never loved. never properly cared for. and when they used him up they sent him to the kill pen.

But we've got him now !!
now that he is with us he gets lots of love every day, a specialized diet, he gets groomed (cuz he has rain rot, so his hair is falling out), vet check ups and everything else that goes along with it.
it will be very interesting to see this boy blossom.

693 Reads

This Is Tito, The ...

This is Tito, the horse i am sponsoring. he looks very sad, i think he IS very sad. sometimes he just stands in his stall, unsure of what to do, who to trust. i am heading out in a minute for a little horse kindness.

583 Reads

A Woman Was Sitting ...

A woman was sitting on a curb with tears in her eyes. She appeared to be homeless, but the cell phone made me think otherwise. "Be strong girl. It's a beautiful day." She responded with a beautiful smile. Super easy to be naturally kind. For those that struggle, keep it simple.

743 Reads

Pay It Forward Line

Hot day! Went to the local quick-e-mart for ice cream and got into a genial, “no you go first” debate with another customer. While waiting, a local told me her story and I admitted to being a newcomer. When I reached the clerk, I paid for two people behind me and started a trend. Even the clerk paid for someone! This is a good place! with kindness!

2204 Reads

Better Than Strawberries

The cleaning ladies that my market friend uses were at her house when I went to pick her up this morning. They asked her to purchase some strawberries for them. This time if year is so past strawberry season. She didn't ask them if they had a 'Plan B' should there not be strawberries. Instead, at the market, she purchased a small container of cherries, blueberries and a darling bouquet dubbed "Gumball Bouquet" (just picture the contents of a gumball machine). She was going to let them pick an item in place of the strawberries that they weren't going to get. Kindness was in the air this morning.

674 Reads

More Than A Handshake

It was hot and overcast and yet, such a beautiful full day. We picked up my grandmother from her nursing home in San Jose and drove her to Watsonville where the three of us went to get a Shiatsu treatment (a gift from John). We used to go regularly but the last time I had taken my grandmother, she seemed to forget where she was and how to breathe while on her stomach on the massage table – it scared me so I thought perhaps it was better to just massage her myself the best I could. Still, what I can do is pretty cosmetic and she’s been getting weaker and having aches from sitting in a wheel chair all day so, I called Ben who runs the Shiatsu clinic with his wife and daughter out of their home and told him my concerns - I wasn’t even sure if ... Read Full Story >>

1623 Reads

Thursday's Movements

Brought a box of chocolates for the reception staff at the doctor's office yesterday. It's a big practice, they are always busy, but all of them have wonderful smiles, laughs and kind words. On the way home, I stopped at a supermarket to get a few needed things and what do I see? A box of gorgeous gladiolas. Couldn't find a price on the bunches when the clerk said that a new batch was coming in and these were selling for almost free :)) Purchased one bunch for me and another for a good friend. Glads are her favorite floweres.

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Balance

❤️ Kindness for Self....Learning to Say No Even When It’s Not Easy... I find it hard to say no to our neighbors when they ask us to do something for them, when they are going to be away from home for an extended time , even if what they are asking us to assume responsibility for causes me anxiety & stress. I find it hard to say no, because we know one another for a very long time and they are wonderful people. Today I decided I just had to stop struggling mentally over the latest favor one of our neighbors asked of us &, although it was really difficult for me, say sorry but I can’t assume this responsibility, as it’s just too much for me. Whew! It was liberating! They were very understanding about it & gracious. Then I found this blog, “Learning to Say No Even When Its Not Easy (link ... Read Full Story >>

809 Reads

How I Feel

Dear Soulkins, I was drawn to KS back in 2012 because I liked finding a platform for sharing kindness stories.....Am I the only one noticing, and concerned, that our KS Community Feed has been moving in a direction not in line with its intended use? Some posts lately, while dealing with topics very worthy of discussion, are not within the website guidelines, which include (from KS FAQS): ❤️“The objective of this site is to spread kindness. Please keep all content you post focused on the topic of kindness and your experiences on doing acts of kindness or receiving kindness from others.”❤️ It’s not a dating website. Nor a mental health website where these sensitive matters are best held by professional and trained supporters, in my opinion. Perhaps other forum websites, or, private KS messaging would be more appropriate for things folks want to discuss that fall outside the intended purpose of this space? This is how ... Read Full Story >>

658 Reads

Here Or There, Kindness Opportunities Everywhere

I had my first morning free in 2 weeks, 12 hour days so very tired! I had to go shopping to get the food, have 3 hungry students at home :-) but I decided to take a break and stop at the local Café. I enjoyed my latte and sweet treat more than ever! The waitresses were so lovely, all young ladies. My coffee was quite cold so I had to ask to heat it. They wanted to make a new one, I explained it was not necessary but they insisted so I let them be kind :-)
On my way back, I took the bus, tired and with many heavy bags. When I sat I realised I had not greeted the bus driver. I always make the extra effort as hardly anyone talks to them. So there I was thinking...'oh no, how silly of me...I was not kind...' and at that moment, the bus had stopped, and two elderly ladies got on. My thoughts changed very quickly to 'ohhh, here it is, there are always opportunities for kindness...'. One of them gratefully accepted my seat :-)

441 Reads

Sharing Kindness ..

Today's morning, a friend called me on my phone for help in finding blood. His friend's wife is admitted in hospital and doctor has prescribed her for urgent need of 2 unit blood. I did some calls to my other friends and managed donor cards for 2 unit blood. The patient's family was very to got blood. and they said thanks..

Sharing kindness is sharing happiness !!

Thanks..

450 Reads

Green Bean Kindness

It's Saturday morning. I went to the farmers' market as usual. Our garden green beans are pathetic, so I was on a quest to find some there. Found what I wanted, but the containers were HUGE. I asked one of the vendors if I could have a handful and handed him my small container. He overfilled it much to my protests. When I asked him what I owed him, he said that he had dropped more on the pavement this morning than was in my container. There was no charge. What a unexpected gift!

668 Reads

Drive Through Love

I went to my coffee place and took the order from two females in the car behind me. Then I paid for the drinks! The staff thought it was very fun since I don’t work there, but surprisingly they paid it forward for the car behind them.

I am so happy to see ripples happening! A very tall barista crawled out of the drive through window and gave me hugs! Smiling heart ❤️

1311 Reads

💐 Encouraging Creativity

Not being close to a town encourages me to be more creative with my gift giving!

I recycled some glass bottles (goo-gone the labels off), and then decorated them with stickers (compliments of Rajni), used cloth scraps as ribbons and then...the BEST part...meandered thru our meadow and picked bouquets of wildflowers.

One for sis and BIL (their 52 anniversary is today!) and the other for a niece who gifted me with the most lovely dove ornament from her recent vacay. 🕊

1035 Reads

I Stopped By After ...

I stopped by after church today to visit a friend who just had hip replacement surgery. She is in a rehab facility now and will be there for several weeks. She’s having a rather rough adjustment. She’s still uncomfortable from the surgery and very unhappy with the food, so she’s not eating. Knowing that a mutual friend of ours was also on their way to see her, I stepped into the hallway and gave her a call. I was happy to let our friend know that food was on its way!


870 Reads

This Kind Of Stuff...

❤️ An elderly man, kneeler scooting his way through Laughing Water (restaurant at Crazy Horse Memorial), stopped at our table and asked the children visiting us from IL, “Are you good students and making good grades in school?” The question sort of surprised us all, it being summer and the last thing on anyone’s mind was school, but I responded, “Well, I know they do their best!” They both nodded and their mom agreed. “I used to be the principal at the school here (Custer, SD?),” Then he gave each of the children a dollar coin! “Let me give you these for being such good students. Keep up the good work. Education is important!” We all thanked him for his kind generosity. I gave him a Peace dove, which he tucked in his shirt pocket with a smile. ❤️ “This KIND of stuff happens a lot with us,” said the children’s mom. “People have paid for ... Read Full Story >>

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