Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Auctioning Love

Our high school youth group held a very clever fund raiser at church yesterday. They had a Dessert Auction! It was the kick off fund raiser to help them travel to a nation wide conference with other high schoolers next summer. I contributed a couple of pies - a blueberry and a french apple. Each fetched a nice sum to add to their trip account.

Some of the kids were the auctioneers, others walked the desserts around all the tables so we could better see what we were bidding on, and others delivered the desserts to highest bidders. The younger children had made colorful, animal shaped bidding paddles for us to use when bidding.

It was such a fun event! And it was so wonderful to see the joy in the faces of these young people, knowing they had done well. A good amount of money was raised. And, even more importantly, all of us had worked together to help this special group of young folks. A good time was had by all!


1001 Reads

A Simple Gift for a Fussy Child at the Store

I like wearing things in my hair (wreaths, bows, streamers etc.). I had a big blue bow from one of our christmas gifts in my hair at work today. A customer was trying to ask me some questions about some of our cameras and she had a small child who wouldn't calm down.

I could tell she was very frustrated and I know how it feels to be looked at by other people as the parent who can't control your child, even though every parent knows that you can't always stop a child from fussing no matter how good or bad a parent you are.

I took the bow out of my hair and gave it to the child to play with. She immediately smiled and started playing with it. We were able to finish the interaction without any more mishap and she was very appreciative when I allowed her to keep the bow.

915 Reads

Leaving Some Hand Salve for the Mail Carrier

Last Christmas, I gave my mail carrier some hand-made salve to keep her hands from getting so chapped delivering mail. She recently left me a note in my mailbox saying she "would love to buy some more of that great hand salve you gave me for Christmas". I quickly made another batch and left a jar in my mailbox with a note to her and a Smile Card. I asked her to please allow me the thrill of gifting her some hand salve. And that whenever she needed more, just leave me an empty jar in my mailbox. And then, I asked her to please help me to keep the energy of giving circulating by taking whatever amount she would have paid for some more hand salve and do some random act of kindness for someone. She just left me another note in my mailbox saying how excited she is and how she ... Read Full Story >>

1301 Reads

Surprise Bath Salts for the Cashier

In December, I was at the grocery store buying canning jars for a project I was working on. The cashier asked me what I was going to use the jars for, so I told her about my plans to make lavender bath salts for friends and family as holiday gifts.

She was really interested and asked me to let her know how it turned out. I decided to do better -- a few days before Christmas, I brought her a gift jar full of the bath salts I had made. She was so happy and surprised, she gave me a hug. The small act of kindness felt great.

1057 Reads

Leaving Bubbles and Balls for Kids at a Park

Went to the store and bought a few balls and several bottles of bubbles. Drove to my grand-daughter's favorite park and left some bubbles and a ball next to the kiddie slide.

I was the only one at the park for about 15 minutes when a little girl (maybe 3 or 4) and her Mom showed up. When she saw the bubbles and ball, her Mom told her that they were not hers and not to touch them.

When I left the park I said to the Mom that the bubbles and ball were there for the kids to enjoy. When I got in my car to leave the little girl ran to the bubbles and ball with the greatest little smile on her face. It makes my heart so happy to see little children happy.

975 Reads

Helping a Co-worker with a Flat Tire

The week leading up to Christmas and New Years was pretty slow at work. Everyone was finishing up their final vacation days, extracting every bit of time off to extend the holidays. At one point I had the whole building to myself, and another day was just me and another girl... who got a flat tire. I've been fortunate that I've never had to change my own tire, but I've changed them for other people. I "just so happened" to be walking by when she parked and I noticed the flat. She had heard and felt it just up the road. I said "well, looks like I gotta job to do!" She offered to call her boyfriend, but I said it wouldn't be necessary. I'd be glad to change it for her. There wasn't much to it of course, until it came time to loosen the nuts. I couldn't do it! What ... Read Full Story >>

1419 Reads

Experimenting with Acts of Free Kindness

The last few days I've been challenging myself to "Free Kindness" as I notice I tend to associate acts of kindness with either gifting someone something or paying it forward by 'buying' something. Some days I give myself a hard time even thinking I haven't given or when I do give I'm taking the easy way out by just buying someone a coffee. So this year I'm challenging myself to free kindness.

Last night I was able to gift a lovely free kindness to a work colleague who was really tired after working two jobs. I was due to finish work at 8 however told her to go home and that I'd cover the rest of her shift and stay back.

Today my 'free' kindness has been feeding ducks at a local park, picking all the beer bottles and cans. I also whilst picking up rubbish found a full packet of cigarettes which I will gift to someone at work as I don't smoke.
 

865 Reads

Sticky Note Reminder to Renew License Plates

An act of kindness came my way yesterday and I am so very appreciative! A nice security guard left a little sticky note on my windshield to let me know that my license plates had expired and that I needed to renew them. I was able to do so right away and without that act of kindness on his (or her) part, I would have been driving around for who knows how long with expired license plates. So grateful! ... Read Full Story >>

995 Reads

📝 Going Postal! Kindness from the Post Office

When the clerk at the post office weighed the mailer, and found out how heavy it was, she repackaged it in a pre-paid envelope to save me postage! She took great care in redoing, retaping and gave me advice on how to mail heavier packages by using the available prepaids (at least for domestic).

Peace doves are pretty light, but add a book and some Rajni quote cards and the kindness gets a bit heavier 😊.

Grateful to the clerk for her extra attention, time, care and knowledge.

 

981 Reads

Lemonade Kindness

The children down the street were having a lemonade stand; I bought a cup from them and asked if the lemons were from their tree. Their response was, "We don't have a lemon tree." I asked them to hang on a second.

I went to my backyard and picked a whole bunch of lemons and brought them over to the children. The smiles on their faces were huge, as was their gratitude for this stranger, who just gifted them lemons for their stand! They kept offering me "free lemonade and cookies" to thank me, but I just smiled and wished them well. It felt so great to be able to do this, and the looks on their faces were priceless.

1435 Reads

Rescued On The Road in North Dakota

I was driving my newly acquired motorcycle across the vastness of North Dakota when all of the sudden it froze up on the interstate. I would later be told the timing belt had slipped and this caused one of the pistons to crack a cylinder head, or something like that. Anyway, I sat on the side of the interstate for what seemed like hours. I even feigned to have been in an accident, which didn't help. Finally, a young man pulled over and offered me a ride, but given that he already had two motorcycles in the back of his truck, he could only take me. He drove me to the next town, where I asked to be dropped off. Rather than drop me off, he waited while I asked around if anyone could help me go pick up my motorcycle. One elderly gentleman was working and said that I could use ... Read Full Story >>

2885 Reads

Personalize Pastries

The other day I told the girls at work that if I got up early enough I would go across town to a place called Grandpa's Bakery (they have been in business for over 100 years) and bring in fresh baked pastries. Well, I overslept and they were so disappointed. I had to make it up to them! So today I went to Grandpa's and got them each their own box of their favorite pastries and surprised them. I personalized each of their boxes, too; Magnificent Monique, Generous Judy and Joyful Joann. They loved it<3.

515 Reads

From Brewton, Al To Cleveland, Tn

Bonita and Thomas passed through Brewton today with their shopping cart. I took the opportunity to stop and talk to them. They were on their way to Tennessee from Miami. They looked sunburned and worn. My friend Ruby and I took them to Huddle House and fed them. We helped them as much as we could with a few dollars and snacks. I asked them how they had been treated so far on their trip...they said Brewton had been the kindest place so far. Way to go Brewton, AL!. They were in a hurry to get back on the road so they could find a place to sleep before night. When I made it home and told my husband...it bothered him so much that people were sleeping in the woods on the ground with snakes crawling that we drove down highway 31 north until we found them...they had already set their ... Read Full Story >>

2065 Reads

School Supplies For Children

With the help of others, I organized a collection of school supplies. Forty backpacks filled with school supplies were donated to needy children, along with two boxes of school supplies for teachers with a total value of approximately $1,100. It's amazing what we can accomplish when we work together!

895 Reads

You Never Know Who is Watching

I was at the grocery store today and there were two lines; one short and one a bit longer. Of course, I chose the shorter line. I started to unload my items when a guy came up behind me with only one item to purchase. I told him to go ahead of me. Here's the cool part. In that longer line right next to mine, there was a guy with a decent amount of groceries, and behind him was a guy with just one item. Next thing I know, he tells the guy to go ahead of him. Maybe that gentleman saw what I did and he decided to follow suit. Or, maybe he did it all on his own. It doesn't really matter. It does give me pause to think, though. Our acts of kindness don't always just affect the ones that we are being kind to...they may inspire others to be ... Read Full Story >>

1855 Reads

Giving Sensory Help to a Toddler

I was doing volunteer work last Saturday and noticed a couple of young families shopping for secondhand clothes. In one family was a dad  looking after their two-year-old son, while mom had room to shop. He was so relaxed and patient with his son, and the kid did not take any heed of what dad uttered at all! The toddler was totally absorbed in experiencing sound (hitting a wooden floor with his toy cars) and copying a few kids also playing nearby. The boy's shirt was rather wet from drool and, as a sensory input specialist, I also noticed definite sensory seeking actions. I was mulling over how to address this, as I knew this kid had sensory issues and could easily be developing far better, if he got proper help. At a point I remembered food issues fitting what I saw, so I addressed the dad. "Apologies, how is your son with food? ... Read Full Story >>

1547 Reads

"Very Nice Talking To You"

I went to the charity shop yesterday to buy a couple of chairs for my students. I often go to this shop and try to get things there when possible. They have a few volunteers, some of the locals who can't find jobs or have learning or other difficulties. I take the time to talk to them because I know how important it is for them to feel respected and appreciated. It's not always easy though. Yesterday one of them had a very strong smell of alcohol and looked obviously affected. I normally stay away when this is the case, but I could see some sadness in his eyes. I approached him, said hello, and thanked him for his work there. His smile was as big as they get! In spite of his condition he was friendly and respectful, which is not always the experience I get in such circumstances. I stayed ... Read Full Story >>

1254 Reads

From Tears To Cheers, Thanks To A Security Guard

Today I went on an outing with my best friend and lost her in a very large mall for some 4 hours. I went crazy searching all over from one end to the other. Finally I had to give in to my pride and ask for help. I spoke with the kindest security guard! He assured me that everything would be fine, and walked with me one more time all around the mall to no avail. I thought it was so surreal and wondered how can a grown woman could lose her best friend in the mall. I went home in tears and thought of how much I messed up. I thought about how special my best friend is to me and those who know her. I went as far as asking God that if anything horrible happened to please take me instead. To my surprise, when I arrived home my best friend was ... Read Full Story >>

1235 Reads
  • Posted by karenbowes
  • Sep 30, 2018
  • Comments (6)
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Providing Supplies for Postcard Writing

I’ve recently been working with a Project SHINE group that provides needed assistance to classrooms at a nearby Elementary School. Project SHINE (Support, Healthcare, INtervention, and Education) partners with schools and helps provide needed supplies to students and teachers. And, by the way, the school we’re helping is where I went to 1st grade! 

New Mexico postcards and stamps are for a couple of classrooms that have pen pals in another state. Lots of fun lessons in writing, reading, geography, art, and even math are in store for these young children. As a retired teacher myself, I was more than happy to provide the supplies needed for this worthwhile learning.

 

867 Reads

Sharing a Salad

🥗 💚 This is the salad I just made to surprise our dear neighbors with when they return home from vacay later today. I just went over & put it in their fridge. :)

They had gifted us some tomatoes, a green pepper, and a big zucchini a few days ago, so their kindness is coming back to them in part. 🥗💚

676 Reads




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