Stories of Kindness from Around the World

We Can All Be Super Heroes

Today is "Twin Day" at our school site. Our amazingly kind and generous transitional kindergarten teacher has purchased matching shirts for all 11 of her girls, in order for each one to feel their own "connection" and "personal power". I just saw the line of 11 Super Hero girls with matching "Not Your Average Girl" shirts on over their other clothing interspersed with the twin pairs of  Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and a duo of Green Haired Hulks. Their teacher is wearing her own Super Hero Shirt that Says "We Are ALL Wonder Women". I love my job!   ... Read Full Story >>

815 Reads

Two Small Words

I was standing in the checkout line behind a woman who looked to be in her 60s. When it was her turn to pay, the cashier asked how she was doing. The woman looked down and said, “Not so good. My husband just lost his job and my son is up to his old tricks again. The truth is I don’t know how I’m going to get through.” Then she gave the cashier food stamps. My heart ached. I wanted to help but didn’t know how. Should I offer to pay for her groceries, ask for her husband’s resume? I did nothing – yet. And then the woman left the store. As I walked into the parking lot, I spotted the lady returning her shopping cart, and I remembered something in my purse that could help her in a different but hopefully profound way. It wasn’t a job for her husband, ... Read Full Story >>

1503 Reads

A National De-Monetization of Currency Leads to Issues at the Petrol Station

A few months ago, India declared de-monetization of its currency. For that period of time, it was very difficult to get cash from the ATM machines. All citizens were encouraged to use their Debit/Credit cards, Internet banking, and Online wallets for all daily transactions. This is where my story starts.  I was going to my office and stopped at a Petrol station to get petrol for my motorbike. I saw a person who was very anxious. When I took interest in his story he told me that he had filled his bike with petrol worth 200 bucks and then found out that his card was not operating  (Maybe due to network or card issues ). Immediately I moved forward and asked him to take the cash from me instead of feeling so anxious. He kindly agreed and accepted the cash. I felt peaceful after seeing him relax. Later he returned my money on paytm ... Read Full Story >>

1743 Reads

Hospital Healing

The orthopedics floor of the hospital presented me with more incredible experiences. I knocked on the door of a room with an elderly Japanese woman in the bed. Her eyes were closed. A caregiver was there and told me "Pease come in and play. She is in so much pain." I played for awhile and the woman's breathing evened out, but then I stopped to chat with the caregiver. This caregiver understood music and sound healing without me having to explain anything. As we talked, the patient eventually began to moan and speak something in Japanese that the caregiver said was gibberish. This was done in a cadence. So I began to play "Flight of the Heron," which was in the same key as the moaning and I played with the same cadence. And then slowed. The woman stopped moaning and began to snore. I have experienced lesser moments like this ... Read Full Story >>

1375 Reads

Fierce Competition To Be The Kindest Inmate Inside A Women’s Prison

Fierce Competition to Be the Kindest Inmate Inside a Women’s Prison: Though constrained by the walls of the prison, these women still have a choice as to how they want to show up in the world. Story Credit: Good News Network Typically, kindness doesn’t top the list of survival skills needed in a women’s prison. But last week, inmates around the world who call themselves “compassionistas” teamed up to see who could perform the most acts of compassion, and competed other prisons and citizens in The 2017 Compassion Games. In previous years, as part of Compassion Games International, the prison inmates at the California Institution for Women (CIW) tallied 4,500 acts of kindness that included sharing food, cleaning each others’ living spaces, and helping apply sunscreen before going outside. Even when temperatures climbed to 108 degrees in the Corona facility in 2013, the women avoided irritable exchanges and encouraged one another to stay hydrated.“The Compassion Games allowed ... Read Full Story >>

3389 Reads

First, You Must Trust, Then You Can Act

I stopped to fill up my tank at the gas station. I saw a man walking around to people at their cars while they filled up their tanks, asking them something to which everyone shook their head no. I wondered what it was until he approached me at the end with a look on his face like he was assuming my answer would be no. “Sorry to bug you but I have to get to work and I am a few bucks short to make it all the way. Can you spare me some gas?” Due to skyrocketing housing prices in the area where I  live, many people do live 2-3 hours away from work, so I didn’t doubt him for a second. After I filled my tank, I filled the rest of his. He smiled and thanked me a few times. I handed him a Smile card and asked him to ... Read Full Story >>

1140 Reads

Learning More Than Physics

Now, you see I'm a  HUMONGOUS fan of style. Like  clothing, hairstyling, grooming, etc.  And also I Just ABSOLUTELY LOVE doing  these anonymous acts of kindness. So, why not link both of these interests and tag someone with a formal stylish looking shirt, I thought to myself? So I go to this gathering, where an uncle called Bala teaches kids physics in a very nice way; and I'm one of those kids. I had arrived to class before Bala Uncle did, so I left the brand new shirt on the his table after putting it in a gift bag. I also stuck a note it wich read  "TO OUR BALA UNCLE WITH LOVE FROM ANONYMOUS FANS! " After the class, I heard a voice say: "OH VERY NICE SHIRT...I'M DEFINITELY KEEPING IT!"  that was Bala Uncle's voice👔👔!    ... Read Full Story >>

832 Reads

Soles from a Kind Soul

From The Love What Matters website:

So this guy comes in to buy a pair of shoes because his are literally falling off. Anyway his card wouldn’t work so he left.

15 minutes later he comes back in with a police officer and we’re like "Is there a problem officer?" The officer says, "No, there’s no problem...but if you still have those shoes I’d like to go ahead and buy them."

He and my co-workers split the cost of the shoes. There was no one else in the store and it wasn’t to “pretend” to care. Just a genuine act of kindness.

People are inherently kind! We just need to pay attention.

1909 Reads

"Santa" to the Rescue

My colleague, Susan has a huge hearted hubby who is once again on the front lines of battling these current fires engulfing Northern CA. As a Chief Battalion leader his job is very dangerous and his time away from his family is often for weeks at a time during "fire season". Before he leaves, Ethan, Susan and each of the three teens hold one another and thoughtfully each shares the best of their traditions, each one promising to do the chores that will keep the family a well oiled machine while Pops is away. Ethan has brought back misplaced animals that are now added into the family fur family, including a fire scarred dessert tortoise, two parrots, and a small herd of Nubian goats. Susan keeps her cel phone on alert for Ethan's text updates. His white substantial facial hair often is mistaken for that of Santa Claus by children who are carried ... Read Full Story >>

1947 Reads

Silent Witnessing of a Heroic Action

Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems and confusion. I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where I would go. The most extraordinary thing happened when I was out on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. I thought he looked at least 70 years old. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me. Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, "Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?" That old man took pity on her, smiled and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, "I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform." I heard this and tears came to my eyes. The ... Read Full Story >>

1530 Reads
  • Posted by soniankush22
  • Oct 26, 2017
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Leftovers Of Kindness

I had the privilege of participating in Karma Kitchen in Berkeley for the first time today. I had a wonderful time washing dishes in the back and doing other tasks to keep the kitchen running smoothly. I entered the dining area only a few times to clear the bus bins but I could feel the community energy and saw only smiles on diners’ faces. But it was actually after the event was over that was the most impactful for me. We had a few boxes of leftovers after our volunteer family meal so we decided to pass them out to homeless people on the streets of Berkeley. I had so much fun running down the streets of Berkeley to find people to give boxes to! Although I was tired from a day of dishwashing, passing out these meals at the end of the day gave me a second wind of energy. One ... Read Full Story >>

1166 Reads

"Miss, I need a Minute of Your Help."

I heard these words as I finished up in the women's bathroom. The petite framed octogenarian in the larger handicapped stall was so sincere, very humbled, and crying ever so lightly. Feeling empowered, I was ready. As she had fallen into the crevice beside the commode, I made the decision to crawl under. After adjusting her undergarments, I assisted her in coming back to stand. She had tripped over her shopping bags by her feet. Together we did a brief once-over of each other's personages and then opened the door. I supported her weight briefly while she did a visual in the mirror. After combing her hair, putting on a new lipstick, straightening her jacket, she left the women's restroom ahead of me. Being alert to a diminutive angel in distress, and helping in adjusting her wings and halo -- what a blessed feeling.   ... Read Full Story >>

2778 Reads

Attitude Of Gratitude

❤️ From the Love What Matters website:

✨"Meet my new friend Carl. House was totally destroyed by fire. Walking up his driveway with him this morning he sees a lemon from off of his burnt to a crisp tree, turns to his wife with a big smile and says 'Look hon, we can have lemon in our drinks tonight!' Amazing attitudes they had for losing so much. His wife said 'We got out alive and still have each other; we are blessed.' " ✨

(Credit: Clark Good)

❤️What a beautiful couple who have such an "attitude of gratitude"!

892 Reads

Bear Bells, Hugs and Pizza

The young couple looked dusty, tired and wore out. Rolling down the window, I asked, "Where are you going?" The woman replied from her resting recline against the bulging backpack, "Polebridge. Supposed to meet our mate there, with the car, IF he got another ride at the crossroads." My husband and I looked at each other and nodded our agreement in giving them a ride. We opened the back hatch and they tossed their packs inside, bear bells jingling. Although talking was difficult with the bumpy gravel road, we discovered that she was from Edmonton, Canada and he was from the Netherlands. They had been out on the trail for four nights, seen about 12 bears (grizzlies too!), not much scenery because of the smoke (big wildfire in Glacier National Park) and were having health problems with the poor air quality.  We reminisced about how my husband and I had backpacked along that same ... Read Full Story >>

1209 Reads

Caring for our Mother...Earth

As we were walking back from the park and I saw that someone had dumped litter at the corner of my street. I didn't have a bag big enough to dispose of the rubbish, so when we got home I gathered the necessary supplies: gloves (Andrea's tip), garbage bag, and handy pick up stick (thanks to my kind neighbour Sara).

I picked up all the litter on both sides of the road and I just about filled the bag with cans, fast food wrappers, bottles, pizza boxes, papers... when I got home I carefully sorted them into recyclables and rubbish.

My husband remarked, "what will people think." I am trying to be over what other people think; sometimes we just have to do what's in our heart.


 

1060 Reads

Hope in the Young

This is just too beautiful to pass up. I keep a deck of smile cards, the actual "playing" cards, on a community table in my classroom. Several weeks ago a student asked what they were and so I asked her if she wanted to play. Ellen said she wanted to read them but I held firm and responded that if she wanted to know, she'd have to play. Finally, she gave in. The card she drew instructed her to make 5 hand written cards and leave them for strangers. Weeks followed days, but she continued to procrastinate, as many of us do. I'd ask how the cards were coming and she'd just say she hadn't had the time yet. I couldn't blame her, a student's life is very busy these days. So, I needed to do something to offer her encouragement. Ellen also has founded her own non-profit which aims to improve education ... Read Full Story >>

1282 Reads

Trusting Us With His Expensive Trailer

This truck belongs to my friend, who was helping me move some stuff I'd bought, including the pile of hay bales in the trailer. The idea was to move the hay bales bit by bit in my car, but when we arrived to load up the other stuff, the man I was buying from suggested we borrow his trailer and take the whole lot in one go.

Thankfully my friend has a tow hitch and adequate license, and it took us one journey instead of multiple (plus a second to take it back). So incredibly grateful to that man, who had only met me once previously and never my friend, and trusted us to bring his expensive trailer back undamaged.



 

1563 Reads

An Knitter's Anonymous Act to Keep a Small Person Warm

An anonymous knitter left this for me at work. Its to take to my other job which supports families and newborn babies with practical help, and bags of clothing. The knitter wanted to be anonymous. It was really a gift of love and will keep a small person warm.

1778 Reads

A Loving Soul

ICU Grandpa

From the Love what matters website:

❤️"They call him the ICU Grandpa. On Tuesdays, he visits the PICU to hold babies whose parents can’t be with them that day. On Thursdays, he makes rounds in the NICU. This photo was taken by baby Logan’s mom as she fought back happy tears. Logan has been in our hospital for six weeks. Every night, his mom goes home to be with his big sister. Every morning, she drives back to Scottish Rite feeling 'anxious that he’s been missing his mommy.' On this particular morning, she walked into the PICU to find Logan—a preemie born at just 25 weeks—in the arms of David, who smiled and introduced himself as the ICU Grandpa. This photo captures just one precious moment with a legend of a hospital volunteer who’s been holding patients, and their parents’ hands, for 12 years." 💜


939 Reads

Words that Warm

Aisha came forward handmade card in hand. Her lovely teacher , Mrs. Black, was celebrating a milestone birthday, one that she would rather mark as "29 again!". With the card there was a loaf of freshly made warm zucchini bread. Hugging on her teacher's waist, Aisha shyly leaned up on her tiptoes. "Please give me your attention" she beckoned to Mrs. Black. Mrs. Black leaned in, and Aisha stated, " You are In My Heart, today and even on the weekends". Words that warm the air like a birthday blessing of light that starts from one heart and migrates between  two kindred spirits. ... Read Full Story >>

949 Reads




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