Stories of Kindness from Around the World

The Balloon Man

I had a wonderful day at a country show. Noticed the man selling balloons. Always feel bad for them as they stand all day in the cold, the heat or the rain… I thought ‘this is my chance for another bit of kindness’…so went up to him and asked him if he’d give some child a free balloon if I paid for it. He agreed. As I was walking away a father with a boy approached him and I could hear the conversation behind my back: ‘How much do they cost?’…’Well, nothing because someone has just paid for it for you--’Oh’…Thank you!’ Later I went to get him a cold drink-it was very hot-and took it to him to thank him for having been honest and done it. We started talking. He told me that when he was young he’d done lots for charity, especially marathons. He has now problems standing ... Read Full Story >>

3164 Reads

Showing The Birds Some Love Too

A sign by the pond at the park inspired this RAOK. The sign said not to feed the birds or ducks bread as it makes them unwell and pollutes the water.

I had some bird seed already, but I bought another packet for less than $3. I also had some plastic containers I'd recycled. I packaged the seed up, wrote a note for the lid, and left them on the seats around the duck pond yesterday.

I got a nice message on my FB page from a man who found the seed, feed the pigeons and a rooster (no ducks) and is going to pay forward the kind act :-) how much better could this have gone? :-)

1478 Reads

The Three Women I Met On a NYC Subway

I felt "Oneness" on the NYC subway today... I made three new friends on the subway. Two on the trip into the city and one on the way home. Three women. One nine months pregnant, who sat next to me when my husband insisted she take his seat (she refused his offer at first). She was from Spain and we chatted the whole trip into the city. Another was a young woman from Venezuela who I sat with on the bench waiting for our train to arrive. We talked about ten minutes. Exchanged cards (gave her a Smile Card & she gave me her website card. She's a healer). The third woman came on the train on our return trip and we both smiled at each other when she sat opposite me , and a few times during the ride. I felt good energy coming from her. When she was exiting she smiled and ... Read Full Story >>

2834 Reads

Letting go of Something I loved

Yesterday I got a visit from a friend I haven't seen in awhile. When he was on his way over to my house, he was saying how his phone might die. I  knew then, as a great friend, it would be a very good thing to give a prized possession of mine to him, as he needed it at the time more than I do.

I have this battery pack that will charge up your phone when you are out and about, and it lasts all day. So, when he got here I offered my charger for him to use, and when he was leaving, I asked him if he would like to have my battery pack and the cord that came with it, so he wouldn't have a dead cell phone the whole hour drive back home.

I really loved that thing, but at the moment I knew what I needed to do as he needed a charge more than I did, since I am always around electricity and have a other car charger for when I am out! Sometimes it is the little things! :) He was very grateful!

1605 Reads

Roadside Kindness

The morning started on a bit of a low note, but brightened considerably with a simple courtesy. Driving my son to his girlfriend's, we were following a pickup laden with firewood.

As we entered the village, he pulled over. I assumed it was his house so carried on past, and parked myself by the side of the road whilst son ran his errand. The road through this village is very narrow, room to turn only in a square at the end.

Just after I stopped, the same pick up pulled up behind me. The chap explained that he was about to unload his wood and would block the road beyond where I was.

Now he could have just left me to reverse out, but very patiently waited for me to drive all the way to end of the road to turn around before he started. Such a little gesture, but very welcome.

I repaid his kindness by helping him fling his firewood over the wall whilst I waited for my son. That was quite fun!

1671 Reads

Concert Ticket

I was in a queue to get a ticket for a musical concert and there was a guy who was waiting also to get a ticket for the same concert. He asked me to buy a ticket with him so I agreed. Instead of giving the man back just his change, I also returned the cost of the ticket and asked him to enjoy the concert on me.

1504 Reads
  • Posted by mohamedelbediew
  • Oct 4, 2016
  • Comments (10)
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Smiling face and warm greetings.

There is a lovely lady in my office who has a lot on her plate. Her husband is quadriplegic (from an accident) and has recently been in hospital for an operation. She has had her own health problems too, but every time I go into the office she is bright and smiley and has a warm greeting. Today I was the "Kindness Angel" and made this bag of goodies up, and then got my neighbour to write in the card, so she didn't recognize my handwriting. I didn't want to hand her the bag because then she would know it was me, so I wrapped it in a plastic bag to protect it from today's wild winter weather, and left it at the front door as I walked in. Well, this could have worked out well, or been a disaster... About 15 minutes later, another one of our office workers arrived and ... Read Full Story >>

1716 Reads

Compassionate Clowning

I haven't been very active on KindSpring even though it is the site where I've felt the most connected over the past month or so. I believe there is a wonderful joy in sharing acts of kindness when it isn't about ego, but just the pure happiness of having the opportunity to help others. Still, this is a tough one coming from my own personal socialization. Today I did one of my favorite activities: Compassionate Clowning. On Saturdays a group of us meet up at a local hospital and do an hour and half of clowning for kids with cancer. It's one of the most strange experiences of my life. It is both deeply rewarding and disturbing at the same time. This afternoon there were so many kids who laughed out loud from my antics, but others were simply in too much pain to show the slightest of smiles. Holding the hand of ... Read Full Story >>

2150 Reads

I arrived on his Birthday in Colombia

On the plane to Colombia I thought about a lot of things. I wanted to be a collaborator so bad, but missions were not really my thing. I was going to be there for only a week, I thought. I was already on my way anyway, I was not going back to Mexico. When I got to the base-camp in Bogota, I met 6 wonderful girls. I knew I was going with them to missions, and I tried to think of it as a good thing. But it was unsuccessful. I went to bed early that day because we were leaving at sunrise. Placing my sleeping bag on the floor, I realized I was already there, kids were going to come anytime soon and I was not ready yet. They got there an hour later. I don't understand why, from so many children, I could not stop looking at one in particular. So ... Read Full Story >>

1069 Reads

They noticed something moving and realized it was a wounded dog

It was a sunny day when my dad and I were arriving at his company. We parked the car and got out of it. I looked around and saw a gray thing on the floor, I thought it was a garbage bag, but it started to move. As we approached we realized that it was a small wounded dog. We were so moved by the scene that we decided to help the poor dog. We bought some dog kibble in the store across the street and got some pure water for the dog, in order to help him regain strength. He was so desperate that while giving him the food and water he almost drowned himself. After he had eaten we encouraged him to move; Nevertheless, he could not. My dad tried to take him in his arms, but he started barking due to a wounded bleeding paw. In the end, we decided to ... Read Full Story >>

4600 Reads
  • Posted by raquel_dts1
  • Oct 1, 2016
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A Cab Ride I'll Never Forget

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living.  One night I took a fare at 2:30 AM, when I arrived to collect, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once.   But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.  So I walked to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.  After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.  By ... Read Full Story >>

223K Reads

The Elderly Can Be Proud But Lonely

My niece is in her first year teaching in Liverpool. She lives in a block of flats and was telling us about a 94 year old woman who lives in the flats. This frail lady is called Valerie and Linsey got to know her. Linsey and her flatmate called to see Valerie and Valerie had even made them dinner. The sad thing though is perhaps the loneliness of Valerie. My niece has said Valerie sends her letters and cards even though they live in the same building. Makes you think doesn't it? We really need to tune in more to the elderly who need social interaction above and beyond sending mail to those who live in the same building as them. It made me think of Charlotte, I've mentioned her before in posts. Last time I met Charlotte I dropped her off at her supported living facility. She brought me in ... Read Full Story >>

3590 Reads

My Kindness Deed Transformed My Impatience

I picked my son up from the airport and was waiting in line to pay for my parking at a self service kiosk. The young man in front of me gasped when he saw he had to pay $15 and was using a 'coin only' machine. He started fumbling around for cash.

I'm not patient at the best of times and standing in the freezing cold wind was not improving my patience. He then realized he was going to be some time, so he took his parking ticket out of the machine so that I could use it. I thanked him and paid for my parking.

I asked him how much he was short on his parking money. He looked at the coins in his hand and said $2. So I gave him $2 and he thanked me. I commented that it was my good deed for the day. Anyway, I have my eldest son here for two days and he's food for my soul!

1889 Reads

An Act of Kindness, Encouraged By My Wife

There is a homeless man, by choice, that lives in our area; his name is Peter. Today, at the encouragement of my wonderful wife, Carol, I brought him up some cold water, homemade banana bread and homegrown tomatoes.

When I arrived to him, he was visiting with his nephew, who just happened to be bicycling by and he hadn't seen in a year and a half! The three of us had a nice chat and then I took Peter for some homemade mango and vanilla ice cream that was being sold nearby.

He struggled to transport his cart of belongings, as one wheel was broken. Carol and I decided to purchase him a new foldable cart. I am looking forward to finding a way to anonymously gift him the cart:).

1134 Reads

All Aboard On A Two Way Lane of Kindness

As we were getting off of the train yesterday and my husband was handing our gratuity to our car attendant, I also handed him a peace dove. (KindSpring member, Mindy, makes them and hands them out a lot). He was so pleased and got so excited! It seems that during his slow times while on the train he does origami too. And he makes frogs much like the one pictured here. He reached into his shirt pocket and handed one of his frogs to me. Now it was my turn to be pleased! Another great kindness connection made on the train. You can make them just anywhere, my friends!

1291 Reads

Giving is receiving

"You take debit, don't you?" the customer ahead of me in line at the thrift store asked, as her purchases were totaled. Since it's a new location for "Hope's Attic" (don't you just love that name?), they hadn't gotten all the nuances of different payment methods sorted out yet. The two women were together, and honestly, looked like they led challenging hard-working lives. Only had a few dollars cash between them. "Do you mind if I pay the balance?" I inquired. "Oh, no, that's okay...". "Please, I'd like to, if it's alright, with you..." And then, we looked into each other's eyes, smiled and she agreed. Had a small discussion about how giving is really like receiving; how sometimes we are the giver and sometimes the receiver. Even the cashier got into the conversation, "That's about the nicest thing I've ever seen in here! And we see a lot of great stuff." Gave everyone a Smile card and ... Read Full Story >>

2368 Reads

A Little Boy's Kindness Mission

My son and I found a phone when we were checking our mail, and I called the 'Mom' in the contact list, and she called her son who was the owner of the phone-he came and picked it up!

Apparently one of his kids threw it out the car window driving down my street last night! We are kind of out in the country, so he was thankful I found it, especially before it rained. He was stressing all day because of it.

So glad he got his phone back! My son also witnessed it, - he is only eleven years old, but immediately when I found it, he said "We need to find the owner!" Some kids would maybe want to play on it, but my kid knows the right thing to do when you find a lost item! :)

1837 Reads

When she found herself without a home at 16, her best friend didn't let her down

I met my best friend Jayce when we were 11 years old. I was adopted by my grandparents and was new to the city. We immediately knew we were best friends in 6th grade and we spent every single moment together: playing dress up, going to school dances, doing gymnastics , the normal stuff when you are that age. When I was 16 years old, my family was put in a bad situation. My grandfather became addicted to drugs, we lost everything; we lost our house, our car, everything. My grandmother wanted me to be able to make the choice of where I would continue to live. She told me "Krisi, I love you, now you can come with me or you can stay in an orphanage." Before I knew it, Jayce invited me to live with her and her family. I was able to finish high school and continue my education at our local university. ... Read Full Story >>

5933 Reads

What She Needed Most, Was Kindness Toward Herself

I did a HUGE kindness to me tonight. And this one, for me personally, is HUGE! I gave myself a gift. I called in to work. A job I love. A job I have never resented going to or called in "sick" too. A job I adore. That job. Well tonight, 20 minutes before my shift was due to begin, I called in to say that I wasn't able to do my shift. Actually I was way more upfront and honest than this. I explained I wasn't "sick" and was quite perfectly able to do my shift physically, but that right now, I wasn't in a good state emotionally. Huge. Huge because I never admit this. Huge because I was extremely vulnerable and honest. And huge because even when I did call I knew I was taking a huge risk. They could say no its not ok and I'd have to show up even more ... Read Full Story >>

2523 Reads

He Was There For Her When No One Else Was

I have never had a birthday party before, so at this "ripe-old" age, I decided to throw one for myself. Approximately 20 people confirmed that they were coming. I don't have a lot of money but splurged in the $1 store to buy decorations, plates. I had a tiny budget in order to feed all of them. I sat, I waited, I pondered, and, although all of my "friends" said they were coming, no one showed up! The celebration was supposed to start at 12 noon. Here it was, 4:00pm, and still, no one was here. The expensive cake was melting, the food on the BBQ was burnt beyond recognition. I tried, really hard, not to cry. I decided to sit out back, reflect on the wonderful things that I did have, and read "Chicken Soup." All of a sudden, I heard a screech and a roar of an engine, just outside ... Read Full Story >>

3146 Reads




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