Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Helping A Coworker In Need

A small, all volunteer, non-profit that I am President of, sent off two gift certificates to a company employee's family. The employee is receiving in-patient treatment for 30 days and is unable to work. They had paid all usual expenses in advance, but they still need to put food on the table. I am so proud of all our co-workers who contribute to help other workers in crisis. Starting this charity took several long years, but it is paying off exponentially now. Without a doubt, this is the most important thing I have ever done in my life. 

983 Reads

A visit with a lovely lady named Olga

Today I had the pleasure of visiting this lovely lady, Olga. She doesn't speak very much, and our conversations are never deep. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm there, holding her hand listening. She isn't alone. So many elderly are alone and living in convalescent homes. They may have the latest technology; TV's, and all the latest gadgets, much like Olga's brand new establishment. But you know what? None of it means anything to them. All they want is company. All they want it for someone to care and to show them that they matter. People often say what I do is kind and so great. It really isn't. I do nothing special at all. I just turn up, and by doing so it shows I care. It shows she means something to me. And she does. I took this photo today because sometimes I don't know what to do. I ... Read Full Story >>

1955 Reads

My Gentle Barn

Oh my goodness, I found a book called 'My Gentle Barn' about a woman called Ellie Laks and her journey into starting her rescue barn. I relate so much to her about the way she talks to the animals. It is a book that I could sit down and read all of it in one go but in the same way, she says things that breaks my heart (about the origins etc) and also parts I have to stop to digest what has been said because I love it so much. I thought I would share this with all of you as it got to my soul: This is relating to what she used to say to the children and teenagers that came in for therapy with the animals: "We may look different on the outside, but we're all the same," I would tell the visitors. "Just because a horse or a goat has ... Read Full Story >>

1712 Reads

The Power of Kindness

One of my latest reads, "The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life" by Piero Ferrucci is providing me with some wonderful insights.

Here is an excerpt that made me pause in reflection:

"In the famous study on degrees of separation by Stanley Milgram, it was found that when we discover a friend or a relation in common with a person that we have encountered by chance, it is not a rare coincidence but rather the rule. We really are in a tighter network and closer communication with everybody that we can imagine. And we influence others far more than we think and they know. By changing others' states of mind, we propagate ourselves in countless ways. Right in the midst of everyday life we are given the chance to touch the lives of others and thus change the world..."

And so we are, my kind friends, changing the world.


1570 Reads

Foodbank "loonies"

PHEW! Well it was a busy week and didn't have much time to be with my Kindness Kin...sure missed you guys! This weekend we are celebrating my daughter's 26th birthday ...I am so grateful for the day Maryn was born! She has taught me a lot about life and love.

SO...at the beginning of the month I was inspired by one of our lovely members to contribute to the foodbank. I wanted to do this daily. Each morning I would drop a loonie (dollar) into this container. I was mindful to be grateful for the food I would eat that day. I also started the day thinking about being kind..kind of setting my intention. So I am off with my donation and hopefully will continue to do this all my days! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! XO

1306 Reads

Greeting Cards For Those In Prison


I send a variety of greeting cards to a niece who is in prison so she can re-use them for her friends inside and outside. I write her name, a few words and then my name in small letters on the edge of the card so it passes inspection in the mail room. She can cut that off and use the card again. I buy cards in bulk (Current) and go to the dollar store. She so appreciates this as cards are expensive to buy. I also include articles, jokes, or pictures each time for her. She often shares these with her 'roommates'. She keeps the pictures of the ones she really likes. She can do a drawing or write something more on either or both sides of the other half if she wants to. 

3039 Reads

Giving Smiles

Today my daughter's garden club went on a field trip to a local greenhouse/garden center. The owner gave a personal tour of everything. She was such a nice lady she even gave every participant a pot of narcissus, and I gave her a peace dove before we left.
 
Then my daughter and I decided to do a little shopping, and the cashier was so nice, I asked her what her favorite chocolate bar was, bought that flavor, and then gave it to her with a smile card and a peace dove. She said "you don't have to do that", but I put it down on the counter and said "I bought it for you cause you are so nice!" And I just walked off. I'll have to find a smoother way of doing that next time. And leave a receipt so they don't get in trouble! ;)

Both times I felt very self conscious, I almost backed out each time. But it felt good to make someone smile!

I will do that again! :)))

1235 Reads

Fashionable Kindness

As I went to wash my hands at work yesterday and pressed the soap dispenser this quote greeted me! Someone had stuck it on the soap dispenser and I smiled and felt quite tickled that someone in my workplace had done this :) How wonderful a feeling to know that others around me felt the same way, I really am so blessed to work in an environment where kindness, compassion, integrity and empathy are at the forefront of my profession.

Feeling blessed xx

1077 Reads

He said hello

I'd received a £10 shopping voucher from a local supermarket and it had been in my wallet for a couple of weeks, waiting for a right recipient. I'd just come out of the bank having withdrawn some cash from the ATM when I saw an old guy sitting in a shop doorway. The temperature was just about hovering above freezing but it was very cold and I couldn't imagine being on the streets in this weather.

He said hello rather than an inquiry for spare change. So I stopped and took out my wallet. He told me that wasn't the reason he'd said hello, but I told him I wanted to give him something. When I gave him the voucher he looked extremely grateful thanked me, and put out his hand. I gladly shook it and said, "Keep warm my friend." We chatted for a minute and then I was on my way feeling much happier that my voucher had found its destined recipient. 
 

1020 Reads

Citrus on the Doorstep

Every 3 months, a former neighbor of ours who moved to Florida sends us a huge carton of grapefruits & navel oranges. It's way too much for just the two of us to consume, so we leave bags of citrus on various neighbors' doorsteps with a SMILE Card in the bag. Today my husband was the "citrus-fairy" who dropped off the bags. :)

1820 Reads

My gift to an old friend


Tonight I am going to finally start on a project I have been procrastinating on for a while. A few years back, I lived in Japan for two years. I made a lot of friends there, including a sweet old man who worked in the office I did paperwork in on Friday afternoons. He really welcomed me into the community. His hobby was drawing and painting, and he was very talented at it.
I bought this book which is filled with suggestions of interesting things to draw (followed by the appropriate space to draw them) but they are in English, and he can't read them, so I am going to translate the whole book into Japanese. I hope he likes it and still has fond memories of me. It has been too long since last communicating with him. 
 

978 Reads

The Perfect Circle of Give and Receive

I learned a valuable lesson a couple years ago. I met Denise, who was totally paralyzed. She could not speak, and the only movement she could make was to nod or move her head from left to right very slightly. She had very advanced progressive MS. I visited her often and soon learned that in my time with her, I wanted to help her connect with the outer world as much as possible. It would seem that she was the receiver of what I had to give.

 Maybe so, yet it came to me that she, too, would want to escape her immobilized world as much as possible and give also. Then it further dawned on me that she was already giving by receiving what I had to give.  By her receiving, she was giving me the gift of providing me the opportunity to give. I told her that receivers are as necessary and worthy as the givers. If there were no receivers, there could be no givers. Her role in the chain of giving and receiving was vitally important. She couldn’t move, but her eyes could shine. She gave me a great gift when they shined back at me at that time.


1399 Reads

A Slice of Generosity

We took the kids for dinner at Pizza Express. There was a very friendly lady dining alone at the next table who clearly had special needs. When the time came for her to pay the bill, her bank card was declined. The waitress told to her, in a very kind way, that there was a problem but that she would call her manager for help. Jeremy, my husband,  immediately leapt up and told the waiting staff that we would pay for the lady's meal. However, when the manager arrived, he explained to the lady that she couldn't use her bank card to pay, but that there was no need to worry. Pizza Express authorizes the restaurant to give away two free meals per month.  On this occasion, they would like to provide her with a free meal. She was extremely grateful and apologetic that she had been unable to pay.  We ... Read Full Story >>

2819 Reads

Unexpected kindness at the movie theatre

Earlier in the week I was able to do another little favorite act of kindness of mine: buying movie tickets for the next person in line without them knowing!

As it was "cheap Tuesday" with movie tickets only $7.50 instead of the usual $15, I took my boys to see a family film. When I paid for my tickets, I looked behind me to see a couple next in queue.  I slyly handed the cashier $15 and told him to use this for the next two people in line. I also handed him a KindSpring smile card along with one of Mindy's peace doves taped to it to gift with the tickets.

Can you imagine the sheer delight this would have brought the couple to hear their tickets had been bought for them? This is one of my favourite kindnesses ♡

932 Reads

Volunteer Joy

I am so excited today!and I wanted to share it with you all wonderful KindSpring friends!! I have finally been able to become an active volunteer with Hope For Freedom meal program in the city I live in:) I will volunteer all weekend and hopefully every week helping feed less fortunate people, and I couldn't be happier!!

I have applied at several other places to volunteer like the SPCA and my local hospital. There is a great sense of accomplishment and pure joy in giving back to the community, in helping others and in showing kindness. This is one of the things I live for!! I want to give my all to society and help make a difference:)I hope many are inspired and contemplate volunteering a bit of their time to local organizations...there's always need for people to come together and help out fellow humans and animals too!

Thank you all for existing you inspire me everyday, your stories and quotes put a smile on my face and restores my faith in humanity over and over again! God bless!!

1645 Reads

son's sweet surprise gift to a friend

I popped into a shop with my eldest son at over the weekend, and was a bit puzzled when he bought a girly design phone case. Apparently one of his school colleagues had been complaining that she needed a new phone case and he'd spotted one the same as this girl's best friend in the right model size. He thought she'd pleased to have a matching one, so he bought one for her in a different colour as a surprise gift. 

653 Reads

Meeting Sid, my Valentine

As I do not have a significant other, I usually treat myself for Valentine's Day.  Why should I have to do without? :) Well I was on my way to the supermarket when I spotted an elderly man who had not long left the shopping mall. He had a walking stick and could only walk a few steps before he tired and held the fence. I did an about turn, went to him and offered to take him home.  He had a few other items to collect in the town centre, so I went with him. We went to the chemist then another food store where he only picked up two items. Total time with him was about half an hour.  I am quite certain that if he'd been going it alone, he would have taken three hours or more. He got a taxi to the first shop, then he intended ... Read Full Story >>

4997 Reads

Nourishing the Soul

On my way home from a job interview, I saw a man and a 15 year old girl seated by the curb of the street as I made a turn. My intuition said,  "Give them food with your food stamp." I fought it for a moment but again the voice insisted, this time shouting, "They are YOU!  Give  them some food!" Upon reaching the second stoplight, I made a quick U-Turn and drove to Food Lion.  I got them apples, juice boxes and muffins. I found them sitting in the same spot and gave it to them. Surprisingly, the man rejected some of the food because he said he can't carry all of it as it was too heavy. That's understandable. So this gave me an idea!  I'd keep the rest in my car for now as well as making it a habit to keep food in my car.  This way I would ... Read Full Story >>

1383 Reads

Timing is Everything

I was hiking in the mountains yesterday when I decided my BMW wasn't going to be the thing that would take me safely up a snowy. slushy road. As I headed back down the mountain, I saw the truck that had just passed me overturned on its side over the bank of the side of the river.  

I stopped to get out to check on the man who was driving, and thankfully, he was able to climb out. His truck was never going to be the same and there was no way to get it out, so I gave him a ride down the mountain to get help from his family. Who would have thought my BMW would have been the thing to make it out over a big truck??!!

895 Reads

A Real Princess

Those of you who very kindly sent posts to my niece's little friend Elle might be interested in taking a look at this news item.

Elle has cystic fibrosis and is hoping for a double lung transplant. She has had a very tough time, health wise, and your post have been  real boosts for her. Some months ago she wrote 10 wishes for her 10th birthday, and the campaign 'Elle's Wishes' was born.

Mum's from the school, soon joined by the local community rallied together to make Elle's wishes come true. She has met celebrities and made a music video, but also raised money for cystic fibrosis research awareness and she was the 'face' of the UK organ transplant register for their Christmas campaign.

One of Elle's wishes was to have a Princess Party and that's just what was arranged for her! So if you'd like to see the little girl I've been talking and talking about and see what a determined bunch of school mum's can bring about take a look at this --VIDEO. 

1057 Reads




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