Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Surprised by Smile

I was walking to a literary event in a cool autumn night in San Francisco. Ahead of me, a homeless-looking man, maybe in his 60s, was pushing an empty shopping cart on the sidewalk in my direction. He pushed the cart left and right, seeming to intentionally block the pedestrians. The pedestrian walking ahead of me avoided him. My heart raced. As I was about to walk to the side too, the cart-pushing man stopped and spoke loudly, "You can't pass by me without a smile!" I happened to be standing right there, surprised. I smiled. He gave me a big child-like smile! Or maybe it was him who smiled first. We looked at each other, eyes to eyes, as we passed by, smiling. We were both innocent kids again. Before he walked across the street, he turned and said,
"Have a great night!"
"You too!" I said.

A large dose of happy juice was shot into the chambers of my heart and then pumped out traveling all the way to my toes. Magic is everywhere if we allow it to happen.

2065 Reads

Kindness cooks

A co-worker of mine lives on the island far away from any ethnic markets and she loves expanding her culinary experiences. She has mentioned wanting to make pho but lacks certain ingredients. So today I took a ride to the Asian market and got her fresh pho noodles, and bean sprouts. Aside from that I put roasted fried garlic in a baby food jar for her and also wrapped up the honey sesame candy. Hopefully she likes it.

1137 Reads

Encountering Faith In Humanity

Driving along a country road this morning on my way to work and there was a trash collector emptying the bins/trash. The collector was down on the ground lifting up broken glass which had fallen out of the bin. Was touched by his citizenship, many others wouldn't have bothered and another could have got a punctured tyre. A small act of kindness that saved potential distress and financial cost. Gave me a great faith in humanity and made my heart sing. A lady takes my students for Projects ie real work in an office environment. Yesterday was the first time I met her so I said I would take her for lunch today, she was really pleased, my predecessor didn't even talk to her or guide her about what she should be doing with the students to help them gain their qualification. Lunch was fab until I went to pay. .... ... Read Full Story >>

2410 Reads

Our Mother Daughter Kindness Circle


Our Mother-Daughter Kindness Circle in North Carolina gets together most months to create things that are given in the spirit of kindness. Sometimes things are for strangers, and others it's for people we know.This past weekend we gathered to make flower pens. We took simple pens and attached a large silk flower to each pen using "frog tape" (it's a brand of green painter tape that doesn't get gummy when you use the pen). We made little note cards for each pen, with quotes about joy and kindness on them.

"Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do."

Many of the girls were making them for their school teachers. Each mother made one for her daughter, and each daughter made one for her Mom. We had a wonderful time together sharing stories of kindness and making something to spread JOY and KINDNESS to people in our community.
 

3402 Reads

An Unforgettable Classroom Exercise

One day, a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.  It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers. That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much," were most of the comments. No one ever mentioned those papers in class ... Read Full Story >>

233K Reads

Halloween Kindness Received

Halloween is not the big event here that it is in some parts of the world, but I want to tell you about some Halloween kindnesses that we received yesterday. My youngest son has been introduced to the idea of Halloween celebrations via the school (not something I applaud, but that's another story). Anyway, I had no plans to do anything special. However, he was banging on about Halloween to our farm volunteers and a wonderful American girl organised a scavenger hunt for him yesterday. He had clues that sent him all over the farm (minor panic when we thought the goats may have eaten one of the clues!) and culminated in some treats hidden in a bowl of garlic! He also wanted to do a Halloween party, but we're lacking the space and the people to provide one. But we managed to clear a space on the patio where we could ... Read Full Story >>

2578 Reads

Jackpot of Kindness from an unlikely source

When I read a post about taking someone to the movies, I was reminded of something that happened a couple of years ago. I used to drink Coca-cola and they had a contest where there was a code inside the bottle cap. You went to a website and entered the code and maybe you won something. I won some free cokes. But then, I won the Grand Prize! I was surprised and pleased. The grand prize was free movies for a year!! What that turned out to be was that the company sent me 52 admission tickets for a local movie theater chain -- they figured one movie a week was what free movies for a year meant. All of the tickets had expiration dates later than a year from the day I received them. I used quite a few taking friends to movies we all wanted to see. But the best thing I did ... Read Full Story >>

3743 Reads

I Shone My Light ...

I shone my light of kindness today on all who were open to receiving it.

I visited Olga in her nursing home and whilst there encountered a severely disabled elderly lady, laying in a bed out in the hall on her own. Her slipper had fallen off so I picked it up and placed it back on her foot. Oh what joy this brought her. She squealed with delight and every time I passed her, her slipper would fall off again. Each time I'd repeat the process.

Then there was Richard a man with no legs who also resides there. I stopped to chat with him and stood there as he told me jokes I didn't find funny or understand. But I laughed anyway.

Today in that home I gave all I had to give. I did nothing special, yet gave it all.

We all have so much light, spark, love and energy to give the world. Why hide it? We were born to sparkle ♥

3289 Reads

Helping each other find our way through the day

I was taking my fifteen-minute walk break at work today when a sweet elderly gentleman asked me for directions. He was going to his physiotherapy appointment. I pointed him towards what I thought was the right direction but he seemed hesitant so I walked with him up the stairs and down the hall to be sure. He was right! He was not in the right place! We were directed down another hallway and still couldn't find the right place. Finally, we decided to call his wife and found out that he was in the wrong complex altogether. The poor man looked so sad and lost but tried to keep positive and kept thanking me. He was so disoriented that we couldn't even find his car right away. When we finally did, I gave him directions on how to find the other complex which was down the road. I hope with all my heart ... Read Full Story >>

3456 Reads

Unforgettable Kindness in a Train

A few years ago my mother and I were traveling in a train in India. We were going to Aligarh from Delhi. We were both sitting on our berth when the ticket Collector came and started checking the tickets. A boy nearby about 25 or 26 years old was sitting in the seat next to us. The ticket Collector asked him for his ticket. He had the ticket but it was for the day before and not for the current date. The ticket Collector fined him for 1000 Rupees, and made a new ticket for him. He only had 800 Rupees. My mother offered to pay the remaining 200 Rupees so the boy could get his ticket. I thought that was a great act of kindness by my mother for a person she did not know.

2098 Reads

My dad and I were grateful for unexpected gifts

I have to tell this story. It's actually about how this guy blessed our family last year, but I'll always remember. My dad had to get a whole new transmission on his truck and he was just venting to this guy we know at church. "How much is it for?", he asked. My dad told him. Two days later we received a check for the total amount he needed for a transmission, which was over $1000! I couldn't believe it. Me and my dad were so grateful. We gave him a thank you card with a gift card saying we can never repay your kindness, you made our Xmas, thank you from the bottom of my heart. But that's not all. We were blessed twice this last year. One day I opened the mail and received a $100 check from a lady, who goes to our church saying she was blessed now she's ... Read Full Story >>

3374 Reads

Salvation army guy

I was on my way walking to work and it was a very cold winter afternoon. I kept thinking about the guy from salvation army giving his time to receive money for charity.

On my break I went out and gave him a hot chocolate and thanked him for his services. He was very grateful for the hot cocoa to keep warm and was able to make it through the rest of his shift.

1327 Reads

My Opal Earrings Return To Me ...

Opal earrings return to me :)).

Gave my favorite pair of opal earrings to a salesclerk (anonymously left them on a shelf with card) a few months ago. I really liked those earrings, but since she had admired them, thought it was the right thing to do....teaching me again the lesson of impermanence.

While on recent vacation, I found the EXACT pair of earrings in a shop that was having a close-out sale for the season. Was 1/3 the price and knew that they were to be mine again.

What is that saying about if you let something go and it never returns, it wasn't meant to be?? Well, seems if you let something go and it returns, it was meant to be :))).

Grateful to be open to both giving and receiving, my kind friends.


1821 Reads

Thankful for the dirty dishes

Yesterday I read a sign in front of a church that read, "Don't be upset about having dirty dishes. At least you have something to eat." I believe this message was for me.

Earlier that morning I had gotten into my car to find that someone had unlawfully entered it, made a mess and had taken some change! I was shaking all the way to work and felt very violated. I kept thinking, "I would have given it you if you needed it. Why would you steal from me?"

Then when I got to work I heard about a co-worker's cousin who had taken his own life over the weekend. Suddenly my problem didn't seem so bad. And yes I have more than enough to eat.

I have so much to be thankful for.  It's all a matter of perspective sometimes isn't it?

1945 Reads

Kindness Received In The Supermarket

In the supermarket today my family and I were standing by the bakery counter waiting for assistance when another lady came along and pointed out the take a ticket machine. Ooops! I then took a ticket, but only after this lady plus another had theirs and were ahead of me in the queue.

When the assistant finally appeared, the lady pressed her ticket into my hand and swapped it for mine, taking herself from first to last in the queue so that I could go first. I was really touched. It really did give me a tremendous boost to be the recipient of a kindness like that. :-)

1826 Reads

An Extra Step on a New England Hiking Trail

Hiking today with the wags and a friend provided yet another opportunity to move out of my comfort zone and connect. Cold with a mixture of sun and snow encouraged a quicker step than usual on the mountain. On the descent, we came across a large troop of boy scouts and their families heading down as well. The trail and people bottle-necked for a few moments before the majority of the troop was well ahead and out of sight. Left behind were a young boy and his mother who seemed unsteady and unsure on the trail. We slowed our pace for a bit to talk with them before eventually passing them. They caught up again when my friend paused to tie her shoe. The boy at that moment slipped and tumbled forward. My friend attempting to catch him as he rolled down the trail. Helping him up he was nervous, crying in his ... Read Full Story >>

4522 Reads

Angels All Around

Last week, while traveling, I left generous tips for the maids at each of the hotels I stayed in. I also pulled out little angel tokens that I have collected over the years and left them on top of the money. I am hopeful they found them and will keep them in a place to be reminded that their angels are always with them.

2053 Reads

Visions of Cheeseburgers

Visions of cheeseburgers -- that was what her cardboard sign said as she stood at the intersection of the mall exit and the highway. She was skinny and young, with a backpack on the ground next to her, although the weariness on her face made her look so much older. We pulled over and I jumped out to give her a few bucks and received a smile and a tentative "thank you ma'am" for my humble donation. But as we drove away, I looked down at the bag by my feet holding a junior cheeseburger in it; a surprise for our much spoiled big mutt awaiting us at home. " A burger for my dog," I thought, and sighed. Seemingly at the same time, my partner made a u turn and said, "we have to go back. We have to buy her lunch!" Back to Wendy's we went and ordered 2 cheeseburgers, ... Read Full Story >>

5839 Reads

Hanging Out With The Elderly

My act of kindness for the day-some of my real life friends say enough for the whole month, was to take a drive with my daughter, our retired neighbour and her octogenarian friend.

We went to a fall/craft festival, then drove to a popular picnic spot in the mountains, then a very early dinner. I was pleasantly surprised at how polite and patient all the other drivers were when they noticed we were trying to "load/unload" an elderly gentleman and his walker. All the cars waited at a respectful distance until we waved them past.

I enjoyed the slower pace that we were forced to take, the very slow step by step pace reserved for the very old and very young. And I tried had to make him feel comfortable, to make sure he knew we were happy to see him and spend time with him.

And I'm glad to be back home where I don't have to yell to be heard :)

1776 Reads

Such A Beautiful Stunning ...

Such a beautiful stunning pillow don't you think?

On our way home from the zoo with the birthday boy I thought I would stop at a thrift store (second hand op shop). I told my son he could choose any thing he wanted. Naturally he chose a teddy bear. Whilst there I spotted this most fabulous cushion. I knew I had to buy it for my elderly friend Olga.

Olga was asleep when we visited so I placed it on the end of her bed to see the moment she wakes. I hope it brightens her day ♥

1482 Reads




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