Stories of Kindness from Around the World

$15 and a moment of beauty

I work at a financial institution and know that there are few experiences more frustrating and difficult than not being able to withdraw the money you need from an account, especially in dire circumstances.  On this particular day, a member of our credit union came in needing to withdraw $15. Unfortunately, a transaction had just cleared that prevented access to her account and she didn't have the funds necessary to make a withdrawal. The tellers who were assisting her signed her in to speak with me, and she explained that the money she needed was to purchase medication for someone in her family. She had an adorable little boy with her, and wanting to do what I could, I told her to stay in my office while I went and looked into the matter. Outside, I went to the teller she had seen and gave her a withdrawal slip from my own account ... Read Full Story >>

2384 Reads

Push It Forward

Many years ago, while returning from visiting my mother at the nursing home, our car died in the intersection of two very busy roads. 

Since neither my brother, sister, or I were old enough to steer our car my father suggested that we got out and pushed while he steered the car. Our efforts were fruitless and the car sat in the intersection. 

Suddenly, from every direction, strangers seemed to appear. They came from the golf course across the street, the gas station at the corner, the sandwich shop in the other direction, and they pushed beside us, helping to help move the car out of the road. 

Twenty-five years later I was driving and saw a mother and her children in the same predicament. 

We pulled over, walked to the car, and helped move them out the road and waited until the tow-truck arrived.

1767 Reads
  • Posted by bert.secreti
  • Sep 14, 2013
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Free Tickets To The Game

A year ago a boy of fourteen befriended my daughter on Facebook after reading something wrote about bullying. Today he messaged her and asked if she would like six tickets to a Colorado Rockies baseball game. They have never met in person but she said, "Sure! That would be great."  Then I received a call from his mother explaining why he had chosen my daughter. He said he thought she deserved them because of all the good he does in the community. She was born blind in her right eye and was bullied pretty severely in school, to the point where we ended up home schooling her. Her son, she explained, had experienced a similar situation and was also home schooled.   She now speaks to groups of girls and teaches them how to look within themselves for the positive in you and to be their own person.  We decided to meet the father ... Read Full Story >>

1926 Reads
  • Posted by cassiopeia3
  • Sep 14, 2013
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Storytime in the Check-Out Line

Today the check-out line at the supermarket seemed to stretch on forever. In the midst of the Sunday rush at the market, there was only one line available to shoppers, which meant a serious back up in traffic.
 
The people stuck in line began to fidget and mumble. It wasn't long before those mumbles grew into complaints, which soon after sprouted into negativity and a palpable tension. Things might have bubbled over if a superhero hadn't appeared to save the day.
 
She was about 5 years old, standing next to her mommy, watching everyone with her very big eyes. She smiled shyly, took a book out of her tiny backpack, and in her halting, sweet, 5 year old voice began to read us all a story.

Those frowns turned to smiles as we all disappeared into the wonder of a tiny child’s magical world. Thank you to our young superhero!

 

1085 Reads
  • Posted by oldladiesdance
  • Sep 14, 2013
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Emergency Room "Snack Attack"

The last couple of months I've been in and out of the emergency room supporting my elderly father (though I'm happy to report that he's doing better now and has been moved to an assisted living building). I've felt a lot of gratitude during my time at the hospital, and it struck me recently that it had been a while since I had paid it forward. On the lookout for a chance to spread kindness, a golden opportunity revealed itself in the small room of vending machines located by the emergency room lobby. The hospital was often very busy, and I noticed quite a few children waiting in this area late at night. When the time was ripe, I walked over to a vending machine casually, and pre-loaded enough change so that the next person could select whatever they wanted and get it for free. Along with this, I folded up a ... Read Full Story >>

1434 Reads

Allowing others the opportunity to go first

I live in Bangalore, India, where the traffic is heavy for most of the day, and drivers can be pretty relentless. When I was in Singapore about seven years ago, I stepped off the curb and quickly jumped back upon seeing a car. To my amazement, the car stopped. I waited. So did the car. Then, the driver waved at me to cross. That was a defining moment for me. That a pedestrian was more important than the car-- something we are just not used to in India. Now, I try to slow down as often as possible and allow pedestrians to cross, or even to invite another car to go ahead of me. And I always wave when someone gives me space to go ahead. These are small courtesies, but something that makes me feel good about creating a small moment of 'feeling good' for the other person. In fact, another way of creating goodwill is ... Read Full Story >>

1998 Reads

Blessings By A Compassionate Touch

Today is my usual day to volunteer at the hospital. 

What I do is called Compassionate Touch and I really like it because I get to interact with the patients.

Today I had two patients who needed someone to just spend a few extra minutes with them and to listen to their stories. I felt blessed to be able to spend some time with them. 

I really like what I do as a volunteer and feel privileged to share these moments together.

I am so glad to have found the KindSpring site. It inspires me to be a better person and to be more aware of how to spread kindness. Thank you!

1351 Reads

I Choose Kindness!

I can't stand the thought of people being forced to beg for money, even though a good number of them may be swindlers. That won't stop my kindness. One Sunday afternoon, I was on my way to a bus stop. When I walked on the sidewalk, someone blocked my way. It was a man. His face was dirty and his hair was not very neat. His clothes were rather grungy. I was terribly frightened by this man. In a low voice, he said to me, "I have run out of all my money, and now I can't go back home. Could you please give me some money?" I wondered if he was telling the truth. But despite my doubts, I just couldn't stop my heart from going out to him. From the looks of his face, I guessed that he had been refused by others many times. So I gave him some money ... Read Full Story >>

3700 Reads

Giving my first smile card

Today I received my very first smile cards, and I couldn't wait to share one. I wasn't sure at first what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted my first card to accompany a random act of kindness for a stranger.

Since I was meeting my son for coffee at the conclusion of our work days, I put my first card and a bit of money into an envelope, and wrote on the outside "Have a nice day," thinking I could pass it on to one of the coffee shop's employees.

When we arrived, I ordered our coffees and handed the envelope to the woman who greeted us, telling her as I did so that she was doing a great job. Her face lit up with a big smile and she thanked me, though no thanks were needed. I was just glad to see my smile card blossom into the first of many smiles to come.


 

2902 Reads

Beautiful Outfit Beautiful Smile

I was out shopping earlier today. 

On my way out of one store I noticed this rather large women sitting on a bench waiting. She was dressed in a brightly colored long dress and had pretty shoes too. Sometimes I think people overlook larger sized women but I am always looking to compliment. So, that's what I did!

As I passed by I smiled widely and said, "I love your outfit! You look very pretty in it." 

She gave me the biggest smile in return and said, "Thank You."  

I knew right then I made a difference in her day! 

2810 Reads

Before My Head Gets In Front Of My Heart

I do a lot of kind things on an impulse, mostly because I know that if I think about them I will probably will let my head get in front of my heart and then regret not having acted.

Today I woke up with the clear idea that I had to send a certain amount of cash to someone I know who is indirectly related to me. The amount  was exactly half of what I had in my already very slim bank account. 

As you can imagine all sorts of thoughts went through my head but - I can't explain - I just knew I have to do it and do it anonymously. 

All I know is that this person has three children around the same age as my daughter and her husband is an alcoholic with an autistic personality, which makes her life very difficult.

Why I had to do this now and not another time I might never know. But I feel it was the right thing to do.

3382 Reads

A cold night, a warm coat, and two hearts breaking open

My youngest son lives in New York City. My husband, my eldest son and I visited him there. We did the usual things; we went to see the Christmas lights in Rockefeller Center, ate good food, went to a show, visited the Guggenheim, and so on. As we were walking down a street my oldest son, who is very shy about doing the "right" thing, said he wanted to go in a store to see if they had a jacket he wanted.   It was very cold and windy but my husband and I waited outside while the boys went in. I went over to another store to buy some chocolate and when I came out my husband was talking to a homeless man.   I saw my husband take off his gloves and hat and give it to Frank, the homeless man. Frank had been living in Bellevue for a while until the ... Read Full Story >>

20.8K Reads
  • Posted by Pjennings250
  • Sep 12, 2013
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Paying forward $20 and making a beautiful connection

My son is currently in law school in a large city, and therefore he's basically broke.  Recently, I sent him a card with a twenty dollar bill so that he would go eat. He was so excited to receive the card and money. 

Upon leaving the post office, he saw a homeless woman standing on the sidewalk next to him.  She asked him a question about a sports team listed on his shirt, which led to a lengthy discussion about sports in general.

When he left, he gave her the twenty dollars. 

I'm so proud of my son. Not just for passing on the money, but for "seeing" the woman on the street and talking to her, not as a homeless woman, but as someone with an opinion and ideas.  Since then, he's gotten to know many people that he randomly meets on the streets and on the bus. 

He makes this mom proud.  :)

1839 Reads

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted

Yesterday, I was at the grocery store buying myself supper.  I actually borrowed money from my boss/friend because I was totally broke.  On my way out, there was a lady there who looked to be in her thirties with a little girl about nine or ten years old.  They had a ridiculous amount of bags filled with empty cans.  We get a five cent refund for each can returned.  Although they had  a lot of cans, their refund most likely only added up to a few dollars.  Maybe they were just doing some spring cleaning, but when I bring that many cans or bottles for refunds, it's generally because I really need money for something.  (Sometimes I'll spend all a lot of time collecting my cans and counting it all out so that I can afford a loaf of bread to eat.) Seeing the two of them there really struck me. I walked by ... Read Full Story >>

7460 Reads

New Yorkers 'pay it forward' After 9/11

Some New Yorkers mark the anniversary of the September 11 attacks by going to a memorial service or observing a moment of silence. For the past 10 years, Jeff Parness has been helping others. Every September, Parness brings hundreds of volunteers from New York to help another disaster-stricken community in the United States. "It was our way of saying, you know, New Yorkers will never forget what people from around the country and the world did for us in our time of need after 9/11," said Parness, a 2011 CNN Hero. "So that's how the mission started. It was just to pay forward the kindness that we experienced." Over the past decade, Parness' nonprofit, New York Says Thank You, has assisted victims of wildfires in San Diego, tornadoes in the Midwest and Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. Many of those who receive help are so inspired that they travel across the country the next year -- ... Read Full Story >>

2116 Reads

Moustaches And Smiles

I have a friend who isn't feeling well. 

I have been sending her cards to keep her positive and I sent a really funny one with a photo of three of her coworkers. I used an "app" to add moustaches to each of the three people in the photo. Two of them are women! 

She actually called me a work and was laughing so hard at the funny photo. She said to please keep the support coming because it was helping her more than we knew.​

1233 Reads

Never giving up on seeing the good in people

While I was deciding what kind of bread to buy at Trader Joe's a young man who works there asked me how I was doing. 

As usual, I told the truth. 

He said, "I'll be right back."

I figured he was another one who thought I talk too much, or go on too much, and had politely excused himself. It was crazy busy in there. 

I was heading to the checkout when he came back and handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers! He said, "Have a Happy New Year," gave me a hug and left. 

I will never give up on seeing good in people and I will never change who I am in order to make people like me. 

The kindness of this young man, a complete stranger, moved me to tears. It had been an exceptionally difficult day. My heart was hurt and an angel on earth gifted me with kindness. My healing begins.

1598 Reads

More Listening Than Talking

I have been doing more listening than talking lately.  

You would be surprised at how many clues you can pick up on what people need in life when they are talking about anything and everything.  

While listening to someone I am usually searching for little things I can do to make their lives a bit easier.  

Try it. You will be amazed at what you can pick up.

1773 Reads

A Gift that Keeps on Giving

A couple of years ago, I had two very dear friends who would be spending much of Christmas alone. That year, I took a basket and picked out seven inexpensive gifts (such as a pocket calendar, candy, etc.) and wrapped them individually with a scripture and note attached to them. They were given the instructions to open one gift a day, seven days prior to Christmas.

This year, I expanded it to my co-workers, and picked out gifts for the five weekdays prior to Christmas. They were excited to come to work each morning to “open their gift”.

Not only is this a small way to provide a gift, but more importantly, it is a sweet way to offer a part of you to each recipient.

I have now decided that this can be done in a variety of ways without having to wait for Christmas. I know several young women that are having struggles with different issues and have started thinking of different gifts that can give them hope and encouragement.

1592 Reads

Arcade Smiles and a Big Sigh of Relief

I work for a nonprofit organization that serves children with developmental disabilities. I love every minute of it and a particular experience today made me appreciate it even more. We often go on an outing with the kids, and last Friday we brought them to an arcade. I was working with three young ladies who all had Down Syndrome, among other disabilities. I should note that they are the most loveable girls in the entire world. We were running around from game to game, and the girls were having a great time, regardless of the stares and looks from people around us. We were on a simulated rollercoaster ride when the moment that I will remember for the rest of my life happened. The girls were laughing at each other, screaming in excitement on the ride, when a young woman tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around. She politely told me that ... Read Full Story >>

2151 Reads




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