Stories of Kindness from Around the World

To Be Present for Mom

My mom turned 70 last year and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago. Through some unfortunate investments, she lost most of her money and is in debt. She lives by herself, and some distance from me. Door to door, I need three hours to get to her. In the last year, some of her friends have contacted me, inquiring about her, as she withdrew from most of her social contacts. She just stopped answering the phone and letters. After a year of this, I was getting worried she was depressed. I don't view depression that negatively. My take on depression differs from the mainstream insofar as I consider it an opportunity to delve deeper into oneself. But with Parkinson's, you need to stay active, otherwise you loose your abilities more quickly. And if you don't move enough, there's always the danger of a stroke by thrombosis. So I decided to visit ... Read Full Story >>

2000 Reads

Extra Ordinary Tomatoes

I read an interesting quote today:  "You could spend your entire life chasing the horizon ... but you won't even scrape the surface of our universe.''  That made me think. Perhaps there are many times when we think we cannot make a difference in life, but for other people, we may be their universe.

Before I rushed off to office this morning, I picked a few tomatoes from my tiny garden (they grow in pots) for one of my colleagues. She lives in a flat and she was so grateful.

In reflecting on this gesture, I didn't really try to do a good deed. Rather, I simply intended to share the abundance that I have. And it didn't cost me anything.   After a huge loss in my life, I discovered the importance of wounded healers. They came to me when I needed them, and it's now up to me to pass on the relay stick. It's amazing how much we can share when we begin to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, everyday aspects of life.

1900 Reads

Family with Epileptic Son Touched After Stranger Pays For Dinner

A North Carolina family with an epileptic child was given a touching gift on Friday when an anonymous stranger paid for their dinner at a restaurant, leaving them a note that is, not surprisingly, going viral online. The note read: "God only gives special children to special people." The message was delivered to Ashley England and her family, including her 8-year-old son, Riley, at the Stag-N-Doe pizza restaurant in China Grove, N.C., on Friday by a waitress. "I'll try to do this without crying," the waitress told the family, according to WBTV.com. "But another customer has paid for your bill tonight and wanted me to give you this note." England said Riley, who is nonverbal, gets frustrated because he can't speak, and he had been especially rowdy during the meal. "He threw the phone and started screaming," England told WBTV. "The past few weeks have been very hard and trying for us, especially with public ... Read Full Story >>

3431 Reads

Pocketful Of Chocolates

I always keep a little baggie of bite-size chocolates in my purse, or pocket, to give whenever a nice gesture is required.
Often, I accompany the handful of treats with a Smile card to thank someone for good service at a store or restaurant.
Everyone needs to be appreciated!

1902 Reads

Beyond Dollars A Day

When I worked in a large city, passing by someone experiencing homelessness wasn't an uncommon sight. The plight of those I saw touched me deeply, and I often felt, "There but for the grace of God go I."  I felt compelled to do something, and as a single mom and newcomer to my field, I decided to come up with a plan that fit my limited budget. I began by setting aside five to ten dollar bills each payday, and during the week, passing them out to those I met on the street. Though a dollar felt like a small amount, I realized how powerful it was to give the gift of being seen: for me to recognize that those I passed by were people just like me. Sometimes we would joke a bit and smile together. On some occasions, I was able to give more. I'll never know how and if the dollars helped, but I ... Read Full Story >>

4231 Reads

24 Photos of Acts Of Kindness

Sometimes its the small gestures that count.   1. When Reddit users got together to send this dying man hundreds of letters and packages. imgur.com / Via reddit.com 2. Sophia’s letter to the president about her dads. lettersofnote.com …and his response. lettersofnote.com 3. When this older couple paid for a younger couple’s Valentine’s Day dinner. reddit.com 4. This small gift. smilesmakemyday.tumblr.com 5. The driver captured on dash cam. youtube.com 6. The family who got a complimentary meal after their 3-year-old blurted out that their house had recently burned down. reddit.com 7. This guy. faithinhumanityrestored.com 8. The couple who does what they can for each other. amazonintl.in / Via buzzfeed.com 9. A shared umbrella. reddit.com 10. These men protesting domestic violence by “walking in her shoes.” Flickr: walkamileinhershoesinternational Flickr: walkamileinhershoesinternational 11. A sign. Twitter: @ThatEricAlper 12. This man who loves going to work every day. reddit.com 13. Wendell, the brave 10-year-old who saved a cat from being tortured by a group of boys. buzzfeed.com 14. The man whose final wish was that his family give someone a $500 tip. youtube.com 15. The softball players on the opposing team who carried Sara Tucholsky to each base after she injured her knee touching first on ... Read Full Story >>

25.2K Reads

Letters Of Gratefulness

For me, this year started with lot of love being showered by lot of people. I received lot of acceptance, forgiveness, and I felt the love of the universe in the way it sent angels into my life to take care of me and ensure I reach places and meet people who would support my journey.
 
Needless to say, the year also started with a feeling of gratefulness. The fact that I am what I am today is largely because of the people who have come in my life. It doesn't matter if they were there for short or long periods of time. They have touched my being and changed my life in their own unique ways!
 
My heart was so overflowing with gratitude that I wanted to tell all these lovely people how much they have meant to me! So, I decided to write "letters of gratefulness."
 
I wanted them to be handwritten and I also added a bit of art work and added one special thing we shared in some form.
 
It's three months down the line and I still continue to write. This is perhaps the only new year resolution I have ever kept!

1978 Reads

A Moment of Truth... and Ice Cream

I recently had a touching moment with my son.  These past few months have been a huge struggle for me due to medical issues that put me behind on by bills.

Finally, I had $10 in my purse for once, and I decided to give it to my 11 year-old son. He is always asking me for a simple dollar to buy something from the ice cream man. :)  The ice cream man came and I watched through the window as my son and his friends bought ice cream and candy.

One boy stood in the back and happened to have no money. This boy has been in school with my son since kindergarten, and his mother had passed away when he was only in the first grade, at 6 years old.

Out of all the children, my son was the only one who handed him money to buy ice cream. Upon seeing this, my eyes filled with tears. In that moment, I was the proudest mother ever!

1787 Reads

Chocolate bars, flowers, and a morning I'll always remember

This morning, I arrived at my office a bit earlier to catch up on some emails. It was relatively empty, with people trickling in here and there. On the way to work today, I had also stopped by the grocery store to pick up some fruits to share with my colleagues during our morning meeting. I couldn't help it when I passed a fresh stack of yellow flowers on my way to the cash register... I had to pick some up, along with a few chocolate bars, to gift in some way. With the office so empty, I decided to take the opportunity to pick a few random desks to plop the chocolate bars on. :) My heart raced a bit as I scurried through the office, headed towards cubicles and areas where no one had come in yet. :) I placed one on the CEO's desk, and snuggled a smile card ... Read Full Story >>

5624 Reads

The Battle For Goodness In The E.R.

I work in a busy Emergency Room. This weekend, I had a patient who was very jittery and paranoid.     After looking at his chart, I saw that he was seeking treatment for alcoholism.    There is an immediate bias against substance abuse in my E.R. One - we do not have a detox facility. Two - persons seeking treatment for addiction are sometimes looked down on as being less worthy of treatment than, say, someone with angina or other serious "physical" ailments.    At first glance, he was very emaciated, tattooed, pierced, and had a generally belligerent character. He could not sit still, and had a tough, "nobody messes with me" exterior. He had not had a drink in four days. His hands were shaking and there was a scared look in his eyes.   He told me that he had been drinking for seventeen years. He had tried to quit many times before but had ... Read Full Story >>

4584 Reads

How someone's presence can make a difference

In the midst of our grief after our only child passed away, a parent who had suffered the same terrible loss, came to our house.  She didn't talk much -- she was basically sitting shiva with us -- a beautiful Jewish custom where the family of the deceased gathers in one home and receives visitors.  When she talked, we could listen.  She taught me the importance of just being there for someone with your presence, and without all the answers.  It's amazing how much can be communicated without words. And how much is said by simply showing up.

12.1K Reads

Visiting The Orphanage

My aunt  took me to visit the local orphanage and I spent some time with the children. I couldn't sleep that night for thinking about them.
 
I have made up my mind to do something for them. I would like to go there every month and spend some time with them. 
 
I went back there on my birthday, distributed sweets and spent some time with them. The last time I had gone there they asked me my name and they talked very well. A month later, on my birthday visit, they remembered my name which really amazed me.

They prayed for me that day and I cried like anything. They don't know much about me but their concern made me feel very cared for.  We have many things from children. I am glad I got to give a little back by helping the orphanage. 

11.7K Reads

Feeding A Body And Broken Heart

My neighbor's nineteen year old son died after coming home for rest and recreation during his tour in Iraq. 
 
I had watched him grow from a teen to a wonderful young soldier. I saw lots of cars, people and family frequenting the house during his memorial and the weeks following. Gradually, the cars stopped coming and so did the people. 
 
I would often catch glimpses of her walking her dogs, with her head down. Then, one day, I looked into her eyes and the pain broke my heart. 
 
What could I do? Nothing on this earth could lessen what I saw in her eyes (and the pain I have since experienced myself through the loss of my only son!) 
 
So I fed her. 
 
Ever Week I would prepare a food basket and leave it on her door step. I wont ever forget because my gift to her is also a gift to myself. Feeding her fed me. Who knows when any of us will need to be fed the bread of compassion and love? 

1660 Reads

A paycheck, a heartfelt gift, and all submerged in love

How would you feel if you gifted your whole month’s paycheck to a friend in need? A) Happy B) Ecstatic C) Fortunate with loads of gratitude D) Submerged in love E) All of the above The answer is E-- at least that's how she felt when she handed a small envelope to her friend. In it, contained her month's earnings as well as a note saying how much she appreciates her friendship, and this small gift is a way to show her that she is loved and cared. This lovely soul happens to be my sister. When she joined a choir, she met a woman in her early thirties, who works day and night, teaching piano and music theory to many students. This woman receives little moral support or help from her family. She is also in school to pursue her own career in music. To make ends meet, she works several jobs, all seven days of the week. ... Read Full Story >>

11.5K Reads

A Giving Day - To The Elderly

I decided to give some things to elderly people living in homes.  
 
I told my mum and she wanted to give some things too. Together we gave: 4 scarves, 1 blanket, 2 necklaces, 3 shawls, 9 soaps, 2 hand creams, 1 emery board, 6 little packs tissues, 1 pair of gloves, 1 shampoo, 1 conditioner, 1 toothpaste, 1 denture cleaning powder and 1 deodorant.  
 
And I put in a Smile card! 

1356 Reads

How To Make Someone's Day

I like to anonymously pay the restaurant tabs for strangers who catch my interest.    The last one, for instance, was an elderly lady who came into the restaurant where I was having lunch with my daughter. She was alone and I heard her tell the waitress that it was her birthday and she would like a piece of pie and some coffee.    As I left I told the waitress that I wanted to pay that lady's tab and I asked the waitress to wish the her a very happy birthday but not to tell her who it was.    I try to do this once a month.    When I was a young mother I was at a restaurant with my husband and two little boys and we were surprised to learn that someone had paid our bill because he thought we "looked like a nice family." I felt such a warm feeling and never forgot ... Read Full Story >>

4297 Reads

Fourth Grade Kindness Adventures

Recently, our fourth grade class embarked on some adventures in kindness!  We all hid notes with kind messages for our family and friends to find.   One student helped his mom get her bags out of her car. Another helped her mom cook dinner. After dinner, another classmate helped his dad do the dishes.  While skiing, one of us helped someone get back up after they fell. And several of us helped our parents clean the house.  What a memorable class field trip in kindness! We wonder where the ripples will go... :)

2094 Reads

Posters from Smile Junction

Inspired by stories of Miles of Smiles, a group of us decided to celebrate several birthdays by spreading smiles on a busy intersection. The community on this website has been so vital in nourishing our hearts, that it seems apt to share posters and heart-shaped notes we placed under car windshields! :) In case you and a group of friends are inspired to take over a street corner, there is no copyright on these posters. After all, how can you copyright a smile poster? :-) Just not possible! ... Read Full Story >>

15.8K Reads

Thanks For Clean Bathrooms In NYC

Every other week, when I visit my granddaughter, I take a bus from Pennsylvania to the Port Authority in New York City.  
 
I decided to show my appreciation for the hard work of the people who keep those bathrooms so clean. So, each time I use the bathroom I look for a cleaning person, hand them a folded up five dollar bill, and with a big smile say something like, "Thank you, Ma'am for the wonderful job you are doing keeping this bathroom so clean."  
 
I always get a smile in return.

1947 Reads

The Vet From The On-Ramp

I was driving from work to my babysitter, the same way that I always do. And, like always, there was a man on the on-ramp with a sign. I didn't read it all, but gathered that he was a veteran and that he wanted to work. For some reason my heart was drawn to his full-grown beard and his eagle hat.    I gave him my last two dollars. Then I paused for a moment.   "Would you like some food?" I asked.   "That's what I'm going to use this for." He indicated towards the money.   "I meant would you like some groceries." Mind you, I'm on food stamps myself and scrimping as it is on $50 a week for me and my son.   His face lit up. And I offered to give him a ride. The second he got in the car, he was praising.    We went and I quickly picked up my son. The man said ... Read Full Story >>

4072 Reads




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