Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Donation to Animal Shelter

An animal shelter says it receives about 50 to 200 donations per day, but none like the one it recently opened from someone apologizing for panhandling under the shelter's name.  The video tells the full story:

Today's Yoga Lesson

I was out in town today and I wanted to buy a yoga magazine.  

On the way to the shop I passed a lady asking for money.  I walked past her and went on to the shop. But when I got there I turned around, went back, and gave the money I had planned to spend on the magazine to the lady.  

Well, I thought,  that is what yoga taught me to do.

The Business of Taking Time

I spent my first 10 years of work life working in non-profits as a passionate, social change agent. Then, with a family to support, I moved into corporate life. During this time, part of me felt I had "copped out" on my values and principles. After another 10 years, my internal conflicts and stress pushed me to "bail out" and I started a home-based, private business. This decision brought back my passions. Every day, I get up excited to share these passions. My former trepidation about selling a concrete product is gone. I integrate my passions for helping people, providing health education on the high toxicity of old lead paint, supporting the environment and sustainable remodeling, and fostering preservation of our American heritage by supporting historic restoration. I choose to spend the majority of my time on the telephone educating and developing trust with my customers. Making a living has become almost secondary. Today, ... Read Full Story >>

Two Good Legs and Arms

Yesterday, I met a delightful woman at a work event.  As we talked, she shared about her childhood in Manila, Philippines.  She spoke about the way her culture values their elders, and she explained that children are reared from the time of birth to honor and respect people older than themselves. It was refreshing to hear, and I so enjoyed listening and learning.  Here is the memory she shared that I found so beautiful: When she was growing up, her father had three jobs to care for his family.  She said her dad never complained, and though he worked very hard, he always had time for them.  One day, her father was injured at his full time job.  For several months, he was mailed temporary disability checks while he recovered.  When her father was able to return to his full time job, he took all those disability checks that were sent to him while he was recovering and handed them back to the ... Read Full Story >>

Something Priceless At The Dollar Store

I stopped at the local dollar store the other day after a fitness class to buy a candy bar.  So I get the candy and get in line behind a woman who looked about twenty years old. She had two small children with her and quite a lot of items in her shopping cart.     She handed her credit card to the clerk but the clerk told her it had been declined. The young woman insisted she had paid it off the day before. The clerk replied, "Maybe it hasn't got through the system yet. Do you want to call someone?"     The young girl got out her cell phone and was looking through it. Meanwhile, they open another counter to check me out.      I was walking out to my car when I thought, "Okay! You're always wishing you could help someone. Time for you to do it!"     I got back out of ... Read Full Story >>

Simply the Nudge

Two weeks ago, my daughter came to me a bit frantic. One of her school friends, nine months pregnant and about to give birth any day, was kicked out of her house because her mother wouldn't leave her husband (the girl's stepdad) who was hitting the girl. She fled to the home of her boyfriend's parents. They, however, were packing up to move to a larger house. Being in transition themselves, her boyfriend's family couldn't host her at that time, and she was at a loss for where to go. So, two weeks ago, my daughter came to me asking if her friend can come live with us until the boyfriend's family finished moving. Well, here's a girl in trouble. I talked it over with my husband, who gave his ok. So we got things ready for her. She must have told her mom what was going on, though, because before she had a chance to move ... Read Full Story >>

Something To Sit On

We have five fantastic children.  As they've grown older, from high school to college and so on, we found ourselves cleaning out our home of furniture only to replace it with something new. We had this one living room set consisting of a sofa, loveseat and chair. It went through a couple of the kids, hauling it up the stairs to their third floor apartments and back down again to the next apartment. Our son was the last to have the set when he finally asked for a place to store it because he was going out of town for a semester.  We told him we would hold it for him in our garage.  So we picked the furniture up and brought it back to the house. One day, while at work, I heard a couple of people talking in the hallway.  A mother and her two children were kicked out of their ... Read Full Story >>

Giving The Rent Money Away

My wife and I were on our way to the seaside just before sunrise to pray.  On our way we headed to a community where squalor is king. I got an urge to drive into the impoverished community instead of past it and bless someone financially.    My rent money was all I had and the rent was already one day overdue. Plus, my wife and I were experiencing one of the worst financial drought in our lives.   As we approached the area I told my wife what I was thinking of. She said, "Follow your heart, sweetheart."     We drove into the community and as we turned the corner we saw a woman with her half-slip pulled up over her breast and her hands atop her head. I walked over to her and held out a fist with the money inside.She stretched her right hand out and took the money into her fist to ... Read Full Story >>

Over Some Snacks

Today at work, my coworker was hungry.

She had brought in a drink-type meal ...and it didn't taste any good. We were working until 9:30pm, so she really needed to eat something.

I went to the break-room and purchased some goldfish crackers and a bag of salted peanuts. I brought them back for my coworker to eat with me.

When I offered them to her, she was so thankful to me for looking out and making sure she would fill her belly a little bit.

We talked a bit as we ate the snacks together. It's nice to share a little food and conversation. And, tonight, we did both! :)

Take A Smile

My husband was away on detachment with the Royal Air Force. My parents were away too and although I have some good friends on this particular day I felt totally alone. 

First Basket of the Season

If you've read some of my other stories, you know my kindness mission is fueled by my three kids.  My daughters have huge hearts which makes giving fun, but I'm challenged with teaching my teenage son how to enjoy sharing kindness. 

I've begun sharing my acts of kindness with my family at the end of the day, trying to get everyone in the spirit.  This morning on our way to the first of three basketball games, I turned and asked my son how he was going to show kindness today. 

While he didn't have an answer, he later offered each of his sisters five dollars if they made a basket. (This is a huge deal because the girls aren't terribly aggressive.)  My youngest made her first basket of the season, and he actually congratulated her and gave her a five dollar bill. 

While I'm not supporting paying kids for doing well in sports :), I think, in his own way, he was trying to be kind.  In return, his sister felt that he was trying to be supportive. 

It was a special moment.  :)

Biscuits On A Cold February Night

I was sitting on the front steps of a small bakery near where I live and eating some noodles. I was enjoying my meal in peace with no one around. There is a burned out house right opposite the bakery and I know a group of people live there. The house has no electricity and has very poor ventilation.    I happened to glance up from my noodles and I saw a group of women gathered outside the house. They were sitting on the ground sharing a meal of some sort.    Seeing them there, a thought occurred to me. I am grateful for the food I receive every day but there are also folks who may be getting one square meal a day, or less. I felt that I needed to go visit with the women who were sitting there.   I bought a large packet of biscuits from the bakery and went over. The women looked slightly ... Read Full Story >>

Money Flows - Let It

After a sick-day on the couch I was walking around the block to get some fresh air.  Just as I was turning back towards home I heard someone bawling. A kid, I thought at first. Then I saw it was an adult, a woman, looking lost, crying and calling out, walking on and off the sidewalk.   The woman who first crossed her path didn't stop or ask what was wrong. I guess that stopped me and made me turn around.    I took her arm and gently pulled her back from the road, asking her what had happened.   There was spit all around her mouth and tear streaks down her cheeks. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Sobbing, she told me she'd been on the bus with a friend. She'd given her "friend" the last of her money and then the friend had disappeared. She couldn't get the bus home now since she didn't want ... Read Full Story >>

From Suicidal To Motivational

A very wonderful thing happened on my radio show! A young man who had called the show a week before was sitting across from me in the studio telling listeners not to give up!    This was particularly moving since he had call me on air to say he was about to kill himself.   The very day he called my wife and I went to see him after he had promised me on air not to commit suicide. We invited him into the car and offered him some donuts which he took with trembling hands. He was hungry, penniless, frustrated and hurt. Just last November his mother had been gunned down in a drive-by shooting. He had just finished talking with her on the phone when it happened.   On the day he called the show he had turned the radio down so it would not distract him from cutting his wrists. As he was about ... Read Full Story >>

These Stories Featured on Radio Show

 The stories posted here are so inspiring I have begun sharing them on my radio show.  I do a program every weekday from 6 AM to 10 AM and at 7:30 AM I share an uplifting story from this site. The stories have been such a blessing to listeners that people have begun to make the feature part of their morning business.

The world needs more of your stories. Keep sharing.

Tumbling Food at Hand, Smile at Heart

At a large event, an elderly gentleman was carrying his food tray on his walker.

Suddenly, the tray tipped over and landed on the floor, and all the food tumbled around him. He was having difficulty bending over, so I bent down to retrieve the food for him.

He thanked me, and I immediately saw the gratitude in his eyes.

Such a simple gesture swept my heart into a smile. :)

Kindness Ripples

Yesterday, I took my brother's puppy to the pet store to spread some kindness. My mom and sister have been watching him while my brother is at work and when I went to pick him up to go to the store my mom gave me money in case I saw something cute to buy him. As we walked around the store, I looked at various options but started to feel uncomfortable. Here was a whole store devoted to pets with everything you could imagine, while some humans struggle to survive and others die for lack of basic necessities.  The puppy and my family's other dogs already have plenty of toys and everything else they'd ever need.   I decided not to buy anything. When I told my mom, she said to save the money for myself. She won't take "no" for an answer so I graciously accepted and decided to use the money ... Read Full Story >>

Southerly Winds Sweep In Smile Cards

Yesterday, I gave out my first Smile Cards!

There was a very strong, gusty southerly wind in town. While driving, I noticed some empty trash cans in the street. I stopped at the first one I encountered, placed it upside-down beside the curb (hoping it would not blow into the street again) and placed a Smile Card under it.

Then I drove on.

Talk about anonymous-- the recipient probably had no idea what a Smile Card is, who put it there, or even why it was there! I did this twice more on my way home from town, and it felt great! :)

Kindness Adventures On Our Block

I spend a lot of time at home, so there are many opportunities to interact with our great neighbors.

Today, I got a phone call from an older neighbor who lost her balance while bending over her little dog's water bowl and had fallen down.  I immediately ran over to her house with a cold gel-pack in hand! Then, I stayed a while, took some cute pictures of her pup with my cell phone, saw that she was okay, and returned home.  

She just called again to tell me not to worry, she is okay.

Upon returning home from her house, just as I was closing my door, I saw another neighbor (who is also a senior) climbing up a small ladder to hang something in her tree.  The ladder looked precariously perched, so I ran over to check on her. She thanked me, but refused my help. I told her I would stay next to her, just in case. :)

Both these women live alone and are very independent. They are a huge inspiration!

Scarf with a Mission

I recently received a story from a friend: So after a recent meditation group gathering, a wonderful soul that I trust and admire asked me to give away a beautifully constructed scarf with a smile card. I mean, living in New York City in the dead of winter, I thought this should be easy.   There is a woman who sits outside in the cold, near my office building every single day. I instantly thought, Let me give it to her. She appears to be homeless,  it is cold, and she sits there all day, everyday, outside of one of the richest jewelry stores in the world. Excitedly, I went to give her the scarf.   She said, "What is it?"   I told her, and she said, "No, I don't want it."   And in that moment I was both perplexed and humbled. I wanted to plead with her, "It's cold, it’s snowing, you don't ... Read Full Story >>