Stories of Kindness from Around the World

An Unexpected Surprise

One morning I heard someone trying to get their car out of the snow after a snowstorm. (A very common sound here in Montreal.) After a few minutes I realized they needed a push, so I got dressed ,went outside, and pushed the car. It only took about a minute and, feeling more cold than sociable, I walked back to my apartment, without really seeing the driver.   Months later I was at the corner store and the guy in front of me insisted on paying for the beer I was buying! It felt a bit awkward and I had to refuse repeatedly. When I reached the cashier she told me my stuff was already paid for and she couldn't take my money.     So, I was walking back home from the store and that same guy is fifty feet in front of me, all the way! It turns out he's my neighbor, ... Read Full Story >>

Kids Are Kind

  I decided to add some positive energy into my workspace by having the students contribute to a "question of the month."  I posted a question on the wall outside my office at my elementary school and waited.  Eventually, I started seeing some amazing ideas and answers to the questions.  Here are some of the responses throughout the year.  It was heart-warming and yet sad to me how some of the expressions are things many of us take for granted... If you had a million dollars what would you do with it and why? - I would give back to my city. So I could fix it up - I would buy food for my family and a car - I would give to foster children, homeless and everybody who needs it...yah, my family - I would give it to the school: books, pencils, better food - I would give back to the community, give some to ... Read Full Story >>

Spreading Confusion In My Work Place

Yesterday, at work, I went around leaving envelopes on random desks. Inside the envelopes were Smile cards and various gifts, like scratch cards, bars of chocolate, candles, and so on. I sat back to listen to comments colleagues made as they opened their envelopes. Some of them made me giggle.    A few examples were - "I found this card with a ribbon around it, thinking it was something else. I opened it and found a Smile card and scratch card." "How creepy - and kind of nice!" "Can you imagine winning?" "We should leave a Smile card for someone!"   Then a colleague asked if I had left it and I said, "What is it anyway?" Then I pretended to read the card and encouraged them to look at the web-site!    They continued to speculate about who left them and showed everyone who came into the office.   As I left the office I noticed someone else finding a ... Read Full Story >>

25 Choices that Lead to Happiness

Quarter century markers have a certain weight carried with them; a recognition that much has come before to get to 25 and that there is much to follow before the half century marker arrives.   April 16 marks what would have been or what is, depending on your perspective, Josh’s 25th birthday. Since he left this world at age 15 ½ in October 2002, the number associated with his “missed” birthdays did not have a particular poignancy, other than 16 and 21(these are birthday markers in our culture for everything from driver’s licenses to an ID that allows you to legally consume alcohol and presents you as an “adult”).    Yet, 25 evokes a feeling I can’t quite put my finger on, yet I know it is there and I know I am struck by the power of this number.   What could I do with it? What could I do for Josh? He gave us ... Read Full Story >>

A Heart Of Flowers

I bought a pink flower arrangement in the shape of a heart for a new friend who owns a spirituality store. It was for her to put in the shop window. I love thinking of the smiles and good energy it will give to people looking in. 

New Friends And Queijadas De Sintra

Don't you just love those days in which everything fits in and you get this amazing feeling of elation?  Today I ventured out in the melting snow to visit my 82 year old friend. She needed help with her computer so I popped in for a computer repair and a chat. Even though I only managed to fix half the problem we had a lovely chat and she presented me with some traditional Portuguese cakes called Queijadas de Sintra. She said a friend had posted to her all the way from Portugal.    Then I went to town did some shopping. On the way back I noticed a new coffee shop with a name that appealed to me. "Anglo-Milanese." Being a fan of Italy and having stayed in Milan a couple of times I couldn't resist going to investigate. Once inside I noticed the people running the place were, in fact, Italian, so I placed ... Read Full Story >>

Can You Use This?

The last few days I have been thinking of items around my home that I don't use and getting rid of them. Why have them laying around and taking up space when someone else can use them? 

Minty Smiles

It's great fun showing people that they are important through random acts of kindness. In addition to Smile cards we found some smiley face butter-mints at our local Dollar Tree. We attach them to the Smile cards with a decorative paper clip.   Our youngest daughter handed a Smile card with mint attached to an elderly lady waiting at the doctor's office. It brought tears to her eyes. The lady stood up and said, "That deserves a hug!"    Our daughter passed out five more "minty" Smile cards at the doctors office that day.   Our oldest daughter made some whoopie pies and bagged them up with Smile cards attached for her aunt and her aunt's 90 year young neighbor. They both were over-flowing with excitement!   We gave a Smile card to a lady we saw at Wal-Mart and she said that she really needed the Smile card after a rough day at work.   Our family went to Pizza ... Read Full Story >>

The Queen Of Tarts

I was having a conversation with someone last week about dessert recipes. It's one of our favorite subjects! 

Scarves For Homeless Teens

It is so cold where I live right now! 

Laundry Detergent Smiles

I requested a pack of Smile Cards and received them rather quickly. As I looked through the smile deck, I was pleasantly surprised at how many nice things we can do for our world.  To start off my tagging experience, I randomly chose a card from the deck. It said: "Give an eco-friendly gift to at least one neighbor."   I thought, What are my options?   After researching at a local store, I decided to gift a bottle of eco-friendly laundry detergent along with a recycled card, which I just happened to have on hand. The front of the card read, "Thinking of you." And on the inside it said, "Sending a little sunshine your way."   I included a smile card and placed the gift in a bag outside my neighbor's door. Then I went out and about my day.   After arriving home, I noticed that the bag was gone. :) Then I went out again, and as ... Read Full Story >>

Can I Have Kindness For My Birthday?

This year, instead of birthday presents, dinners, etc, my husband and I decided to pool our resources and request acts of kindness, compassion and generosity be done on our behalf. 

Flowers In The Snow

The Old Folks At The Station

I had gone to the city railway station to pick my relatives. On the platform I saw a couple who looked to be in their 70s. They seemed restless, stressed and searching for something. I couldn't ignore them and asked if they were okay.    They said they had come from a village and were searching for their son who was supposed to pick them up. They asked if there was a telephone booth nearby so they could call him. I took the number, called him on my cell-phone, and let them speak to him. Then I told him exactly where his parents were standing.    I can still feel the shivers I got when the old lady smiled and said, "Let God keep you well, wherever you are."    That random and very small act gave me such a feeling of inner peace and happiness!   I couldn't wait for their son to arrive. I had to ... Read Full Story >>

A Lottery Ticket On The Train

My friend introduced me to random acts of kindness and encouraged me to share my stories. So here goes!

Thank You, Service Staff

I travel a lot and come into contact with lots of hard-working service workers in hotels, restaurants, airports, etc. Many of these people are ignored or even insulted by travelers, which I hate to see. For example, watch the abuse taken by the staff at an airport when a bad storm or mechanical problems cause flight cancelations! When I get to the front of the line I always tell the agent that they are doing a great job under tough conditions. If one of the people before me was unusually harsh I even apologize for the treatment they received.     It is amazing how it lightens the atmosphere and those behind me in line also seem to lighten up.   Another group that takes a lot of verbal abuse are restaurant staff. When I see a waiter that is doing a good job and appears to have more tables than usual, maybe due to ... Read Full Story >>

Sister Saturday

I spent Saturday afternoon with my three year old bubbly and bright step-sister.

Meals To Go For Two Strangers

I was traveling through Nebraska on business and stopped off for something to eat.

As I was enjoying my meal a bus pulled in. The passengers disembarked to eat and use the rest-rooms, all except one women and a young boy. They just waited outside and I guessed they didn't have enough money for a meal. 

On A Hill-Top In The Rain

I went for a walk this morning. it was raining, but I am glad I went!  

Drying Birthday Tears