Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Water For The Salesman

Today a young door to door salesman knocked on my door. Unfortunately, I could not buy what he was selling but I made sure to give him all of the attention that he needed and remain pleasant throughout his short presentation. 

Sharing Cake In China

My wife and I went to Wallmart in Sehkou, China, where we bought some cool drinks and cakes.  In front of the Wallmart is a nice little garden with benches for people to relax on. We sat there and started enjoying the things we had just bought.    There were ten slices of cakes in the bag and we couldn't eat all of them. I wanted to share, but with whom?    I saw a man walked along with a broom, cleaning the garden area. I thought I would give him some of the cakes but I didn't know enough Chinese to explain what I wanted to do. I gave up that idea.    Then a young boy appeared. He was looking into the trash can for something.    Ohh, my heart sank. He was looking for food!   We had just finished three of the ten slices. So, I didn't wait any longer. I took the seven remaining slices of ... Read Full Story >>

The Long Three-Legged Walk

I was doing some yard-work yesterday. It was a mellow evening and I was making the most of it. Now, there is a path that runs alongside our garden fence. After I had been out there a while I heard a neighbors' voice coming from the path. "That's no place to be sleeping!" he said. "What a ridiculous state to get yourself into. Get up and get home. I'm telling you, you'd better not be there when I get back!"   I looked over the fence as the neighbor walked away. There didn't seem to be anyone else there.   Then I looked down. There was a man lying on his back on the path with his eyes closed. I recognized him. I had seen him doing the drunkard's walk along that path on several occasions.   My mind went over the telling off I had just overheard and a little voice in my head said, "Oh, ... Read Full Story >>

Love Messages In Unexpected Places

  I was traveling to visit my sister who lives a few states away. It was about a six hour drive and I stopped at quite a few gas stations along the way. One stop was in a small town that looked just like countless others I had passed on my way, but it turned out to be very different.   When I entered the gas station the two girls working at the register smiled and said hello. They had a very friendly, welcoming energy and I smiled and greeted them back. Then I made my way to the restroom. I was surprised to see that there were positive messages written all over the stalls!   Now, I'm not advocating graffiti here, but this experience did inspire me to leave positive messages in bathroom stalls on post-its, along with pens & blank post-its for others to add, during my next road trip!   I took a picture ... Read Full Story >>

We Are Love

I have two friends who were financially strapped and needed my help on two occasions. The first guy, was in his final year in University while I was in my third year. He needed some money for school fees and other academic purposes, and he came to me. Being a student and I didn't have much, but I gave him what he needed on the agreement that he would pay back. I didn't bother him after that. I never asked when he'd pay back. Later on, after he finished  school, he got into another period of deep financial stress and called me on the phone. He asked to borrow some more money, pleading that he'd pay all of it back once he lands a job. Out of kindness, I still gave him the exact amount he needed, which was twice the amount I had given him initially. He was so grateful. Its so ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness for my Inner Child

I used to teach elementary school. A few days ago, I found a stash of toys and other things that I had used as prizes.  They were small prizes like little cars, bouncing balls, animal cards, pencils with fun "grippers," and bracelets.  I decided they 'd be a perfect giveaway for a random act of kindness. 

As I looked through the toys, I decided to gift them in pairs (with a smile card) so that the child (or whoever finds the toy) can share one of the toys if s/he wanted with a friend (another kindness opportunity!).  Today I thought about where I could drop them off... I had a few different ideas, but ended up deciding on park playgrounds.  I went to a few different playgrounds within a few blocks of each other and hid the prizes. 

While going around the playgrounds, I felt that this was another random act of kindness for my inner child. Plus, lots of fun! :)

For Six Months

We’ll never know who did it.  We aren’t supposed to know.  For six consecutive months someone paid our electric bill. The monthly payments were always paid with cash.  Following each payment, we received a hand-written receipt in the mail, often accompanied by words of encouragement. The first time we opened up the sealed envelope, tears streamed down my face. Tears streamed down my husband’s face. The second time our electric bill was anonymously paid, we also cried, and we continued to shed tears month after month, as our most basic needs were met through generosity. Initially, I felt embarrassed. My pride nearly overshadowed the acceptance of such a generous blessing.  However, I soon realized that the giver must have sensed a genuine need. The need was well beyond what I willingly confessed. Our family’s needs were more extensive than we realized. Not only was my family helped monetarily but our ... Read Full Story >>

Sharing Water In The Nature Park

I took a long walk in the local nature park this morning. I do that most mornings. It really makes a great start to the day! I usually walk up this nice long road that goes back into the woods. It's so quiet and pleasant and there are so many green trees. 

The Real Jersey Shore

Initially, the Jersey Shore characters and their ridiculous behavior amused me. Then it got even worse. I was disappointed by the picture the show painted of the Shore and, in particular, Italian men and women.  But there is another side to the Jersey Shore.    I am a building contractor in Virginia and spend some of my spare time volunteering with Habitat For Humanity up and down the East Coast. I recently spent a weekend not far from Seaside Heights, New Jersey, volunteering on a "blitz build." The weekend was spent helping a good family build the home they were going to buy. We started framing on Saturday morning and 163 volunteers showed up to help! On Sunday we had about 135 people show up to help put the siding and roof on the home. Come Sunday evening the very emotional widowed father of two children who was buying the home stood on his ... Read Full Story >>

Moment In The Pharmacy

I was in the pharmacy and I had to pay for my meds - but I didn't have enough money!

The Boy At The Laundry

Yesterday I went to the laundry with my friend to collect her dress. There I saw a poor kid begging for food. His clothes were very shabby and, looking at his condition, it seemed like he hadn't eaten for quite a while.

My Airport Angel

I might have titled this story, "I was an airport angel - and wasn't all that happy about it!"   I was going on vacation to meet up with family for a week of fun in Canada. I got to the airport in Denver ready to leave my work behind for a few days. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job of helping families with children who experience disabilities navigate the special education system in our state, but this was my vacation!   I was comfortably awaiting my flight with a good book to read, when an elderly lady was wheeled to our waiting area. I couldn't help but notice the trouble she was having trying to open a packet of nuts with her arthritic hands. I sighed. No one else was willing to meet her gaze so I offered to help.     She was very grateful. It turned out these nuts were ... Read Full Story >>

Be Part Of The Game

Today I bought some cards. "If you're reading this," I wrote on them, "then you are a part of the game. The first thing you should know is how valuable you are to the world! So, understand that and smile! And if you want to join the game write down how you feel after reading this card and leave it somewhere like I did." Then I left the cards in various places around a shopping mall.

Encounter at a Trash Bin

My 25 year old daughter had just purchased a home in San Diego, near San Diego State University, and I wasn't too fond of the neighborhood at night.   We pulled into a gas station near her home around 8 PM. I was sitting in the passenger seat of her SUV, and noticed an old guy with a white beard taking trash out of the cans on the gas island. He picked out a smoothie container, half full, held it up to the light, and took a swig. He shuddered, and then put the lid on it and popped it in his bag. He repeated the procedure with a bottle of Sprite. I looked away, embarrassed for him that he didn't care who was watching (although he couldn't see me through the window) and so sad for him and for all of us, that we could let this happen in such an ... Read Full Story >>

Dinner for Three

The other day, I called a friend of mine and asked her if I could stop by for a quick visit. She had recently just got married, and I wanted to congratulate her and her new husband.

When I got there, her husband was on his way home. When he walked in, he had two bags of food with him for dinner. I didn’t realize that it was dinner time for them before I got there. But my friend simply brought out three plates and started serving the food.

You could clearly tell that her husband had no idea I was visiting, and he had only brought enough food for two. I felt bad to be intruding on their dinner time, so I told her that she did not have to worry about me. Since I only live a few minutes away, I was going to have dinner when I got home.

She looked at me with sincere eyes and said, "It’s okay. There is always enough”.

That evening, I sat and enjoyed a dinner for two among the three of us. It goes to show you that there are so many ways to be kind.

This simple gesture truly showed me how my friend valued our friendship, and it made me feel good inside.

Vulnerability Brings New Appreciation for Kindness

I think my mom raised me to be considerate. Growing up in a rather well-off family, where in a material sense I was wanting for nothing, kindness wasn't something I especially noted. I might have taken it for granted. As a teenager, to cope with some emotional challenges in my family, I taught myself to be a perfectionist, and developed a rather negative attitude towards myself. I always saw what was lacking in myself, or what I imagined to be lacking, in others, and in my life. You might gather it was difficult being this way. I lived this way well into my 30s.  Due to health problems, I left college without a degree, tried for an apprenticeship, fell ill again and left my employer.  After sick pay ran out, I ended up drawing something closer to welfare than unemployment benefits, though it was technically the latter. The family lore was ringing in ... Read Full Story >>

"I Love Books!"

I love books! 

Helping The Hairdresser

I was getting a haircut yesterday and could tell something was bothering the young lady who was cutting my hair.    

Kindness at the Pharmacy

Today is a difficult one. It is my Dad's birthday. He passed away last July from cancer. I so dreaded this day. My husband and I picked up my Dad's sister, who was also just diagnosed with cancer. We took her out to breakfast. She told us that earlier in the week, she had tried to get a prescription filled before starting chemotherapy. She couldn't afford to pay for it, so we decided to stop at a drug store and ask if there was a generic form of the medication that was less expensive. I went inside and began talking to the pharmacist. I was alone at the counter when a women walked up and interrupted: "Excuse me," she said, "I would like to pay for that." She asked how much it was, and placed the money on the counter. I couldn't believe it. She just appeared out of nowhere! I hugged the woman, and thanked ... Read Full Story >>

When Rice Krispie Treats Meet a Grudge

Early this morning, I got up to make a batch of Rice Krispie Treats for my neighbor across the hall. She barely greets me when we see each other, and her sweet little boy, who's now four, has picked up her hostile manner and will not talk to me, either. Last Monday, she had called the firefighters when a pan I'd forgotten on the stove caused my flat to fog up while I was out taking a walk. When I came home, the street in front of our apartment house was blocked by a police car, a fire truck and an ambulance! The instant I saw them, I remembered the pan! Luckily, nothing serious had happened, and all my neighbors agreed with the firefighter who said, "It could have happened to to anyone.“ When I thanked the neighbor who had called the firefighters - let's call her Ivy - and apologized for causing ... Read Full Story >>