Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Frozen Kindness On A Hot Minnesota Day

It is hot across the entire U.S.A and Minnesota is not spared. Yesterday I had my oil changed, my air-conditioner recharged, etc. It was so hot at the quick oil change place and since the work takes place out in bay area they have no air-conditioning. There wasn't even much in the way of air-con in the waiting area. These kids were sweating!  

Spontaneously Helping a Family in Need

Today my husband and I passed through an intersection with a man and wife holding a sign that read: "Out of work, family hungry".  We weren't in the lane nearest them. 

We got almost all the way home when my husband said, "I should have given him a $20."

I said, "Go back, you know he'll still be there." 

We turned the car around and drove all the way back.  We handed them the money and wished them better luck.  They were really appreciative and seemed genuine in their plea. 

Please join me in praying that the find an easier path soon.

Hope And Joy In A Wal-Mart Car Park

Wal-Mart parking lots can be a very busy place with cars and vans backing out while other vehicles wait impatiently to get the next spot. It can get a little congested at times and I have certainly seen many hurried people lacking in patience. I have ocassionaly been that hurried person. The other night when I left Wal-Mart I was in a lot of pain from some chronic health issues and I just wanted to wave a magic wand on be sitting on my couch with the groceries all put away. I would love to have a magic wand like that!    I started to get irritated when a woman and her child stopped dead in the middle of the parking lot to chat and hug with a friend while I was trying to back out! They seemed oblivious to my need to get moving.                 ... Read Full Story >>

Trick-O-Treating in Reverse!

My task was to knock on 10 doors and give them a treat -- a "reverse trick-or-treat" kindness mission!  I took a wicker basket and filled it with wrapped treats, including Emergen-C Joint Health packets, ThinkThin Crunch protein bars, and Kashi Honey Oat and Flax energy bars -- all fairly healthy items. The Smile Deck Card said to knock on 10 doors, but I took it a step further and knocked on all of the 30+ doors in my apartment building.  The results were on the whole quite positive.  However, my ambivalence with doing this deed stemmed from my fear that the neighbors would be suspicious of someone knocking on their door inside of a gated building.  This turned out to be the case with a number of neighbors, but that was part of the challenge for me -- to maintain positive, giving intentions amidst people's doubt and suspicion.  I found that first ... Read Full Story >>

Can I Help You?

The other day, I was in line at the grocery store. As I waited, I turned around and found an elderly man in line behind me. I smiled and said "Hi, How ya doing?" He smiled right back at me and politely said he was fine.

I noticed that he had some heavy water jugs and kitty litter in his basket. I asked him if he wanted me to the water jugs up onto the belt so that the cashier could scan them. He said he thought he'd be ok because he didn't think he had to take them out to be scanned and winked at me.

I asked the cashier and she said her scanner most likely would reach into his basket where the items where. The elderly man thanked me for trying to help and said not many people would care about him like I did.

So be on the look out for those in need. No matter how small the good deed may seem...it means alot to those in need.

Love and Inspiration from Japan

Below are the some of the heart warming anecdotes that I've witnessed and heard from others during the aftermath of the earthquake in Japan last year...  In the supermarket, where items of all the shelves fell, people were picking up things so neatly together, and then quietly standing in line to buy food. Instead of creating panic and buying as much as needed, they bought as little as they needed.  I was proud to be a Japanese.   When I was walking home, for 4 hours, there was a lady holding a sign that said, "Please use our toilet."  They were opening their house for people to go to the restroom. It was hard not to tear up, when I saw the warmth of people.   At Disneyland, they were giving out candies. High school girls were taking so many so I was thinking, "What???"  But then the next minute, they ran to the children ... Read Full Story >>

A Time for Kindness at KFC

Last summer, I was visiting my Dad in Texas.  One particular day, since he had already had lunch, he told me to go get something to eat.   I ventured out, found a KFC and got something warm at a good price.     While I was there enjoying my lunch a young man with a bottle of window spray, a squeegee and a backpack arrived. He must have known the people there because he waved, showed his water bottle, and filled it up.    I was wondering about him as he turned and smiled at me. He came over and asked if he could clean the windows of my van. At first I said "No" but then I had second thoughts. I knew he could use a tip so I told him it would be a good idea.     I finished my meal and got to the van as the young man was finishing with the ... Read Full Story >>

Giving a Blanket on a Cold Florida Night

Last winter in Florida the temperature dropped into the 30's.  Since it was so cold, my mom got this idea to give blankets to homeless shelters.  We looked up some locations, and found one was in North Miami Beach.

We drove around for some time looking for the shelter but never found it.  Apparently the shelter had shut down, but was still on the Internet. Instead of going home, my mom and I decided to give away as many blankets as we could to homeless people that we found along the way.

We gave our last blanket to a woman sleeping in a bus stop. She was very hesitant to receive the blanket, but we insisted and told her that we'd be very grateful if she took it.  She finally gave in and thanked us. It was so rewarding to see her guard come down. It was the best winter that I've had.

Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2011

For the first time last year, we featured a top ten list of stories published by our members in 2010 and it was very well received, so we decided to do it again and compile this year's top ten kindness stories of 2011 to share the inspiration!  1. Today You, Tomorrow Me During this past year I’ve had three instances of car trouble: a blowout on a freeway, a bunch of blown fuses and an out-of-gas situation. [...] Each time, when these things happened, I was disgusted with the way people didn’t bother to help. I was stuck on the side of the freeway hoping my friend’s roadside service would show, just watching tow trucks cruise past me. The people at the gas stations where I asked for a gas can told me that they couldn’t lend them out "for safety reasons," but that I could buy a really crappy one-gallon can, ... Read Full Story >>

An Unforgettable Morning at the Airport

It was an unusual time with so much happening in my life.  I was on my way to visit my sick mom, who passed away shortly after my visit.  So much was going on and I arrived earlier than usual at the airport.   When I arrived at the airport, I went to get some breakfast.  After getting breakfast, I slipped on some water on the floor and the food spilled all over.  I was embarrassed, but also feeling down because of the situation with my mom.  I felt all eyes in my direction.  I just wanted to disappear. I then went to sit in a different part of the airport.  Sitting there, I began to cry silently.   Shortly after,  a man came toward me and said that he wanted to buy me breakfast.  I said it was not necessary, but he insisted. He came back with a tray of warm food and ... Read Full Story >>

A Festive Welcome for a Grieving Friend

Reena, one of my colleagues, was very sad. She was worrying about her personal problems.  Her husband had recently passed away. She was suffering both emotionally and financially. She looked as if she has forgotten how to smile. She could not focus on her work. She did not even come for the tea break. As she had not eaten properly for several days, she fell unconscious in office. She was admitted in the hospital. After a few days, she recovered and returned to the office. Another colleague, Charmi, had an idea of welcoming Reena back to cheer her up. So we prepared a handmade welcome card. Everybody wrote some beautiful positive quotation and signed it. Somebody drew nice cartoons on it. Someone watercolored it and pasted some glittering particles on it. Someone else made 2 paper butterflies and pasted them on the card. It was cool. When Reena entered into her cabin, ... Read Full Story >>

Being the Oldest and the Youngest

A few years ago, I wanted to do something special for my birthday.   I remembered how my parents gave me a very special treat when I was a child. I never enjoyed big parties so they decided to celebrate by organizing a party for the local orphans. And that was the most beautiful gift I ever had! With those memories in mind, ten days before my birthday I placed an order for a huge ribbon cake with lovely decorations. I also applied for a day’s leave from the office where I worked.   On the morning of my birthday I dashed to the cake shop. There it was! A grand, huge, ribbon cake with loads of beautiful decorations! I felt a kid myself!     I bought some other food stuff to go with the special cake then, smiling broadly, I drove to an orphanage.    There were now two differant buildings in the same compound. An ... Read Full Story >>

... But, Officer!

It was like something out of a movie!

Tea To Warm The Heart

Giving Away a Special Gift

One of my friends always serves the community.  He frequently goes to villages and teaches children.  I wanted to do something nice for my friend and the perfect opportunity came after I donated blood.  After donating, I recieved a small cup as a gift.  I just took that cup and dropped some smile cards in it and went to my friend's room and said "I have a gift for you". He was confused and then I gave the cup and said "One year ago, I remember you told children to come to your room if they needed help with their studies. I really liked that you did that and wanted to show you my appreciation by giving you this cup." He smiled a lot and said "thank you man and he hugged me". I felt so happy and showed him the smile card that said "thank a person helping the society" and said "thank you".  Then, then ... Read Full Story >>

A Christmas Ripple Effect

When I first got married, I told my wife that every year at Christmas, I love to give a gift to someone anonymously.  I feel that's the true meaning of Christmas - it is about giving and not receiving. 

My wife had a friend that she had grown close to over time.  Well just before Christmas one year, she lost her job, She had very little by way of savings and no where to turn for help, and she has two young children.  So I told my wife we need to help but we should do it anonymously. 

We purchased a money order from a store and mailed it to her with no return address. We had a friend address so she wouldn't know the handwritting and it was mailed from a city outside of our area so the postmark was unknown. 

Well 4 years later, also at Christmas time, my wife decided to tell her who the money was from when she did her friend just smiled and said from that Christmas on she has been helping others who are in need every Christmas. 

 It just goes to show you a little help can have a lot of ripples.

My Tazmanian Jar

Last year, we were invited by a friend who's very active in reaching out to people in need. She organized what she called a 'minilympics' for special children of Holy Trinity (school for special children) and she asked all her friends and friends of friends to donate anything like cash, clothes or in kind. Holy Trinity school is being headed by some Catholic nuns who have been very faithful, compassionate and loving to the special children enrolled to the school. It has been my habit to always put my change coins in my tazmanian jar which I keep for two years now. My purpose is to save a little of my money and then donate them when the jar is full. I initially planned of giving the money to Bahay Pag-ibig (home for the aged) last Christmans, but since I don't know how to get there alone, I decided to just ... Read Full Story >>

'Sweet' Appreciation

Last week we had a number of on-site meetings over the course of three-and-a-half days. This created a bit of pressure on the lady who provides the tea and coffee etc., as she got a month's work in a week!

She was incredibly obliging, even coming in early some days to get the conference rooms ready, and really helped out with her grace and kindness, especially as we were under pressure.

To say thanks to her for doing such a good job with a smile every day, I bought her a box of chocolates as a small token of appreciation. She was delighted to receive the chocolates and gave me a big hug!

Needless to say, it made my day to see her so happy over a box of chocolates

Petting Pets For Therapy

Loving Mel Through Her Loss

I volunteer for a Gastroschisis Birth Defect Support Group and I was assigned this wonderful women, Mel.