Stories of Kindness from Around the World

My V-Neck Sweater

  Driving home from a movie I knew I was running out of gas. For some reason I passed up the nearest gas station and was compelled to drive well out of my way to gas up.    As I pulled up I was captivated by the scene; fancy cars, hybrids, Mercedes and Hondas juxtaposed against two homeless men eating out of the trash can. Another man was asking customers if he could clean their windscreens for spare change.   As I stepped the warm confines of my car I felt the frigid wind against my face. That's when a homeless man walked up to me with a desperate look in his eyes. He said, "Sir! Someone stole all my stuff! Can you believe that? Do you have an extra jacket or t-shirt I could have?"    I was shocked to think that someone would steal from a homeless man, but I didn't have any spare garments ... Read Full Story >>

Any Simple Gift Ideas or Prayers?

We are closing in on the end of the school year and its a great time to show your appreciation to those who have spent time helping you or your child. A card, cookies, flowers, a gift card for a free coffee are all simple ways to say "Thank You".

My place of work depends on volunteers to come forward and share their time and talent with the youngsters each week for our Religious Ed classes. I suggested to my boss that we invite our volunteers to mass and then have a little reception afterwards of snack-size sandwiches, cookies, fruit, and punch! :)  She agreed that it would be a good idea. I am looking forward to spending time with them and letting them know how much they are appreciated.

Any ideas of simple gift ideas or prayers I could say?

The Vegan Cookie Muse

I've been practicing at least one intentional act of kindness a day recently. Today, I had a vegan, wrapped cookie in my pocket, courtesy of some friends last night who requested it be paid forward, just itching to find its recipient. :). It's an interesting thing, to observe what thoughts the mind tends towards on a walk in the streets, and equally interesting to observe how it focuses when carrying an intention like, "Whose day can I make, and how??" I was walking through the subway, and passed by a musician strumming his guitar. It was no extraordinary sight, but suddenly I remembered a story of how a world-class violinist played in a subway station once, and only handful of folks stopped to listen to a performance that would normally fill the fanciest concert halls. World-class musician or not, this guy was into it, and so I decided to form an audience ... Read Full Story >>

Touching A Young Lady's Life

I work with a guy who is a single dad and has an adorable daughter who looks just like him.  He brings her to work sometimes at night while he is working.  Last night, he picked her up and brought her to work, and she was standing at my desk chatting with me.  I believe she is 10 or 11 years old and has a mom who lives far away and who she only sees about three times a year.  While we were chatting, I was looking at her thinking how wonderful her father is to her, but how it must be hard not to be around her mom more often.  I am so thankful my girls got to grow up with their father and mother together.  Anway, I looked into her heart, and God touched my heart to do something for her.  The next day, I went to the mall and ... Read Full Story >>

The Man I Will Never Forget

This morning, I remembered a childhood memory.  It made realize that some of the acts of kindness that we might do spontaneously might never be forgotten by the recipients.  I was six years old and in foster care. My foster mother was not the kind of person I would have chosen to stay with. One morning she sent me to the store for a sack of flour. On the walk back home I was doing what any six year old would have been doing -- playing. Because of that I dropped the sack of flour and it burst open spilling the flour all over the ground. I knew that this meant I would be in big trouble when I got home. So I ran back to the store and asked the clerk if I could have an empty bag and a scoop so I can gather up as much of the flour ... Read Full Story >>

The Extra Water I Packed

In September of 2005, during Hurricane Rita, I learned the importance of family and sharing.  We were located in an area that was safe from the hurricane but my great-grandmother was not. At that time she was 80 years old and suffered from arthritis so even though she still had her mobility it was limited. I could not believe it when I heard my mother say we were going to Louisiana. That was the same place that the hurricane was heading for! So, I asked why and she told me it was because she did not want my great grandmother to be alone and there was no way to get her to us - so we had to go to her. It moved me to see that my mother was willing to put herself in harm’s way to make sure her mother was not alone at such a scary time.  So we got ... Read Full Story >>

A Surprise In The Gym Locker

The Journey of a Kindness Checkbook

The green box on HelpOthers.org talks about a $100 contest I submitted an idea that I would love to do.  I loved the idea so much that I decided to go ahead and do it, only on a smaller scale.  If I am selected as a winner of the $100 contest, I will do it on the large scale.  (fingers crossed)  Since I work at a Bank getting the supplies for my idea was easy: a plastic checkbook cover and a transaction register (normally for a checking account).  Next I wrote a message on the inside cover: "Congratulations!  You are currently the bearer of the Smile Transaction Register.  This kindness checkbook began its journey with $20.  Your only job is to keep it going.  Don't keep it long.  Look over the entries in the register to get some ideas of how to spread small acts of kindness.  You can either make a deposit if the funds ... Read Full Story >>

Perfect Dresses For Prom Princesses

Leaving a Surprise at the Car Wash

I was at a do-it-yourself carwash this morning and left $2 worth of quarters, the amount it cost to wash a  car, and a Smile Card in a clear plastic bag in one of the car stalls by one of the coin boxes to operate the wash. I hope it made someone happy today!

My Enemy Named Fred

When I was thirteen years old, I had an enemy. Not a wanted enemy, mind you, but an evil one!

His name was Fred, and boy, was he mean. He took advantage of all my short-comings. My mother passed away when I was ten, and he wouldn't even let up about that!

One day, he and a few of his friends dumped mustard all over my new shirt which I'd begged my aunt for hours to let me have.

A few weeks before school was out, Fred stopped coming to school. Curious, I asked around only to discover that his mother had passed away the week before.

I felt terrible for him! Mind you, he had never been a sweetheart or anything, but I knew how terrible it was to lose a parent as a kid.

I checked the school directory for his address and mailed him a long, anonymous letter about how I coped with losing my mom, and things I'd learned from it. And mostly, I told him how sorry I was for his loss.

A few weeks later, when he returned to school, he still made fun of me, but I felt much better about the situation.  My letter hadn't changed him, but I think it changed me!

Flowers That She Couldn't Smell

“Everyone says the flowers smell good but I don’t smell anything. Nothing. Do you smell them?” she asks, in her heavily accented voice. After walking around a busy street looking to do a random act of kindness, I had stumbled into this flower shop. Even though my mind was busy devising possible scenarios, I had a gut feeling that something was going to present itself. A little startled by the flower lady’s question, I tell her that “the flowers smell ah-mazing and perhaps you should take a break once in a while so you can enjoy them too.” Before I realize, I find myself in the midst of a conversation about her life -- she got laid off from United Airlines a few years back, took the unemployment money and traveled the world for a year. Then, she ran out of money and came back to work at the ... Read Full Story >>

Gratitude For Our Children's Kindness

I recently posted a story about a local man in a difficult situation, and how his plight had inspired my children to help.  I posted a follow on story about how my children started a fundraiser (making angels) to help out a local man and his family. The man is out in  all kinds of weather, holding a sign that reads, "Will work for food for family."  We don't see stuff like that in our area much and he touched my children's hearts and they raised $100.00 for this family.  This story is the final instalment. Yesterday my husband and I took the kids to give the man the money they had raised for him.  My husband called him over to the car, and I got out to explain who we were and tell him about the fundraiser.  He was very soft spoken, rather young, and extremely respectful.  We talked about how hard times are right now, ... Read Full Story >>

Four Special Sentences For My Grandson

My now 7 year old grandson, who lives 100 miles away, has had my mobile phone number memorized since he was 4.  Since then, he has called me every night before he goes to bed to tell me about his day or just to say "Good Night Gramma".  He also frequently calls me at other times during the day just to share a happy or sad moment.  Many times he's dribbling a basketball with one hand, or laughing with a friend about something that I never quite catch on about, or crying about something he may or may not want to talk about while I'm on the other end of the phone.  I just listen and empathize or laugh with him - just share his current emotion.  I always let him be in charge of the subject, the emotion, and  the amount of time he's on the phone with me.  Many ... Read Full Story >>

Sandwiches With Extra Love

Joy From Unspoken Gratitude

It was afestival time in India and I had gone to buy some sweets.  Iwas sad that day and in no mood to celebrate. As I was purchasing the sweets I saw some slum children outside the shop looking at cake in the window with wide eyes.

The shopkeeper began to shoo them away. But I stopped him, purchased the cake and gave it to the children. This I do on many occassions at different places. But this particular event felt very special. As I was giving the cake to the children their eyes sparkled out of happiness and gratitude which  touched my heart. It made me sooooo delighted.  For a few minutes I felt like a Santa Claus.

This tour of paradise (for those few moments) didn't cost me the earth. Just less than Rs. 100/- .  More that I giving them anything special they had given joy to my sad heart by that unsaid thanks in their eyes.

A New Family I Never Expected

18 years ago I discovered I was unexpectedly pregnant, I was on my own and in an extremely limited financial situation. I worked at a pet shop, a job I loved, but cleaning cages with unrelenting nausea was pretty awful to deal with. Having little money, and unable to keep anything down, I started losing weight instead of gaining it. There was a neighbor woman I had visited with a couple of times, and to my surprise, she started working at the pet shop too. Everyday, for lunch, she would produce large, organic salads and other very healthy meals. To my surprise she insisted that I have some of her lunch. I tried to refuse, but she was determined. Puzzled, I managed to eat, and when I admitted to everyone at work that I was pregnant, she was very excited, and kept on feeding me, despite the fact that I couldn't hold it ... Read Full Story >>

Learning From A Co-Workers Compassion To A Plant

I have a plant that sits on my desk.  Yesterday, the two ladies that clean the office came in right before I was leaving and looked at me with with angry eyes. They do not speak English and I do not speak Spanish, but I practice with them every chance that I get so I’m getting a lot better at understanding and communicating with them. With the plant in her hands, she looked at me and asked me why I had not watered the plant since it was wilting. Ironically, I was holding a bottle of drinking water in my hand taking a sip as she was saying that. S he said a few words in Spanish that completely flew over my head so I asked the other lady to translate. She said, “You drink water all the time but you neglect to water the plant! She left the office with the ... Read Full Story >>

Just A Simple Thank You

Sometimes One Act of Kindness Goes A Long Way

My husband works for a company that provides 24/7 care and housing for people with mental, physical and developmental disabilities.  Here in Arizona, brutal budget cuts have slashed funds for those most in need.  My husband loves his job and knows he is serving an important purpose, but sometimes the cuts affect morale.  I decided to start sending a basket of goodies to work with my husband every Wednesday, which is the day that all staff members come in to pick up their checks.  I figured it might give them a little extra reason to smile.  On the first Wednesday, I sent these delicious maple leaf cookies I found that are made Canada.  I wrapped them individually in cellophane (because there are lots of employees and I wanted everyone to get at little something).  When my husband arrived home from work, he brought me the following note from one of his ... Read Full Story >>