Stories of Kindness from Around the World

True Beauty In A Supermarket Queue

  The following story is not my own, however I was so amazed at such kindness between two strangers I just felt I had to share it.   A POSITIVE TALE. COPIED FROM A LETTER IN “TABLE TALK” OUR LOCAL NEWS PAPER.   "I have a happy tale to tell.    "I joined the throng of frenetic shoppers at a Bayside supermarket on Thursday December 9. Sadly most were so intent on “stocking up” that friendly smiles were far and few between. I eventually arrived at the till point behind a handsome young man. His warm greeting was a real tonic!   "We exchanged a few words and just before paying his bill he excused himself, rushed off down one of the aisles, and came back with a box of chocolates which he presented to me. I must add that I am not a “drop-dead-gorgeous” young woman but a 75 year old pensioner - and this totally spontaneous gesture just ... Read Full Story >>

Appreciating This Community

I just wanted to thank HelpOthers for giving me the opportunity to meet so many beautiful hearts from around the world through this site.

Through HelpOthers I have been able to share and read stories regarding kind deeds and that  has inspired me for four  years or more.  I have laughed and cried (via Internet) with some of you. I have also had the opportunity to meet two of you in person. 

For the past two weeks I have had a visitor from HelpOthers stay with me. I can't tell what an honor it is to have Alraisi here in my home. Eventhough he is younger than me by 30 years, I am learning from him daily. I am honored to have such a special guest  and am truly grateful to HelpOthers for allowing kindness to shine through and for all of us to see the shining light in everyone.

SMILES are Contagious....I think my Smile is permanently fixed to my face now :0)

~Aurelia

Two Acts of Kindness From Two Strangers

A Special Delivery - In The Post Office

I was standing at a table in the post office, addressing an envelope and filling out the paperwork needed to mail a package. That's when I saw a woman approach the postal clerk. "I found this lying on the floor by my box," she said, "and I would like to hand it in." The postal clerk laughed and said, "I have never had anyone hand in money before, but I will put it in an envelope. Please write your name and telephone number on the front. If no one claims the money, we will call you."   The lady explained, "I have lost money before and it was never turned in. I remember how I felt. I don't want to make someone else feel that way." The postal clerk responded with her own memory of having dropped some money while shopping and not realizing it until she was preparing to pay for her purchases.   I admit ... Read Full Story >>

Paying Forward My Gratitude

When I was 23 years old I was in a dangerous relationship with the man who was my financee at the time. I was being physically and verbally abused on a daily basis.  I was financially tied to him (after he spent all my savings to pay his debts) but I wanted to be free!  For the longest time I was too embarrassed to tell my mother about the situation. She had warned me about him. But, eventually, I worked up the courage to tell her and she sent me the money I needed to leave.    Before the money arrived he found out what I planned to do. I was so scared of what he might do I decided to leave all my things and just get out of there.   Then, on my way to safety, my car died! I had automobile insurance (thanks to my mom) so I called the AAA and had them tow ... Read Full Story >>

Noticing Even The Smallest Gesture

I spent the night at my parents' house because my mom has multiple myeloma (a very rare cancer).  I was there to offer my support and loving-kindness. 

The next morning, I got up to go for my 7:00 AM swim, and, as I was walking down the steps past the Sunday newspaper, I stopped suddenly and became thoughtful.  I took the newspaper back up to the house and placed it on the kitchen counter where my parents like to read the paper.

Later, when I returned from my swim, my mom replied, "Your dad said an angel brought us our paper today."  It's such a small thing, but I went into the bathroom and cried, for I know my mom has precious little life ahead.

An Extra Special Candlelight Christmas Eve

I am a geriatric care manager and many of my clients families live out of state. This year, a sweet old lady that I care for, Alice, had gone through a particularly rough time. She had been in the hospital twice and then to a rehab nursing facility. In November I was finally able to get her back to her "home" in to an 'assisted living facility'. Alice has dementia and thought her daughter was coming to visit on Christmas day and that they were going to have the whole family together like the old days. When she finally realized that was not going to happen she was so sad and tearful. Knowing that her daughter was coming after Christmas was not enough to cheer her. I hated the idea of her being alone on the holiday! On Christmas Eve, I surprised her by asking if she would like to go to a candlelight service at church that night. Instead ... Read Full Story >>

Making Kindness A Habit

I have been inspired by other's kind acts to make a decision in my life to start gifting random acts of kindness on a daily basis.  Gifting has started to become a habit now, and I am starting to notice more and more opportunities to help others.  When I first started intentional gifting, I was more focused on how good it made me feel to be doing something nice for people, but it was mostly self-gratification and ego stroking.  But after doing it a few times, I discovered a new feeling that came from seeing someone's day brightened by my kind act.  It was no longer about me, it was about uplifting other people who need a boost too.  It is a warmer and more sincere feeling of love that comes from deep inside me and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I encourage you to explore gifting to others random acts ... Read Full Story >>

A Beautiful Gesture From A Cousin

  Recently, while visiting my cousin, my laptop was stolen!    My laptop is more than just a piece of technology, it is my only way of keeping in touch with the six nieces and nephews my mother and I cared for from their birth until a few months ago, and a nine year old daughter in another state.    Eventually my cousin managed to find my laptop and get it back. But doing so cost him all the money he had set aside to pay his bills that month!  When I asked him why he said it was because he knew how important it was to me.    He insisted I should not even try to pay him back. But I knew his kindness had left him in financial difficulty, so I waited until we left his place to go to the store together.    As he closed the door and walked on I stopped and bent down to ... Read Full Story >>

Helping Out A Mother

The other day I was really glad to be able to help a friend. She had gone back to full time work after years of staying at home to take care of her children. She has been finding it quite hectic, especially because her husband works away a lot and isn't able to help as much as he would like. She had an after-work meeting to attend in the evening and I suggested her children come over and have dinner at our house. I told her not to worry about rushing back because they would be just fine.  We had a lovely time together and my son enjoyed seeing the girls here too. Life being how it is, my friend was a lot later coming back than she thought she'd be. So, when she rushed up to my front door I stopped her, hugged her, and told her to breathe deeply. Her children were lying on the couch reading, ... Read Full Story >>

Remembering Why It's Worth Helping

Just recently I had been wondering if there was much point in doing little acts of kindness. So often they get ignored, and occasionally they come back to bite you! Then, just last week, after a long day of travelling, dragging suitcases behind me, I found myself delayed at a bus station. The bus was running four hours late! So, I guess I wasn’t in the best of moods. That’s when a woman asked me if I had any spare change to help her get a bus ticket. “Oh, sure,” I said, more than a little sarcastically. “How much would you like?” As I spoke I mentally kicked myself for my attitude and reached into my bag for some money. As I handed her five dollars I heard her stomach rumble. This was no gentle, ladylike murmer. This had the growl of real hunger! I reached back into my bag and brought out a Danish ... Read Full Story >>

Hand-In-Hand Together

This is such a tiny thing! But it still felt good.

I was on a busy bus today, going to the next town. There was an empty seat next to me and one empty seat just behind me.

And elderly couple got on the bus, quite dressed up, as if for an important ocassion, and I heard them ask for tickets to the hospital.

He came and sat in the single empty seat behind me and indicated his wife should sit next to me. I wondered if they were visiting someone in the hospital, but it was obvious as she approached that the lady had breathing problems. Maybe she was actually going into hospital.

I slipped out of the seat and indicated to the man that he should sit with his wife.

Sitting behind them, I could see the way they sat, half turned towards each other, holding hands tightly. I heard as he gently reassured her everything would be all right.

Such a little thing, but, ohhhh, it warmed my heart!

Golden Dollars at School

As a high school student, I come across lots of students and teachers everyday and so I guess I have the opportunity to influence the emotional state of hundreds of people each day.

My grandmother gave me $25 in golden coins for Christmas, and since then I've been leaving them around the school. It's cool when you don't even know who you're giving them to. It's even better when you find out later!  For example, I heard a librarian say, "There was this coin we received yesterday, and Mrs. Fritz found another one in the hallway - are they real?" Since I volunteer in the library that hour; I was nervous that they'd catch me!

Inspired by the Courage of an Intern

In August, an intern came to work at  my company. As I began to get to know her I was inspired by her story. In addition to coming from the inner city and having suffered many abuses as a child, her story was one of courage. At age 20 she went to bed with a headache and woke up paralyzed and unable to speak. She had a brain virus that caused the brain to swell. She had to relearn to talk, walk, write and lost much of her vision and balance. Despite all that she continued with her education and graduated in December with a bachelor's degree.   Her family was not supportive, her mother did not even wish to attend the graduation. The last week she was here I told her to show up early and dress up as we were taking someone else to lunch.  Instead, I had a surprise. When ... Read Full Story >>

A Calling To Help People Who Can't Help Themselves

Sunshine From A Friend

Hugs On Prescription

My wife never ceases to amaze me.

She and I went out for lunch earlier. We went to a new Italian restaurant down by the harbourside. It's set up in such a way that the upper floor is a kind of balcony where you can sit and look out over the yachts to the sea and the islands beyond.

You can also look down and see the diners on the ground floor. That's when Julie pointed an elderly lady out to me.

This woman had been a patient at a health centre Julie worked at a while back. She suffered from chronic arthritis and is almost always in pain from it. It was Julie's job at each appointment to find out just how bad the pain was and adjust the medication to suit.

Near the end of each appointment the woman would inevitable apologise for being such a moan. She hated burdening Julie like this, but her husband was doing all he could to look after her and she never felt it was fair to moan to him.

There and then Julie would prescribe a course of hugs and administer the first dose before the lady left.

Isn't that just the best medicine?

Dinner With An Unexpected Friend Changed My Life

I was walking home from work on a busy city street with lots of people. I wasn't looking forward to going home and my friends weren't able to hang out with me. That's when I walked past a homeless person that I hadn't seen before. He was moving back and forth to stay warm, and very gently asking for change. He spoke so quietly I could barely hear him. Something made me stop, turn around, and walk up to him. All the while anxious thoughts whirled around in my head like, 'What do you think you're doing?' 'You're alone, it's dark out and you're a woman,'   Before I knew what I was saying I asked him if he had had dinner yet and would he like to join me at a nearby restaurant. He said he hadn't eaten and he would like to. So, he walked with me a few yards to the restaurant and held the door ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness I Received in the UK

I recently returned home to South Africa from the U.K., and the people I met in the U.K. were so kind to me. Just before I left, one lady gave me two nice bags, and, similarly, my roommate gave me a nice jewelry bag. The experience and the kindness I received from the people in the U.K made me realize that the world we live in is not such a bad world. Despite all the sad stories we hear every day -- stories that make us want to hide and cry out loud -- there is still hope that dances around us.

Just yesterday, I went to the cafeteria and saw a guy I know sitting in a corner drinking his cola. I bought two apples for us and went to greet him. I gave him the apple before I left and could see his face glowing! The satisfaction I felt was beyond words.

Just By Making A Little Positive Effort

It's only since I've been walking everywhere that I noticed the “grot spots” and dangerous locations in and around my town.  When we are safe and snug in our cars we tend to whizz by and hardly notice what life is like for those who travel on foot!  But, deprived of a car, I saw everything from the perspective of the more vulnerable pedestrian.  Speaking to local residents I came to realise that other foot-travelling folk had the same concerns about litter, dog dirt, absence of street lighting, dangerous driving and impossibly placed road crossings too.  I decided to do something about it, so I wrote to my local council. And do you know what? They actually thanked me for bringing these issues to their attention! I was kept informed of their progress and can happily say that they have taken action on all but one issue! I believe we should do our best ... Read Full Story >>