Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Celebrate World Kindness Day on Nov 13th!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead Join us in celebrating World Kindness Day on Saturday, November 13th by, you guessed it, doing something kind for someone else! :) Want to do something kind, but just can't think of what to do? You're in luck! We've got loads of ideas on our site, where you can find one that moves you personally.  We've also included some of our favorites here below, which are quick and easy for everyone to do this Saturday in the spirit of joining the global community to promote kindness. Kindness Ideas Give a friend your favorite inspirational book with a personal note attached. Pay for the person behind you in line. Plant a fruit tree where it will thrive. Leave ... Read Full Story >>

Exercising the Kindness Muscle

Today my husband and I drove to a nearby park for our exercise.  The park has a lake with a paved path along it's edge which is about two miles long.  There are some benches dotted along the path, and approximately half a mile into our first lap, we noticed a woman's purse hanging on the back of a bench. We looked around but there was no one nearby so we opened the purse to check for identification. Although we had passed a few people during our lap, it was evident that we hadn't passed the woman in the driver's license photo. Inside the purse was her wallet, license, credit cards, car keys, etc. so we just couldn't leave the purse there in hopes that she might return.  We decided to carry it with us and hope that we would come across the owner.   After about another mile, we saw a man and woman walking hand in hand ahead of us. As we ... Read Full Story >>

Sacrificed For A Sister's Education

I've never posted a story before but, upon recently graduating from UC Berkeley, with as much financial support as my family could muster, I feel the need to thank my sister Mollie.   Mollie started out at UC Santa Cruz two years ago, when I was already a junior at Berkeley, at a time when my family could no longer afford to support two college students.   We both started working to pay for our housing while our parents were still paying our tuition. Then we took out loans for tuition too.   After one year of college, my sister moved home to San Francisco and took classes at SF City College instead and started working full time. She did this by choice and quietly let our whole family think that she wanted to move home anyway, that it was for her as much as for my parents' financial situation.   Over the past ... Read Full Story >>

A Neighborhood Pulls Together To Be 'Kind People'

Two weeks ago while my daughter and I were eating dinner I saw a police officer walking past my backyard with a worried looking woman. I opened my door and asked if everything was okay. Apparently the woman was the grandmother of an eight year old boy who had gone missing an hour earlier.  I said we hadn't seen the boy, but we would help look. I asked my two year old daughter if she understood why we had to go looking for this boy and couldn't finish dinner right then.  She replied, "Be kind people, Daddy." (That still makes me want to hug her!) We hopped into our truck and went searching all over town for about an hour and a half.  Along the way, as we asked various strangers on the street if they had seen this little boy. A group of kids said they would help too. They hopped on ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness for the Animals

I am one who loves to give to those in need. For instance, if I see a homeless person on the side of the road, I hand them $5. The way I think of it, it doesn't matter what they use it for as long as I showed that I care. One subject that emotionally touched me was animal abuse – for instance, there are commercials that depict animals that were abused and neglected and had only a slight chance of living. I had to do something about it! So I contacted my local humane society and asked if I could have a fundraiser for them. They were openly grateful for my offer. Leading from this, I went around town and collected donations for a raffle to raise money for the abused animals of our local humane society. To add to the appeal of this event, my dad wrote a song called ... Read Full Story >>

Helping a Mother and Daughter in a Pharmacy

I am stationed in Guam with the Air Force. There is a lot of poverty here. 

Last week I was at the pharmacy picking up my usual medicine when I noticed a mother and child counting their dollars and change. The mother was unable to pay for her prescriptions, so without thinking, I took out my credit card and asked the pharmacist to put her bill with mine.

As we waited for our medicines, she explained that her other daughter had gotten scalding oil in her eye while in the car. I was horrified and glad that I was able to help. We exchanged numbers and she would not stop thanking me.  A week later, her daughter called to thank me and tell me that her eye was better.

Leaving Flowers on the Perfect Doorstep

I went outside and cut some flowers growing in my yard. I was going to leave them on the doorstep of some random house in my neighborhood.  I wrapped them up nicely and went to find a house. I rang the doorbell of the first house and ran off.  A couple minutes later I walked by and saw the flowers still there. I went and picked them up because I didn't know how long the people who lived there would be away for and by the time they got back, the flowers could be wilting. I went to find another house. Same thing happened. Nobody was home.

Cruising along to find yet another house, I saw an elderly couple leaving from their home on a walk. It was the perfect  place! Once they were out of view I dropped the flowers off.  I was riding back when I saw them again. They were on their way back home. 

I can't help but wonder if they knew it was me or what their expressions would be when they discovered the flowers. It was an awesome thrill and I loved it! I'm excited to do other things!

If you have any ideas on anything I could do please comment and tell me!

30 For 30: A Birthday Wish

Check out the video below, from a HelpOthers member ...

If you're so moved to support Hywy's 30th b'day by doing a kind act in your community, please leave a comment below about your intention, and it will be sent directly to her -- and wil make her day/year. :)

Much love to all of you who make this world a better place, one kind act at a time!

A Long Queue Made A Little Shorter

 During a recent business trip there was a hold on trains to the airport and many people were stranded and had to buy new tickets for flights and also arrange hotels for the night. I was traveling alone and like everyone else I had to stand in very long queues. I had queued for about 30-40 minutes and was looking around when I saw a lady with a small child in her arms near the back of the queue. I knew she had at least another 30-40 minutes to wait just to reach my position and maybe 10 more minutes from there as I was quite close to the front of the queue. I could also see that she was quite tired and the child was heavy and asleep on her shoulder. I looked back until I caught her attention. Once I got her attention I waved her forward and asked the ... Read Full Story >>

An Opportunity to Help at the Nursery

I was picking up a few plants at a nursery for my small patio area. The young woman who assisted me was helpful and pleasant to the point of making my day a better one.

As I was finishing at the cash register a supervisor told the young woman to go for her lunch break. She said she didn't want to go. When pressed on the issue she said she was so broke she didn't have any food at home to make a lunch. She laughed it off, saying she'd go get a coffee.

I gathered my things and she offered to help me out. As I parted I put a $10 bill in her hand and encouraged her, with a smile, to enjoy lunch today. She smiled widely and said she would.

Kindness With Wheels On For A Young Girl

My wonderful Aunt Helen Louise recently passed away very unexpectedly. I have been trying to stay positive during this time.  Today was an especially emotional day, so I decided to try and keep myself busy by doing a little 'treasure hunting' at my local Goodwill store. Whilst I was browsing, I saw a young girl trying to ride a bicycle. Her grandmother and grandfather were steadying it for her. Her grandmother was very encouraging and it made me smile to see the look of determination on the little girl's face. I browsed through the racks but didn't find anything I wanted to buy. I was on my way out of the store, when I noticed the bicycle parked at the checkout counter. A light bulb went off right away in my mind, and I asked the clerk if the bicyle had been paid for. She told me that the little girl's grandparents were going to buy it ... Read Full Story >>

A Creative Solution to Helping the Homeless

In Denver, CO, there are people who stand on the corners of intersections and highway exits holding signs asking for money.  Unfortunately, I have heard information communicating that some of these beggars are a part of a scam.  People hire individuals, homeless, etc. to do the begging, after which they retrieve the money and pay the beggars outside of what they were given (how in the heck could this make sense?).  The other problem I have heard is that some homeless people use the money given to them to buy alcohol or drugs, continuing the negative cycle they are experiencing in life.

It is difficult for me to stop at these intersections while not knowing what their situation is but still wanting to help.  I certainly don't want to give money to someone using the homeless for profit, and I do not want to contribute to alcoholism or drug problems.  So what I do to help is this: I keep a case of water in my car or boxes of granola bars and give beggars some relief without contributing to one of the above-mentioned problems centered on money.

An Act of Honesty Saves a Vacation

My oldest daughter is on vacation this week. She called last night to tell us that she arrived safely in North Carolina. She said, "Don't get mad but I lost my wallet." Then she quickly added, "But it's been returned to me!" She had left the highway to get gas and some food. Her boyfriend was in a hurry to get going  because they had a few more hours to drive before reaching their desitination. She placed her wallet on the car roof, put the puppy in the back seat, and quickly jumped into the car. Off they went, with the wallet still on the roof! They were about a  half hour away and they came to a toll booth. She reached in her purse for her wallet and couldn't find it. She had a lump in her throat as she remembered leaving it on the roof. She started to cry. Then, almost ... Read Full Story >>

Two Little Hearts - Both For Sharing

I found a website that sells tiny pewter hearts which are not too expensive, so, I bought a batch and I keep a couple in my pocket most of the time.

Whenever I find the opportunity, when I am out in stores, at a yard sale or at work or anywhere really, I will ask the person I am speaking with to give me their hand. I put two of those little hearts in the palm of their hand saying, "Keep one and pass the other one on."

The responses I get are amazing! If I had won the Lottery there would not be bigger smiles or more excitement.  Everyone immediately wants to tell me who is getting the other heart; someone with cancer, their child who was grumpy this morning, and so on.  

A little sharing really makes people happy!

P.S.  In my other pocket I carry dog biscuits so even their canine friends can be happy!

My Father's Silent Life Lessons

Earlier today I was thinking about my dad. Pops is in ill-health right now but his spirit is strong. He might forget where he’s at from time to time but I know that deep inside his spirit is as strong and vibrant as it has ever been.  Every now and then he will surprise us and just talk and talk and talk about the good ol’ days. He is eternally faithful to my mom, and I really feel he hasn’t abandoned ship yet because he fears for her when he is gone. Guess what, Pops?  We’ve got your back. You can enjoy what time you have left worrying about what to eat, what show to watch, how long to sit in that front porch rocker, or just waiting around for football season to start!  You know, the big stuff! You see, my dad is a quiet man. He has always been a quiet ... Read Full Story >>

Smile Away and Make Someone's Day

Try to remember that even when you don't have any extra cash to share or spare and you still have that burning desire to do good and make a difference, you can always smile!

Yesterday I was picking my daughter up from school. As we drove home I got stuck behind a 'transport vehicle'. I didn't know then but it was a van that took elderly folk in wheelchairs wherever they needed to go. Anyway, when I decided to pass the van I put a big smile on my face!

The van had large windows and you could see right inside. There she was, looking right at us, an elderly lady. She was in a wheelchair and still in her pajamas. Who knows  where she was about to go; to the hospital for testing, to a room in a new nursing home, I just didn't know.

So I smiled widely and waved at her. She looked surprised and then started smiling and waving back to me. It was as though we knew each other! My daughter and her friend started waving too. It felt good and really gave me a lift! 

We made each others days with those smiles that cost nothing. I am sure of it! Smiles are contagious!

A Labradoodle Shares A Little Love

Molly, my Labradoodle, comes with me to visit my mum at her nursing home. 

My mum likes to sit a while with Molly before going to sleep. When this happens, after she's asleep, I take Molly around to the other residents.. 

There was one lady that the nurses were trying to get a reaction from. She was leaning forward in her chair, not responding to their voices even though she was clearly awake. So, I took Molly over to her and Molly started to lick her.

Now this lady rarely speaks.

She laughed out loud, a real belly laugh! Then she met Molly's gaze and hugged her!

Seeing what a difference animals make to people in this situation is so uplifting and rewarding.

Meeting Anger With Kindness

From 1993 through 1998 I was a vendor for Chevrolet dealearships. Each week I would take a look at their used cars that were for sale. I would fix cracks in leather, cigarette burns in fabric,  re-color carpets that had stains, repair windshields that had been hit by a rock, etc. Every week I would walk into this specific Chevrolet dealer's used car lot  to see what the used cars needed in the way of repairs. The general manager's wife was named Cindy. Cindy was always very rude,  treating me like I was below her or that she was better than me.  I was always upbeat, possitive and kind, but that never seemed to work with her.  One day she accused me of charging  her to dye the carpet in a mini-van that had a stain in the carpet.  She had driven the van for the weekend and said the stain was not there.  Just trying to continually be agressive, and negitive without ... Read Full Story >>

A Kind Act in Time Saves Three

One Saturday evening I was going to the movies with a friend. After driving a short while, we saw a crowd of people on the side of the road surrounding a woman lying on the ground. We stopped our car and, without hesitating for a minute, my friend and I ran to the unconscious woman and lifted her up and put her in our car. We took her to the nearest hospital and stayed there as she was admitted. We were extremely relieved when the doctors told us she was alive and would be alright. Two weeks later I got a call from an unfamiliar number and when I asked who it was, the caller replied that she was the woman my friend and I had taken to the hospital! She asked to meet us and when we got together, she could hardly express how thankful she was and how blessed ... Read Full Story >>

Harvesting Kindness From An Orange Tree

I have an orange tree that keeps giving and giving. 

I wanted to use my smile cards, so I picked about 60 oranges, divided them up among ten bags or so and taped one of the smile cards on each bag. 

Then I went around my neighborhood leaving these bags of freshly picked, juicy sweet oranges by the doors of my neighbors. 

I hope they'll enjoy them.