Stories of Kindness from Around the World

School Children Play The 'Appreciation' Game

My favorite teacher plays a game with us at least once a week called "Appreciations".  In this game, one person throws a ball to another person in the class who he would like to appreciate.  Usually, we thank other kids for saying "hi" in the halls or hanging out on the weekend. Today, however, the first appreciation was very deep, and the receiver began to cry.  Afterward, we continued to go deeper and deeper, and our teacher decided to hold off on the lesson we were supposed to learn today.  Instead, she had us all make envelopes to put on our desk (like on Valentines Day in grade school)  :)  After that, we spent the full hour writing a note to every single person in the class about anything we wanted to tell them. The comments made me smile so much that my mouth hurt and some of then even made me cry!  It just ... Read Full Story >>

Cool It With Kindness

I have read posts like this one many times, so letting someone go ahead of me in the check-out lane is no big deal to me. Not only does it seem right, it seems totally wrong if you don't! So, as you can guess, that's what happened to me recently. I was waiting a LO-O-O-O-ONG time in line because of the transaction ahead of me. I wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere but standing there was beginning to be tiring and it was a scorcher of a day. Then I was aware that someone had walked up behind me to join the line. Out of my peripheral vision I saw it was an elderly lady. I inched my way up to take my turn at getting out of the store, driving home and relaxing in air conditioning. I turned to see she only had a half gallon of ice cream. ''Go ahead of me if you ... Read Full Story >>

A Refreshing Act of Kindness on a Hot Day

On one of those hot days last week I went to the supermarket to pick up some groceries. The walk alone made me thirsty.

On route I saw a local homeless women and thought to myself, 'She must be parched!"  So I decided I was going to pick up a few extra bottled waters at the supermarket. 

I returned with three extra waters; one I gave to the homeless lady. She gave me a big, grateful smile before she opened the bottle and drank. The second bottle I gave to a  local man who watches the store displays out in the street. 

The third bottle I drank myself. It was amazing how refreshing it was - or maybe that was just the buzz from helping others!

I went home feeling good. 

Helping Even in the Midst of Losing a Home

Thank God for the beautiful souls in this world! Today a friend and I went to a garage sale. The reason for the sale was that a family had lost their house and they were moving in with their relatives. My friend is pregnant and doesn't have enough money to get all of the things she will need for her baby. So, I brought her a pram and car seat at the garage sale. My friend asked about a cot the family were selling but it was beyond both our price ranges. She made the best offer she could and left her number with them just in case the cot didn't sell and they decided to accept her offer. Later in the afternoon the women rang my friend and said that they had sold the cot - but had a lot of things that didn't sell if she wanted them! These included pregnancy clothes, ... Read Full Story >>

An Easter Act to Remember

Two years ago, on the day before Easter, I had given my three children money instead of Easter baskets.  Later that evening, we were all sat watching TV,  when an infomercial came on about starving children. 

I couldn't help tearing up when my children said, "Mom, can we give our Easter money to these children?"  I told them yes and that God was going to bless them for this.  I wrote a cheque and sent it off in the mail.  I wanted to go get them Easter baskets for their kind act, but I didn't have any more money.

To my surprise, on Easter morning, a couple of ladies from a church we used to attend came over with a big box.  I didn't open it until they left, and when I did, tears started streaming down my and I fell to the floor with gratitude.  It contained Easter baskets for my children and a gas card for my family.

The universe is good and sometimes knocks you on your knees in tears from the way it works...

More Importantly, How Are You?

I would never have expected to learn a powerful life lesson while waiting for a massage!

I was restlessly waiting for my masseuse. I was in desperate need of some relaxation because rigorous army phyiscal training was turning my body into a stiff board. 

Then, in walked my lesson - a man whose face and body bore the horrible scars of many conflicts.  His treatment probably involved much more than just a massage.

He sat next to me and I said, "How are you, sir?"  He replied, "More importantly, how are you?" 

How could someone who had suffered such pain take time to care about how I was? Well, suffering is what makes us or breaks us. Suffering can make us bitter, or it can make us better. 

Clearly, this man of war had accepted his own pain and, through it, had acquired a greater empathy for the pain of others. 

He touched my life forever by that one statement.  May God bless his life!

Pay-it-Forward Starts With Some Cold Water

Today was the first step in my project to 'Pay-it-forward.  It is only a small gesture, but I hope it made some peoples' day. 

Yesterday as I was driving home from school I saw the crossing guards and thought they would probably like some water on a warm day. 

So today I went to school with a cooler filled with water and ice.  I stoped after school with a friend and handed out cold water bottles to any crossing guard we saw.  It was a thrill and made us both feel great. 

Most crossing guards were very happy and thanked us, but there we a few who didn't acknowledge us :( Oh well, we told all of them despite a lack in intrest that we appreciate them and what they do in our community and for the children :) 

What a great day. 

Biggest Drive-thru Smile Ever

Last night my husband and I were on the way to a show. We were both hungry and wanted to grab a quick bite on our way there, so we swung through a Jack-N-the Box drive-thru and placed our order.  When we got up to the window the lady smiled at me (which is sometimes rare) and asked how I was doing while she was collected our money for the food.  I replied, "Fine, and how are you?" She went to get our order ready and I asked my husband to pass me my "Drive-thru Smil bag". He handed it to me and watched in amazement as I gathered together a "You make a difference" paper, a Smile Card, a smiley stamper and a smile button.  She came back to the window almost before I finished putting it all together.  Without looking too closely she passed the bag and said, "Thank you. Have a good ... Read Full Story >>

A Little Extra Garlic Bread Kindness

A few days ago, I volunteered in the kitchen at the City Ministries rehab center.  One of the things that gives me the greatest pleasure is cooking for and serving food to people who are really in need. This kitchen serves dinner to about 120 people who are either homeless, hungry, or in rehab at the facility.

On this day, spaghetti was on the menu.  I spent a few hours prepping food for dinner.  At the end of all that prep, I got to put the garlic bread on the trays and hand the trays to people.  Everyone got two pieces on a nice tray of food.

As I doled out the bread two-by-two and gave a friendly greeting to each person, I noticed a man who looked particularly down on his luck.  I asked him, "Are you very hungry tonight?"  He nodded.  I gave him an extra piece of garlic bread.

A small gesture, to be sure, but it made me very happy to just do that little bit extra. 

Mrs. A Appreciation Day!

My good deed for today was to bake cupcakes for my entire physics class in honor of my wonderful physics teacher, Mrs. A.  She is not an average teacher.  She is very smart and intelligent and is teaching us an important subject for university.  On top of this, she is so sweet and compassionate -- she never belittles her students and is always fair.  Because of these reasons, I feel that she deserved this day of cupcake honor :)

Cookies, Girl Scouts, Our Troops and Smiles

Some of the women at my work had been hit up to buy cookies from some Girl Scouts they knew. We wanted to support the young girls but we were all working on losing weight. We were wondering what to do when we got the idea to send the cookies to the troops overseas.

My daughter was serving in Iraq when this happened. I packaged them up in a care package and sent them out to my daughter's unit.  My daughters unit enjoyed them so much and we got lots of appreciative letters and emails from them. It was so lovely to receive all of those and see what an impact a small gesture on our part had had.

They were flying a flag at their unit and told us they were going to bring it home for us to fly here.

What a blessing was brought out by wanting to support one cause by buying cookies and bringing smiles and love to another cause!

Random Acts Of Couponing Kindness

I usually go to the supermarket with coupons in hand for the items I intend to buy.

This time I took my whole collection and handed over coupons to people who were shopping and who had the right items in their basket. 

I even saw one mom who looked like she could use some help so I took my coupons for some free items, gathered up those items and gave them to her. At first she said she could not afford the items but once I explained they were free with the coupon she was very appreciative.

I know I could have used the items but she sure needed them more.

A Warm Uncle

I am sharing this story in honor of my Uncle Nate who recently passed away. 

Many years ago this special man reached out and touched my life in a wonderful way. It was a very critical point in my life.  I was pregnant and not yet married to my husband.  My father, who is a devout Catholic, was very offended by the whole situation.  He would not speak to me or acknowledge my existence. 

At Christmas time, I was invited to a family gathering at my aunt and uncle's home.  I was reluctant to go, anticipating the icy repsonse I would receive from my father but my husband encouraged me to attend. It took a lot of courage for me to walk into the party, but I did. 

My Uncle Nate was the first to come and greet me with a big hug and welcome admist all the looks.  I will never forget him for this act of kindness, although I never mentioned it to him.  He was a quiet and gentle soul and will be sorely missed by me and the rest of his family. 

A Small Opportunity to Share Some Food

I saw in ad in the newspaper for a program called Food Not Bombs. They were distributing food to the hungry near where I live. I decided to show up at the indicated place and time in order to help.  In addition to contributing my physical efforts I brought a plastic container filled with vegetarian food that I had cooked along with a set of plastic utensils to add to the giving spirit. When I arrived at the intersection no one was to be found. I looked all around and even asked a hotel receptionist and a security guard, neither of whom knew what I was talking about. I was a bit lost.  I went back to the intersection and looked around. I saw an unmarked hotel entrance and went inside. The receptionist there informed me that I had just missed the event. It turns out that the program drops off food for the ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness, Happiness and Health

Ever since I finished the 29-Day Giving Challenge, I have felt a lot happier and have a much more optimistic outlook on life.  I think the secret to happiness is always counting your "thank yous," giving, and smiling.  I've done some research lately on the health benefits of kindness, and some say that the kinder you are, the happier you will be.  Is this the secret to happiness? This is new to me, but some of you may know that the actual act of giving results in a small or big rush of what's called "endorphins," aka a "helpers high".  Kindness in general has both physical and mental benefits. For example, in my case prior to starting the challenge, I felt tired, unenthusiastic, and lacking vitality. However, after just a couple days, along with some gifts, my energy started to increase, I felt more alive so to speak, and I was ... Read Full Story >>

A Little Kindness To An Old Man In The Rain

I live near an Adult Assisted Living Home which means I see many elderly people out walking.

Yesterday it was just starting to rain as I was driving home. I was almost there when I noticed this elderly man with a walker looking a bit worried and trying to walk as quickly as he could.

He was on the other side of the street. I quickly turned around and went back for him. I pulled up and asked if he would like a ride, hoping he wouldn't be afraid.

He smiled and said, "If you would be so kind."  

That's all I needed to hear. I put his walker in the back seat, helped him into to front seat and away we went! It was only a short drive down the road but one that I imagine would have felt like 100 miles to an elderly gent in the rain.

A Smile For A Child

At our local foodbank we have 71 kids aged 12 and under whose families come in for food. Living on SSD I can't afford to buy things for these kids, however, thanks to graciousness of many small companies and one or two large ones I can normally give them something; coloring books, stickers, snacks, etc. 

Just one small thing can bring the biggest smile onto the faces of these children.

The parents have little and the kids have less. But doesn't every child deserve at least one smile a month?

I spend alot of time on the internet and going to pick things up, but the gigantic smiles I receive from these kids make it all worth it. One little girl calls me her Lady whenever I see her in town.

God bless all who help me bring this one smile a month, and God Bless all of you who help bring smiles to everyone.

Never mind cosmetics, a smile is the cheapest way to improve your looks!

A Little Bit of Coupon Kindness

For some time now, I have been involved with a great group of people. 

The person that heads it up gathers coupons for perishable and non perishable items then sends them to the families of our overseas troops.

I do the same thing now to help her in her efforts. I collect these coupons from all my friends, co-workers, family members and neighbours. Then I separate them out and send them off to her.

All it costs me is a little bit of postage but knowing I am helping our troops in some small way makes the effort and the tiny cost so worth it.

Kindness "To Go" At This McDonalds

As a substitute teacher, my daily routine invoves driving to a new school almost every day so I'm usually unable to anticipate the days events, good or bad! On one particular day, I was teaching in a very difficult classroom. I was managing behaviour all morning and by lunch time, I knew I needed a coffee to even consider surviving the afternoon. So on my lunch break, I drove to a nearby plaza to get a coffee. Upon returning to the car I realized I had locked my keys and my phone inside! I had about 15 minutes to get back to the school which was a good four or five-minute  drive away. I contemplated sprinting back, but it being winter, I thought a nasty fall on ice would only make the situation that much worse. So I ran into a McDonald's which was in the same plaza and asked the man ... Read Full Story >>

Making Someone's Day In A Technical Way

My laptop had been out of commission for a while and I knew I had to get it over to Best Buy to have it looked at. I had been putting it because I was worried about how much it might cost me. I got to Best Buy and was waiting in line watching other people getting their computers checked out and hearing the amount they'd have to pay, I was getting sick! Finally, I got up to the counter and I explained what was going on with my laptop. Within 5 minutes Greg had it up and running and connected to the internet. He told me I was set, and there was no charge. I was shocked! I offered a tip and he refused. I offered to buy him lunch. Again, he said no. Finally I said, "What about a bagel? Everyone loves bagels." Greg responded with a smile, saying, "Bagels are awesome." I left the store and went to the ... Read Full Story >>