Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Finding the Courage to Smile

I was at a coffee shop last night where there was a wonderful folk music performance. I was busy tapping my feet and singing along to the soothing beats! As I got up to get a cup of coffee and a cookie, I noticed this middle-aged woman near me. She had obviously been caught in a fire of some sort. Her face was severely burned that it looked very tight.  She barely had a nose and her eyes were extremely tiny.  I took a deep breath and went back to my seat. I thought about how brave she was to come out and appear in public. I also felt ashamed of myself for mildly shuddering and looking down while I headed back to my seat, unable to send even a feeble smile her way. As I sipped my coffee and ate my cookie, I just kept thinking endlessly about whether I should ignore this ... Read Full Story >>

A Rush of Positive Energy from Sending Out Smiles

I volunteered to send out smile cards.  My parcel with the smile cards and the other items to put in the envelopes came today.  As soon as I opened the box I started putting the envelopes together, before I knew it I had already done 100 of them. :)

I then logged on and got the 10 names of the people I would be sending them to and mailed them off... I was so excited I was hoping id have more than just 10 to send...

After I left the post office I had a rush of positive energy within myself that I havent felt in a long time.  Sending those cards has made me feel better about myself! I

Pay-It-Forward $20 Tip For An Airport Shuttle Driver

After an inspired weekend with some kindred spirits, I stepped into the airport shuttle.  The shuttle driver offered me two seat options: the shot-gun seat or the seat way in the back of the van.  I said, "You know what, I'm going to take the back seat.   Perhaps the next passenger can enjoy the front seat."  Instantly, he did a double take and smiled.  As I got in, he made a public announcement to the four others already in the van: "This man took the back seat just so someone else could have the front.  What a nice guy!"  Then, he looked at me and said, "Welcome aboard, Sir."  It turns out that John, our driver, has been a long-time native to Santa Fe.  His ancestors, dating back to 1800s, were all based in the Native American communities locally.  "Yeah, I could tell you anything about Santa Fe," he joked ... Read Full Story >>

Franklin's City Employees Find An Extra Way To Help

A new friend, a city insider, recently forwarded a segment of an email sent by Franklin's 'City Administrator': “I thought it would be nice to share with you how our employees are helping a family that is experiencing tough times and struggling to feed four children ages 3-16. Jennifer Woods, in purchasing sent an e-mail to her co-workers about a family struggling during this time in our economy. The staff in Utility Billing immediately stepped up to buy 2 carloads of groceries, Easter baskets and clothes for the kids. “Our Building Maintenance staff also donated $250.00 and groceries. More food and money were also donated from Solid Waste and from the Franklin Police department." According to Jennifer, the mother of the family called the City of Franklin employees ‘her angels and heroes.’ “We are proud of our staff and their giving spirit. This is a true example of excellence, innovation, teamwork, integrity and being action oriented." “Thanks to all of ... Read Full Story >>

24 Hours of Non-Stop Kindness

I had titled the event “24 hours of kindness.” The goal was simple: to stay out for a full twenty-four hours without sleep, performing as many acts of kindness as possible. Thanks to our local radio station, Coast 93.1, and the support of Tim Wright and Eva Matteson, (two of the most kindhearted DJs you’ll ever meet) all of southern Maine now knew about The Kindness Center’s crazy event. Now known as “The Kindness Guy,” this was my first attempt at something this big. The local and even national media buzz was incredible. Since 9:00 that morning, two of my kindness cronies and I had been all over town delivering free baked goods to nursing homes and schools, buying coffee for strangers, giving out hugs, moving furniture, giving free city bus rides and completely flooding the town with a rainbow of flowers and balloons. Since it was April 15th, “tax ... Read Full Story >>

An Opportunity to Help Someone Like My Mother

I was visiting a friend in Delhi yesterday, together we went to visit a temple. While my friend was parking the car outside the temple, I saw an old woman asking for money from the people in the car next to ours. They ignored her, the car just pulled out of parking and drove off. I took out some money to give her. When I got off the car, I saw that the woman was using a walker support to help her walk and she looked quite troubled.  I went up to her and asked what her problem was. She said that she needed money to get to the hospital. I patted her on the shoulder and gave her enough money so that she could hire a rickshaw and go comfortably instead of taking public transport, which can be very bad in India. When we returned from the temple, she again walked up to us with ... Read Full Story >>

Caring for a Lost Little Dog

One morning last week, I was waiting at the bus stop ready to catch my bus to work when all of a sudden I was shocked to see a big lorry hit a small little dog.  I looked around but no one was around to look after the small dog. No one came for it and it was just lying there hurt – it was whimpering and its legs were bleeding.     I was very worried so I ran across the road to the small dog. I picked it up and took it to veterinarian that I knew nearby.   Once the vet had bandaged the small dog up, I took it to the animal shelter and left the dog with them.    Every evening since then I have been to the animal shelter to visit the small dog and give the animal shelter some money for it.   Everyday I go visit makes me very happy. I am so ... Read Full Story >>

The Lady Who Adopted Our Hearts

Mamá Inés [a fondly way to call Ms. Inés, in Mexico Mamá=Mom] was a humble woman with little "formal education". She suffered the very rare Addison’s Disease, which attacks at a rate of one per hundred thousand inhabitants. People suffer from constant fatigue, stomach problems and nausea. Their skin begins to tarnish, they get very dark and sometimes have black spots. Patients become very irritable and suffer from sudden changes in mood. During the time I met her, I could not perceive any of these symptoms. She was restless, always serving and giving something needed when she had it, if not, she found it and give it away. She was continuously giving herself away to the community. She was the adoptive mother of a dear friend of mine. Mama Ines never married nor had children of her own, although she was the best mother of the children she took. I think, Mama ... Read Full Story >>

Sealing the World Together... at the Post Office!

On my way to work yesterday, in frigid Pennsylvania, in anticipation of a major snowstorm, I stopped by at a local post office to send a gift to warm and sunny Florida.  When I walked through the door, there were at least 8 people in front of me.  A bit dismayed, I decided to calmly wait until it was my turn to place the precious package on the counter for its journey Southward. The box, still unsealed, since I didn't have the strapping tape, rested on a counter while I went to the display to purchase the tape and a label.  As I began to secure the top of the box, a woman in front of me, in similar situation, asked if she could "borrow some tape."  I laughed and said that, of course she could use some of the tape and there was no need to give it back.  As I assisted ... Read Full Story >>

This Is What Christmas Is All About

You never know where kindness from strangers may appear.  The snow started at 4:30 Friday evening and didn’t stop until Saturday evening.  Many parts of the northeast received up to 20 inches.  I had been snowed in for over 24 hours and was starting to feel cabin fever strike.  The shoveling started around 11:00 Sunday morning and after an hour I felt like I had just started.  I suffer from scoliosis and was starting to feel the pain so I decided to go in for a bit.  Around 2:30 I threw back on my winter gear and headed back outside, thinking to myself: “This is going to take forever and boy am I’m going to be feeling it tomorrow!”  In the distance I saw a man riding a small John Deere tracker and attached to the back a snow plow.  He stopped and offered to plow the remaining driveway making ... Read Full Story >>

Live As Though Everything Is A Miracle

The following passage is a healthy prescription of how we can approach life. It is not about being famous or being wealthy or about our good looks. Truly, it is all about love. There are times when we feel as if we are separated from the rest. This illusion creates a mental prison. Hence, we should strive to internally liberate ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living things. "Open your heart to others and try to understand, When someone reaches for you, hold out to them your hand, Follow your heart, no matter what other people say, Do things that make you able to smile throughout your day, Treat other people, the way you would like them to treat you, Do what you know is right and to your heart and self stay true, Remember what life is all about, it is how you make people feel, What you do, where you go, and making dreams become real, Helping people through, in hard times of ... Read Full Story >>

Christmas Sale by the Kids!

Yesterday on Tamal Road an energetic group of entrepreneurs had set up a make-the-season-bright stand. They were hawking their wares either for free or for $1. You guessed it -- they had me reaching for that dollar in my pocket. And, if there was any confusion about when they were open, there is "lunch break at 12 : pm" and "not lunch." for every when else. Happy Holidays! ... Read Full Story >>

Best Christmas Ever!

Even though we're not at all ready for it, this has to be my  best Christmas ever! Mostly because I'm actually doing things for other people not just me this year! 

Last night we went Christmas caroling and I managed to drop some smile cards at a few houses :)

Today we worked at a food bank and I put smile cards in the first round of boxes before I ran out :)

I'm hoping I can go back to the food bank as often as possible! It is the only food bank avaliable to anyone but seniors in Athens county, OH, which is the poorest county in Ohio, and it is open 1-3 on Mondays only. The people who run it live in Columbus and drive about 2 1/2 hours to get there even though they sometimes show up at 10 to start bagging!  I'm hoping to go every week if I can, so I need to start making smile cards faster!

Holiday blessing to everyone!

Fish & Chips and a Raincoat on a Stormy Night

One rainy night on a vacation trip with friends to London, my husband and I passed a man sitting and  shivering in the cold rain. When we went in to change at our hotel for dinner, I told my husband I had to go and do something.  I went out fast before he could ask what.  

I took my raincoat and some money.  I ran across the street and bought a dinner of Fish and Chips and told them to put it in a bag.  I ran back to the man and gave him my raincoat and the dinner.  My heart was full the entire evening!  It is better to give than to receive.  My husband laughed when I told him I had given him my raincoat.

Change Of Heart

A mother and daughter living in my complex are two of the most unfriendly people I have ever come across in my life. They are totally withdrawn, mixing with no one. As they drive past neighbors they keep their eyes averted and make no sign of acknowledgement. The only fame they have is making a nuisance of themselves to the local police station by reporting music played too loud, dogs barking more than once a day and any other petty little gripe. On moving into this neighborhood, I was warned about these two but decided I would make up my own mind. This proved quite a challenge to me as more than once either the mother or the daughter would knock on my door and blast me with some complaint or other. My warfare? I always answered politely and made sure I waved as they went past my place and also made ... Read Full Story >>

My Son, a Real Gentleman

I had taken my 11-year old grocery shopping and after we had finished he was taking our cart back to the store.  I stayed in the car and noticed that he was helping a woman by carrying her groceries and putting them away in her car...and then putting her cart away too. I smiled to myself quietly.

As he was taking the carts away, the woman came over to my car and asked me, "Are you his mother?" I said yes. She said, "Your son is such a gentleman---it has been a long time since I have seen a kid like this....you are doing a great job!" I said thank you and just beamed, with tears in my eyes. 

When my son came back I played it "cool" and simply said "that was nice of you to help that lady". He replied, "She looked like she could use some help with her bags". I then told him that the lady came over and called him a real gentleman, and how proud I was of him. It was such a memorable moment.  It made me feel like even if I am not around, I hope that he will always take the time to notice others and do the right thing.

Making Others Happy Makes Me Happy

I take the bus to go to university. In the morning I park my car next to the bus stop so that in the afternoon I can drive it home.

One afternoon, after I got off the bus and was walking to my car to drive home, I found this young lady who just got off the bus standing there waiting for a cab.  I went and asked her if she cared for a ride home. She looked surprised as we didn't know each other. I told her that I'm not in a hurry and that I'd love to drive her home.

At first, she hesitated, but then she agreed and walked with me to the car. We kept talking about different stuff all the way to her house. She was fun and friendly. I really enjoyed our talk. We finally arrived at her house, she kept thanking me for being kind and telling me that no one ever has been that kind to her. Then, she left.

She left me with a smile on my face, and this feeling of unbelievable happiness. I have to say that when making others happy, we become happy ourselves.

Teenager Fills a Neighbor's Empty Cupboards

When I was 13 years old I used to babysit for the lady next door. Every 2 weeks she would pay me $80. I always looked forward to getting paid so I could go to the mall with my friends on Saturday and spend my money that took me two weeks to earn. One Friday evening I heard my Mom on the phone with our neighbor  and I heard her say a few times, "Oh that is horrible,"  After my Mom got off the phone I asked what was wrong. She said that the neighbors had no food in their house and the she didn't know what she was gonna feed her daughter.  Her husband had spent their money on beer and got angry after he came home because his wife asked for money to buy groceries.  He began to pull dishes out of the cupboards and threw them at the wall. So, on top of not having any groceries, ... Read Full Story >>

Trying Not To Blush On My First Kindness Mission

I have been a member of this site for quite a while and come on everyday while at work to read the stories to cheer me up. However, I had never used a smile card until recently!! I started a new job and was a little bit unnerved by my larger-than-life boss. She told us that she was going in for an operation and I could tell that even though she was acting "normal" that she was really worried underneath. So I thought I would try my first smile card act of kindness with her. Before going out to lunch as we all did, I snuck away from the group and went and bought a really nice box of chocolates for her (as she was quite partial to a nice bit of choccy). Then was the task of getting them into the office and placing them on her desk without anyone noticing it was me!! It ... Read Full Story >>

Helping Others Save Some Money

This weekend I was shopping and had taken several coupons along.  The discount coupons ranged in value from $3.50 to $10, to 20 percent off any purchase.  I had the one coupon that I was using but realized that I had two extra coupons that I would not be using.  So, I turned to the next two people in line following me and gave each of them a coupon.  It felt great to be able to help someone else save money.