Stories of Kindness from Around the World

An 8-Year-Old Spontaneously Cleans His Classroom

One day I saw that my teacher's class was messy. So I decided to clean up the room. I picked up a brush and a garbage can and started sweeping the rags, food wrappers, etc., into the can. It took me 30 minutes of the recess time to finish cleaning the room.

The teacher came into the room and saw that it was neat and clean. She asked who cleaned the room and everyone pointed to me. She came to me and handed over a Whisker Wink and wrote on it: "Hari cleaned up the room without anyone helping him."

After  school, I went to the principal's office and signed my name on the Role of Honor paper that everyone who gets a Wisker Wink can do. Then the principal will add Wisker Wink points to everyone who signed the paper. So far I have earned 140 points. 

(This is my 8-year-old brother's account of his good deed.)

A Saved Voicemail Cheers Up A Friend

I knew a friend of mine was struggling with work, adult children moving back into the home, and a health concern about his wife.

Last week I called him and left him a voicemail letting him know that I was thinking of him and focusing on a positive outcome for him.

I spoke to him today and he told me that my voicemail brought him so much comfort that he saved it and when things get rough, he listens to it and cheers up.

I'm so humbled by his words and so very grateful that I took a moment to leave him that voicemail.  It got me thinking how sometimes we have impulses to reach out to another.  At times we follow through, sometimes we get busy and forget. 

After hearing his gratitude for my message, I realized I need to pay more attention to those impulses.  

Everyday, I read the stories on this website and I am so warmed by all the generous giving and grateful receiving. 

Thank you for the inspiration!

Togetherness: A Life After Life

I attended a funeral a week ago of a management friend who’s husband passed away of a heart attack very unexpectedly at age 50. He was survived by his wife and 12 year old child. It has been a difficult time for the family. On the back of their funeral announcement was this three paragraph poem that I thought was worth passing on to you. Hope you find it as valuable as I did:   Death is nothing at alI. I have only slipped away into the next room. Whatever we were to each other, we still are. Call me by my old familiar name. Speak to me in the same easy way you always have. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Life means all that it ever means. It is the same as it always was. This is absolute ... Read Full Story >>

Thankful for a Mother-In-Law's Advice 9 Years Later

When my husband and I became engaged some nine years ago, I felt slightly perplexed when my mother-in-law  offered us the following advice: "Be kind to each other."

I thought that was so obvious at the time, but over the years it has stuck with me and I have realised that it is one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received.

It is all too easy to take our nearest and dearest for granted and not show them the appreciation that they deserve.

I recently thanked my mother-in-law (mummy 2, as she prefers to be called) for those words.  It was nine years late, but I always think: better late than never. I told her just how much I still appreciate her words of wisdom that she shared with us all those years ago. I could see that I made her day too! :)

A Circle of Giving with New Friends

Last month my kindness idea allowed me to meet some new people in my community. When I delivered their food, I also gave each my phone number so they could keep in touch if they wanted.  All of them have called me since.

Having a bad spell with MS has left me pretty much in bed the last two or three weeks and feeling nearly helpless.

Yesterday, the young mother I had helped showed up at my house with a casserole. While she was here, she washed my dishes and carried out my trash. The young gentleman I had helped has been here twice, just to check on me. He has no transportation so he had to walk the several miles to where I live. 

In helping others, I have made new friends . What a blessing.

A Valuable Lesson About Caring

Yesterday, when I was walking through town, I saw Marcus, our local Big Issue seller.  I mentally kicked myself for not remembering to bring a snack for him.

I was tempted to pretend that I hadn't noticed him and walk quickly by in the hope that he would not see me.  I felt that if I didn't have anything to give him, I should not stop.

As I approached him, I realised that I could still show him that I care, even though I didn't have anything to give him.  I called out his name as I approached and we passed some pleasantries about the weather, books, etc., for just a couple of minutes.

I am so glad that I did stop.  He responded very well to me and taught me a valuable lesson.  Next time, I  try to remember to take something for him, but from now on I will always make sure that I stop to chat and listen even when I have nothing other than care to give to him.

Knock Knock, Merry Christmas!

After learning that my husband was being laid off, we knew that Christmas this year would be very lean.  While we know that it is better to give than to receive, I was sad that I would miss seeing the smiles of joy on family members' faces when opening their presents.

Then, I received a call from my sister-in-law, who said she ended up with 200 stuffed animals and did not know what to do with them.  They had been in her company storage for years.  My husband and I decided that on Christmas morning we would knock on all of our neighbors doors' and hand the stuffed animals out.  Fortunately, we have enough wrapping paper from last year and we won't be needing it this year. 

Now we feel like Christmas is still here this year and we are looking forward to doing this!  We may not have many presents for each other, but we will still get to see plenty of smiles this Christmas.

A Home Filled With Love This Christmas

Something happened today to make me realise just how much love I have in my house and I am so thankful for that. My husband used to work in a bank but during the credit crunch he lost his job. The economy wasn't looking good and he didn't have too many options to get another bank job.  It was incredibly difficult to see him go to the warehouse to look for work, hoping and praying that he would be offered a position (where he would be paid even less than his own teenage children were making).  Someone dear to me encouraged him to keep on "keeping on" and I was right behind them.  I told him to just "go for it".  He got the job and it brought us such a feeling of pride.  With his new job we were still able to pay our mortgage and buy our groceries.  But money ... Read Full Story >>

A California Community That Puts People First

Recently, while on a long road trip, the transmisson on our car went out in Bakersfield, CA., on a Sunday afternoon. 

Everyone in Bakersfield was so kind and helpful.  Strangers helped us move the car out of the middle of the street.   The tow truck driver made sure our car was inside the dealership so they could get to it first thing on Monday morning.  He then went out of his way to take us to a motel and make sure we got a room for the night.  The motel manager gave us a special rate for a room.   The service manager at the dealership put a rush on our car.  They were all so kind.

Everyone we spoke to was so kind and offered any help they could provide or at least words of encouragement for our plight.

It is an amazing feeling when it is not just an individual, but a whole community that puts people first the way we experienced in Bakersfield, CA.
 

Home-cooked Meals For A New Mom

One of my friends at work ran into some complications towards the end of her pregnancy and had to deliver early at 7 1/2 wks through a C-section.  Her baby is under 4lbs and has to remain in the hospital until more weight is added to her frame. Another buddy and I have planned to throw her a baby shower later this month. It was suggested that the new Mom might prefer home cooked meals in lieu of toys or clothes gifts.  We called to inquire how she felt about the idea..  Well, she was thrilled!  She emailed to thank everyone for this generous offer advising what foods were recommended, since she is breast feeding. Everyone agreed that the food idea was a great one.  We are now coordinating efforts to have these homemade meals delivered to her home when she is home from the hospital to shower etc. to stock her freezer. We know she ... Read Full Story >>

A Gift From An Old Man With No Legs, To A Young Man Without Shoes

It had been a long time since I had been to Jacksonville, Florida. I had driven to town hoping to see the old barber shop where my hair had been cut as a child.  The orphanage would bring us kids downtown for a free haircut by the new barbers being trained. As I wondered around, I was a little disappointed when I saw the old buildings that I had known as a young boy were now gone.  Every one of them had been replaced with new high-rise buildings.   As it was very early and hardly anyone was on the street, I parked my truck and decided to try and locate a telephone to see if the Florida Barber College had moved to a new location.  Hopefully it was sill in business.  As it was rather cold, I put on my coat and began searching for a telephone.  After walking about a ... Read Full Story >>

Just Two Minutes

Today, I was helping out my mom clean since she was having family over.  The phone rang and I picked it up.  It was was a telemarketer and I was really busy so I thought, "I'll just hang up."

As I was about to, I thought of all the people who do that everyday.  It made me feel bad.  I thought "It's his job.  He's not doing it to annoy anyone."

So I stayed on the line and answered all his questions.  It only took two minutes.  He thanked me for my time and wished me a great Sunday.  He sounded really pleased and it made me happy.  Think of all the people who just hang up on them.  It only takes two minutes of their time to help out someone doing their job.

Finding An Opportunity To Help Someone Deserving

I belong to a networking group that sends out daily emails about local events and member updates.  Occasionally, resumes will be sent on behalf of members seeking employment.  I always review these in case I can create opportunities for others.  My company is struggling, so I don't have any jobs to offer.  But, as is my habit, I read a resume that was recently sent out.  I have a part-time job creating resumes and can quickly detect a strong or a weak profile. Last week, I read a resume that had a couple of errors.  It was clear that the errors were due to a language barrier.  However, I was concerned that hiring managers would skip this woman's resume due to the errors. I emailed the lady and offered to help her spruce up her resume at no cost.  I think she was surprised, but she accepted.  As I worked on her ... Read Full Story >>

Sitting, Watching, Sending Vibes of Love

It was a beautiful warm day and I was out in the sunshine, just sitting by a lake and watching the people going by.  Some people looked happy and some looked sad.  As I sat there thinking about it, I tried to send out positive vibrations of love and comfort to those who seemed to need it.

Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine

When I was in hospital five weeks ago having my decompression surgery on my brain, I had a visitor.  It was not just any visitor, but a friend I had found on Facebook.  We had gone to to school together years ago.  We were very close buddies at school, but then lost contact as we grew up and had families.  We hadnt seen each other for about twenty years! I have this other friend who I was at school with.  So I told her that I'd found this old friend on Facebook.  Well, they got together and came to the hospital to visit me.  They both had to travel long distances from different directions for a short visiting time.  Unfortunately, the visiting times are strict so they had to leave by a certain time. We had such a laugh just like the old days!  But I was in so much pain from ... Read Full Story >>

A Community "Food Fight"

My workplace, as do many others in our town, support local services and the needy.  One of the main services we support and donate to, besides the Red Cross and United Way, is our local food bank. This year, the food bank is challenged more than in the past.  We cannot let the shelves become depleted or the food run out.  Others, especially children, depend on it.  With the country's economic situation stalled and more people out of work, more people are hungry and need supplements to feed their families. This year, all the companies in our area got together and decided to sponsor a Community "Food Fight Contest".  The contest will include 3 categories or areas to win:  a) supply the most food, b) donate the most money, and c) provide the most volunteers.  A company can win in all 3 areas or 3 different companies can win in each different ... Read Full Story >>

Bringing Our Family Together For A Special 60th Birthday

Recently I decided to plan a surprise 60th birthday party for my mother.  I felt bad that my brother would not be there since he is in Texas and it would be too difficult for him to get home for a weekend.  He was fine with it though and just said he wished he could be there.

My uncle called and said that he wanted to bring my mother something for her birthday.  He said he was her brother and didn't care that the invite said no gifts.  He decided that what my mother would like most is to have her whole family togehter. So he decided to fly my brother and his girlfriend home for Easter this year.

My mother has not received this gift since the party is this weekend but I know she is going to be super excited about it as I  am. We didn't think we would see my brother and his girlfriend until  at least the is summer so now I am very excited that I will be seeing him in April.

The world needs more people like my uncle to bring families together.

Accepting a Blessing and Passing It On

Last Sunday, a woman told me that she felt led to give me twenty dollars.  She wanted me to use the money for whatever I needed.  I tried not to take it, but she insisted and so I took it and thanked her.  I didn't need the money, but I knew there must be a reason for her giving it to me. The next day, Monday, I went to work.  A different woman was walking by the store I worked at.  She was limping, and didn't look to be very well.  I knew her and called out, asking her how she was doing. She responded with her sad situation.  Her husband had died recently, she had to quit her job because of her health, and on top of that, she wasn't drawing her disability benefits as yet.  I told her the story about the $20, and asked her if she would ... Read Full Story >>

A Walk Along The Beach

I often take my dog for a walk on the beaches near our home as she enjoys running around madly chasing the wind, the waves, and attempting to catch the sea gulls.  She's never fast enough, but she so enjoys the time!

Every time we go, we pick up trash.  Often there's so much that we make a pile near the access trails we use, continuing on our walks, and then just pick up the big pile as we head for the house.  We carry some trash bags with us to contain it, so if there's a good amount from a recent storm, we can carry it all.

Many times recently we have made our trash piles, but they are not there when we head back.  There are other "beach angels" out there working to clean up our beaches and oceans, too.

It's wonderful to know that others care enough to help by picking up what we've gathered.  It's nice to know that a person isn't alone when they're trying to make our world a better place.

A Small Gesture That Gives Me Pleasure On My Commute

I work in London and I take the underground trains to commute into work every morning.  If I get a seat I first look around to check who else has boarded the train to ensure that no-one needs the seat more than I do.

Recently I called across to a pregnant lady quite a few metres away to offer my seat to her. The many people who were seated between us studiously kept their  heads in their newspapers so they were not called upon to offer their seat instead. All those selfish people in between us made me feel quite grumpy.

The same thing happened the next day, I gave my seat to an elderly person who deserved the seat more than I did.  They were both very grateful and as they thanked me I said, "my pleasure".

Then it struck me that it was 'my pleasure'! I had no need to be grumpy with all the other people who did not offer their seat as this made me the receiver of this small bit of pleasure in my journey instead of them!