Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Stan's Surprise

Stan heard in church about a family in Denver, Colorado.  There, a family faced a rather bleak Christmas holiday. Medical bills robbed them of any extras; they would not even have a tree. Stan's pastor asked him if he would get them that tree. So Stan and his son Jay headed up into the Colorado Rockies in the family pickup.  However, the truck skidded off the icy road and hit a boulder that shattered the windshield.  Jay was showered by glass slivers and suffered from shock and crash trauma.  Stan was uninjured, though somewhat shaken. Cars sped past that day, maybe 200 of them. Only two stopped to help.  A gentle, dark-haired woman took the boy into her car to comfort him while her husband and another man helped Stan move his truck off the road.  Then this kind couple drove father and son to Stan's home and quietly left without identifying themselves. Stan ... Read Full Story >>

The Significance of a Simple Smile

This event happened a long time ago, but it is something that has stayed with me all these years. When I was in high school, all of the students went on a retreat. At some point, we were given an exercise where we had to go off by ourselves in silence to do some writing. As everyone was dispersing and walking around the retreat center to find a place of solitude, I saw a boy who looked kind of down. I did not know him but we locked eyes for a moment and I smiled at him. It felt simply natural to give someone a friendly smile. I could not go talk to him because of the restriction on speaking at that time. I had no idea how that small gesture would affect him until later. After the quiet time, we regrouped and there was a discussion and sharing time. This boy stood up and ... Read Full Story >>

What Happens When We Give What We Need?

One afternoon, I joined CharityFocus folks to distribute food to homeless people. We went around a few streets in Manhattan. I was at the office in the morning, a little overloaded with work, and had plans to travel back to India.  Still, I  wanted to take part in this activity in the afternoon.  We gathered at a coffee shop and othe members of the group came with lots of food packaged properly for distributing.  The first person we offered food to cried at the gesture of lovingly being offered food. This was an emotional moment for all of us and really touched me. After this, the rest of our food distribution happened at a particular place near Port Authority where many such needy people sit. Here the food was distributed quickly with a crowd surrounding us and receiving our  packets. Our activity got over by 5:00 pm and we started back to our homes. However, I ... Read Full Story >>

How A Banana Costume Helped Me Reach The Goal

For several months, I had been training with my sister to run a half-marathon.  It was my sister’s first half marathon and both of us decided to use the race as an opportunity to raise money for causes we cared about.  My sister raised money for cancer research and I raised money to start a scholarship fund for my friend’s daughter, Clementine, whose mother had passed away earlier this year. To create a little extra incentive for my friends and family to donate, I promised to run all 13.1 miles in a banana costume if they helped me reach my goal of $2,000 by race day.  As it turns out, the day before the race I was stuck at $1,987, a mere $13 short of my goal.  So I did what any normal, rational banana runner would do:  I put on my banana costume and took to the streets of Los ... Read Full Story >>

The Power of a Handwritten Letter

Our world is so dependent on email that handwritten letters have gone by the wayside.  At a service I attended recently, the topic had to do with how important and touching handwritten letters are. 

I followed my heart, which had tugged at me for some time to actually write letters. I started by writing a letter to my grandfather and nothing could have made him happier. Even though I see him every week, he said so many times how much it meant to him. So now we write each other a letter each week. There is something so special about seeing a real letter when you open the mailbox and something even greater about sending it to someone special. I write at least one letter a week now to family and friends -- it reconnects you in ways that no email ever will.

Teaching Kids Spiritual Harmony

Aikido, translated as “the way of spiritual harmony”, is a Japanese martial art. While it is a powerful system of self defense, the greatest benefit of Aikido training is that it provides a means to better yourself and become a happier, more balanced person. There is a piece of calligraphy authored by Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, that reads “True victory is victory over oneself”. This concept and Aikido itself is suitable for people of all ages. For the last year or so, I have had the privilege of being an assistant instructor for the “Kid's Self Mastery” classes at my dojo; helping to teach children ranging in age from 5 to 10 years old. The classes themselves consist mostly of games and exercises allowing the students to learn Aikido, teamwork, respect, kindness, and other skills in a way that's fun to them. They also have “Mat Chats” in which ... Read Full Story >>

An Extra Few Minutes To Shovel Up Some Good Karma

Yep, it's that time of year again! Last night it snowed.  This morning my driveway was covered in a bright white blanket.    The snowfall wasn't too heavy and I was able to sweep it away in a few minutes.

My husband and I have an elderly neighbor.  He seems to be away this year, I don't know if he's in a nursing home or perhaps he's staying at a relative's home.  I don't know - but I don't mind because he is a GRINCH!  My husband and I don't like him very much, but for the past three or four years since I've been living here, I have always made it a point to shovel or sweep his driveway whenever I do mine.  I encourage my husband to do the same. 

We believe that because our neighbor is elderly, we should shovel his snow away!  It just takes an extra few minutes.  Tomorrow the snowfall is supposed to be heavier, and of course I will shovel my neighbor's driveway.

This year, let's all do this... it's the kind thing to do. 

A Blanket of Warmth in the Cold

Last year, I was driving home one night, just around the holidays.  I was about to turn onto the highway when I noticed a rather dejected looking figure holding a sign.   I honesly don't recall what the sign read, but I did know that it was getting very cold outside.  This man was obviously homeless, and was completely exposed to the elements.

I happened to have just purchased a new thermal blanket.  It was in my car, still wrapped in plastic from the store.  I thought for a moment, rolled down the window, and gestured to the man.  He ran over to my vehicle.  I told him that he looked cold, and he chuckled.  I explained that while I didn't carry any cash, I did happen to have a new thermal blanket, and asked him if he could use it.   He was thrilled.  I told him that it was his, as long as he agreed to do something kind for someone else in return.

I am pretty sure it made his day, and kept him warm through the evening. 

I know I felt the warmth.

Sharing Our Home With Children In Need

My husband and I have been hosting children in need of orthopedic surgery from Belize since 1993.  Our local Rotary district and Shriner's Hospital in St. Louis provide the air fare and medical care.  Some say that we are so wonderful to be host parents...maybe, but we are the ones who are blessed to have the privilege to care for these darling children. 

Our children have had the opportunity to see the world in a different view than most of their peers and we are all grateful for being chosen to share our home with others less fortunate. Now that that they are adults, our three children host these children too.

If you live within a few hours from a hospital, you too can help others with your immeasureable time and talent (and there are always other experienced volunteers to back you up if needed).

A Compliment and a Smile Made Her Day

I am always smiling at people who look down, silently saying prayers for people who look like they are having a bad day, etc.  I do these things never thinking my 5-year-old son notices.  However, one day while shopping in the grocery store, my little boy Evan noticed an elderly woman.  She had tried to do her hair to the best of her ability and even had applied make-up.  My son noticed that she had taken so much time to make her self pretty.  So Evan walked up to her, tugged on her shirt and said, "Excuse me ma'am,  you look beautiful," and then he smiled at her.  This lady looked down on my son and smiled the most beautiful smile with tears in her eyes.  My son just smiled right on back. It  made me realize just how one smile, a couple nice words, a nice thought can make someone's day so much better. I love that my little boy has that  kind of heart.

Cookies In The Parking Lot

My husband and I recently attended a large party thrown by his company.  As we were leaving, the company’s caterers had a bunch of cookies and other food items for people to take away. My husband thought he would take some for us to have later and picked up a few things. 

Giving Generosity Another Chance

Lately I had started to question why I still would readily help someone, since recently my attempts at generosity usually turned around to end up hurting me.  However, this concern recently vanished thanks to a very kind person. Last week, I was winding down a long day of train-hopping and dragging a few huge suitcases around with me to get home from visiting a friend's house.  I was rather peeved that I had to sit at the station for 4 hours for a bus that left at 10 p.m. While I was sitting there tired and frazzled, a woman asked me if I had some change that she could have for a ticket.  Without thinking, I said, "Oh sure! How much do you need?" and then mentally kicked myself.  But I reached for my that I had buried in one of my bags anyways and fished out a $5 bill.  When I ... Read Full Story >>

How Helen Helped the Homeless in Paris

Helen lives in Paris and she has seen lots of homeless people living on the streets and sleeping in shop doorways.  On her way to work, Helen passed several men laying on the pavement.  Her heart went out to them.  So Helen went into a nearby coffee house and bought them hot drinks.  She carried them over to the men, some of whom were still sleeping.  She placed the coffee next to them and went back to the shop to buy them breakfast.  She also placed the food by each of them.

Helen walked on to work and upon looking back saw that the men were eating, drinking, and smiling.

Never Cease to Warm Each Other's Hearts

One of my classmates and I were doing our project work late at night on my university's campus.  I had worn a winter jacket to school that day, since there was a rain in the forecase, a raincoat in my bag. Throughout our work on the project, I could see that my friend was tired from a very long day working.  As we stepped outside to begin the long walk home,  I noticed she was shivering.  The temperature had dropped to the low thirties (Fahrenheit) and she only had a sweater on. I immediately offered her my warm jacket, to which she asked me what I would wear then.  I told her I had another jacket and pretended that my raincoat was a jacket.  She said later that she woke up the next morning and the first thing on her mind was feeling moved about my offer of the jacket. Coincidentally, yesterday I ... Read Full Story >>

Grandchildren to the Rescue

While I was away for a brief holiday recently, I had my purse stolen from my handbag.  It contained birthday money  from my grandchildren, a small amount of my own money, and my bank card.  Since my bank card was stolen, I could not withdraw any money from the cash machine.  Being so far from home, I was in a difficult situation.

My family assured me that money was there if i needed it, that they would buy me anything I required.  However, that idea did not go down too well with my grandaughters, as they felt that I should have some spending money.  So they started a collection among themselves to replace the money I had lost, and convinced their parents to chip in as well.

This was entirely the idea of the younger ones, who do not have much money and who had saved up all year for this trip, which was a birthday gift to me from my family.  I feel very blessed to have such loving grandchildren.  I am very proud that they held out a helping hand to me.

Lighting Up A Stranger's Home

One Saturday, I got a phone call about electrical problems. Since I am not an electrician, I quickly realized that the woman on the line had the wrong number. The woman on the phone sounded extremely anxious as her electricity wasn't working.  Her husband tried to replace a wall switch, but now some of their lights wouldn’t turn on, and the heat had shut off. The woman thought she was calling an electrician who has done work for her in the past. I had just recently changed my number and she got me instead. I'm not an electrician but I do work with electricity.   I informed her that she had the wrong number, and I didn’t know what her old electrician changed his number to. She apologized, and we said goodbye. After I hung up the phone I thought maybe I could help her so I dialed *69 and found out she was just one town over.   When I ... Read Full Story >>

The Ripple Effect Reaches Colarado

I spent last weekend with my dear friend from High School. We had our 30 year reunion in Upstate NY. We were so happy to reconnect after a long time. I showed her this site and told her about all of you wonderful deeply kind people who sign on every day and encourage one another. I also told her about some of the things I've done and how easy it is to be 'bitten' by the kindness bug! She called me last night to tell me this story about her daughter.  After we had gotten back from the reunion, her daughter called her from Colorado.  Her daughter teaches at a school for deaf children.  She called to tell my friend about one of her students.  This student was very sick. His daily routine was tough, he has to walk around with oxygen tank, but yet this child is always smiling. My friend's daughter had asked all the children to write down what ... Read Full Story >>

Cable Tied

I take my little, black Reebok rucksack almost everywhere I go.  I use it for shopping or carrying tools.  This summer, I was doing a chore that required a few of those plastic cable-ties that are handy for so many things. Well, for some reason, I kept a few in the front pouch of the bag.  I was sure they would come in handy for something, but for the six months or so they were in there, the ties had yet to present a use.  They would raise a smile every time I went in that pouch for my wallet and came out with a handful of cable-ties, but that was about it. Today, I was out walking and saw a banner laying on the grass by the roadside.  It advertised a help-group for people suffering mental health problems associated with drug abuse. It looked fairly new.  It certainly hadn't been there a ... Read Full Story >>

Beyond The Call Of Duty

The maid at the Kingsgate Hotel off Salam Street in Abu Dhabi had outdone even my mother. Every article of clothing had either been placed on a coat hanger or folded neatly,  even the socks. The disposable razors and washing gels were lined up like toy soldiers, waiting to do battle. I thanked Agnes profusely, gave her a generous tip and went about my day. Late that evening, when I returned from work, a shiny new alarm clock was on the bedside table. As I had occasionally asked the maid for the time of day, I knew right away what had happened. She had used some of the money I had given her – money she certainly needed for herself or her family back home in the Philippines – and bought the clock. As I hope anyone would have done, I told her she was too kind and returned the ... Read Full Story >>

Not Even Stopping To Think About It

My husband is tall and flying back from Scotland today we managed to get seats with lots of leg room.  There are two rows of these seats because they are by the escape exits.  We had just settled down when we heard a voice from behind us ask the air stewardess how you got seat with leg room.  The man asking the question was 6feet, 8inches tall.  He was told it was just luck.

I turned around and asked him, "Are you really stuggling?"  He said he was so I swapped with him. 

The really good thing about it was that this time I did not even have to stop to think about it first.  I just did it.