Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Lost and Found: Leigh's Light

My friend Leigh, unemployed and broke, found a sealed envelope with $200 in it while cleaning his house. Since he hadn't found it before, he figured he really did not need it. He gave it to me (I was working) so I could buy a new CD player and have music in my life. I protested. He insisted. Now, every year at Christmas I give $200 to someone I know who could use it. Along with the money I give them a one-page story: Leigh's Light My friend Leigh is a very special man. Even though he has had more than his share of struggles and has rarely had enough money, he spends much of his time helping others to realize their dreams. He is a poet, a dreamer, a planner, a thinker and an all-round good-hearted person. One day, cleaning out the basement in which he was living, he found a small bag ... Read Full Story >>

The Two Rupee Miracle

Some years ago, when I was touring Rajasthan (one of the Northern states in India), I learnt one of the most important lessons of my life.   We were on the last leg of the tour, in a city called Pushkar which is the only city in India which has a Brahma temple.  When we went to visit the temple, there was a long queue of people waiting to go inside.  Some of my friends decided to search for a quicker way to get in, whilst others took the opportunity to get a cup of tea, a paan(betel leaf) or smoke a cigarette. Like in other temple cities we had encountered on the tour we were surrounded by beggars asking for alms.  We usually just tried to ignore them.  I was standing near a paan shop with my friend as he lit his cigarette when an old grey-haired, spectacled and wrinkled beggar  woman approached ... Read Full Story >>

You Can Be My Neighbor Just As You Are

As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather's farm in western Pennsylvania. Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and barn provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me. I was used to neat-as-a-pin parlors that seemed to whisper, “Not to be touched!” I can still remember one afternoon when I was eight years old. Since my first visit to the farm, I'd wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls surrounding the property. My parents would never approve. The walls were old. Some stones were missing, and others were loose and crumbling. Still, my yearning to scramble across those walls grew so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I summoned all my courage and entered the living room, where the adults had gathered after Sunday dinner. “I, uh. I wanna climb the stone walls,” I said hesitantly. Everyone ... Read Full Story >>

Nightshift at the Marriott

It had been a long, hot August day. We'd driven over six hundred miles and it was nearing 11 pm as we entered Kingman, Arizona. We pulled off and picked a motel. Much to my surprise, it being mid-week, the deskman informed me they were full. Next place, same story. This time, I asked the clerk for suggestions.      "Try the Hampton Inn."      At the Hampton we were greeted with, "We're booked. Sorry."     "What's going on?" I asked. "Is there some kind of convention in town?"     "A tour bus just pulled in with 60 people," he said. "Plus lots of people are heading up to the Grand Canyon. It's an unusual evening. You might try the Best Western. I think they had one room left about an hour ago."      We tried the Best Western. No luck.      By that time, we'd traveled to the west end of ... Read Full Story >>

Sandwich and Tea for the Man in the Doorway

I was in my city centre the other day, something I rearely do because it is so busy, noisy and unfriendly.  I walked past the shopping centre and noticed a youngish man sitting in the doorway of a shuttered shop. Something about the way he huddled into his grubby blankets against the cold steel shutters, his straggly, sandy hair blowing about his face in the wind and rain, made me feel so much compassion. It was as if even the buildings were against him, shutting him out, telling him there was no place for him here.  I went to a sandwich shop and bought him a sandwich and a take-away tea. I took them back to him and we didn't exchange conversation really, I just said, "I've brought you a bite to eat," and he said, "Thanks very much" and gave me a lop-sided smile -- as if he didn't have enough happiness ... Read Full Story >>

Hope, There's Nothing Stopping You

There was about 15 of us folks chalking in front of the downtown Berkeley BART station.  We started with about ten adventurers and as the momentum increased, we gained more energy, creative inspiration, and people.  In the beginning, many pedestrians stopped by us, paused briefly out of curiousity, and for the most part remained rather perplexed by our so-called 'deviant' behavior.  However, after we chalked up some cheerful colors and phrases on the beautiful red stones in the area, people came over just to take a peek and see what adults chalkers really do.  Folks came by with cameras. Small children pointed at us and tugged the hands of their parents to have them take a look.  This one particular man in a suit came out of the station, appearing as if he had had an exhausting day.  Yet, he managed to trudge a bit closer to us to read the ... Read Full Story >>

It Was A Rainy Night In New Orleans

It was a rainy night in New Orleans At a bus station in the town, I watched a young girl weeping As her baggage was taken down. It seems she'd lost her ticket Changing buses in the night. She begged them not to leave her there With no sign of help in sight. The bus driver had a face of stone And his heart was surely the same. "Losing your ticket is like losing cash money," He said, and left her in the rain. Then an old Indian man stood up And blocked the driver's way And would not let him pass before He said what he had to say. "How can you leave that girl out there? Have you not had a moment of fear? You know she had a ticket. You can't just leave her here. You can't put her out in a city Where she doesn't have a friend. You will meet your schedule, But she might meet her end." The driver showed no sign That he'd heard or even cared About the ... Read Full Story >>

My Bathroom Is Now Sparkling And I Smiled All Day!

It was a beautiful day outside and I was 'stuck' at home.  I was eager to go out and enjoy the day's beauty, however, I had some things to do before I could be free. Darn!

The dreaded bathroom! Yes, it was time to clean it up! "Oh, how dreadful" I thought. With lead in my feet I barely got out the cleaning equipment.  I was thinking there are at least 1,000 other things I'd rather be doing - like help others! Then, as I thought about that I felt the corners of my mouth started to turn up... and slowly there was a smile.

I started 'drawing' smiley, happy faces all over the bathroom! I found myself getting giddy and playful. As I grabbed the cleaning foam, the giggles started, then the laughs. How silly! How fun! I like this!  Weeeee! I must be 3 years old again! ;-)

My bathroom is now sparkling and I smiled all day! Smiles ARE contagious and they can turn up in the most unusual places.

Two Dollars for the Lady at the Train Station

   I was at one of the underground train stations in Chicago one afternoon when an old lady did not know how to use her card. She had purchased the vending card for $2 and had already used it at one of the other stops and hence could not use it again, so all she had to do was re-charge by adding $2 more to the card. However, she did not have change and unfortunately there was no ATM in the train station.    

   For me at that time, $2 was a lot and it was the last cash I could use for the rest of the day, including buying food, as I was a student. But I felt she needed it more than me and vended a ticket for her. She used it and until the train arrived, she kept  blessing and thanking me. That day I felt happiness and honestly was not hungry for the remaining time.

Doorstep Kindness With My Daughters

I want to teach my two daughters about giving to others so I decided to include them in a kindness idea that I was doing.

I work outside of my regular job for two days a month. I use all the money I earn from that towards purchasing gifts which I give to anonymous people in my community.

So far, I have purchased 100 prayer bears and salvation cards to go with them. Together, my daughters and I packaged them and we included a smile card with each bear.  We are now delivering them to people in our community.  We have already delivered 25 of the bears to people's doorsteps.

This act brings so much joy to my daughters and myself. It was really fun for me to watch how excited they were to deliver the packages.

We will continue to do this and my hope is that people will be touched by the thought behind the gift and pass that on to others.

Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you smile card donors!

57 Cents That Made History

A young girl, Hattie, stood outside a small church from which she had been turned away because 'it was too crowded'. "I can't go to Sunday School," she said to the pastor as he walked by. The pastor carried the child inside and found a place for her to sit in the back. The next time the pastor met her he said "Hattie, we are going to have a larger Sunday school room soon. When we get the money with which to erect a school building we are going to construct one large enough to get all the little children in, and we are going to begin very soon to raise the money for it."   The pastor did not see Hattie again, until  he heard from her parents some two years later.  Hattie had sadly died her parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the ... Read Full Story >>

What I Am Grateful For

I learned to count my blessings a long the time ago. I believe that if any one stops for a minute he/she will find something to be grateful for.   I am grateful for a great number of things but I am especially grateful for NOW, for this moment in time.   I am grateful for the lovely town where I live.  In this town the number of charity shops almost equals the number of “normal” shops.  There are charities for almost everything you can imagine. Even the primary schools are charity orientated, with the Parents and Teachers Association taking responsibility for raising money through parties, discos, fairs and other events in order to be able to buy things like interactive white boards or sports gear for the school football team.  I think my town is very kind and it is very easy to live here.  People smile at you a lot, ... Read Full Story >>

A Child, Just Naturally, Puts Things Right

   I had my grandson for the day and I had to run to the store to pick up some things. I brought him along with me. He didn't complain but I knew he couldn't wait to get home to play.    At the store he asked if he could go by himself  and pick out something to drink. I said yes since I would be able to see him from where I was. I watched him until it was my turn in line.  Then somewhere in the background I heard a loud noise, looked toward my grandson saw that he was ok and finished up my business.     As I went back over to my grandson I found him busy on the floor putting back together a battery display that was tipped over. The batteries  were everywhere. He told me: "I'll fix it Grandma so nobody will trip."    How proud I was of ... Read Full Story >>

15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor

I recently came across 15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor, by Joanne Brokaw.  Wonderful ideas! Loving your neighbor doesn't require a huge bank account or selling your possessions and moving to the desert (unless, of course, God is calling you to do that). Here are practical ways you can love your neighbors: 1. Write a note. In these days of electronic communication, receiving a handwritten note is a rare treat. Today, ask God to bring to mind someone who could use a little encouragement. Then take a few minutes to jot a quick note or postcard and drop it in the mail, just letting that person know you're thinking about them. 2. Recycle. If we love God, then we love his creation, and taking care of the earth is one way you can be a good neighbor. You don't have to hug a tree or buy a hybrid, but you should follow your ... Read Full Story >>

Sharing Nature's Trails

Yesterday my husband and I went for a long walk on the trails through our local park and took our doggies along.  We pulled into the parking lot and parked the car. Our little doggies were all excited to hit the trails and so were we. It was a cool day and we had to hike up the hillside to get to the woods with pathways we enjoy. The gentle breeze and the smell of the earth as we approached the path made it even more inviting.  We weren't walking along on the path more than two minutes and here comes the high school cross country track team!  We thought, "There goes our peaceful walk." :(   But little did we know that we'd still have a pleasant walk.  Our doggies learned to stop and watch the kids run by. They'd smile and wave and tell us how cute our dogs were.   Every once in  a while ... Read Full Story >>

Simplicity is Living

To wake up in the morning, knowing you're still alive, To know you have a choice each day, starting afresh, To find joy in everyday, acknowledging simple pleasures, To live in the present moment, engaging your awareness, To count the blessings in life, believing abundance abounds, To enjoy the work you do, following your passion, To make a little difference, adding to the universe, To be what you are, listening to your inner being, To give away love, rejoicing in the chance to give, To receive love with gratitude, feeling good about it, To smile at strangers, seeing how infectious it can be, To speak words of kindness, spreading a little warmth, To understand with compassion, opening up your mind, To play with children, nurturing your inner child, To appreciate the nature, soaking up all the beauty, To feel the warmth of the sun, glowing upon your skin, To listen to the falling rain, pattering on the grounds To taste the ... Read Full Story >>

Smile Cards and the Gentle Man

False happiness renders men stern and proud, and that happiness is never communicated. True happiness renders them kind and sensible, and that happiness is always shared. - Charles de Montesquieu   I volunteered to fulfill Smile Card orders & my first shipment of “to-be” mailed Smiled Cards arrived on Monday. I was very excited & immediately inspected all the contents. My darling husband quietly watched me, not wanting to interrupt my moment, but I could tell he was curious. I told him I would be helping to spread kindness by mailing Smile Cards to members. “That’s great!” he said. Probably thinking, “There she goes again with another one of her causes.”   I showed him all the contents I was to mail, and he mentioned how it was an awful lot to send. “Did HelpOthers provide you with stamps?” he asked. I held my breath, worried that he would be upset when he found ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness Runners

I used to live next door to a wonderful old couple, Mr Mitchell and Mrs Mitchell.  They used to love gardening and had planted a beautiful garden.  Sadly, Mrs Mitchell died and Mr Mitchell's health began to deteriorate and he wasn't able to garden much anymore. Over the years their carefully tended garden became a jungle. One day, Mr Mitchell's health took a sudden downturn and he was taken into hospital.  I wanted to do something for him so I decided to tend his garden.   I wanted to get it nice again for him so that when he came back home he would have somewhere to sit in the sun while he was recuperating.  So I went into the garden armed with saws, a spade and clippers.  Over time my gardening trips became a regular thing and Mr Mitchell's garden begun to take shape again. Mr Mitchell never came back home.  He ... Read Full Story >>

What If Everyone Thought About Others Once A Day?

I have had the most amazing two days. Browsing through some threads on my favorite forum, I came across this thread where a guy was asked by his gardener to build a PC for him and his kids. He brought him an old box with some hardware in it but it was not working at all. The guy started looking at it and found out the specs and what he needed to do to fix it. He started a thread explaining the situation and asked if somebody had some cheap memory that he could buy (at his own cost) to fix this person's computer.  Not only did he get the memory for free, but a number of people offered him 2nd hand PC hardware that they were not using for no cost. It looks like he would have been able to build 2 PC's because of all the 'donations' this started as ... Read Full Story >>

You Reap What You Sow

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled... To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president.. Now go away." The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone. Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.. "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. ... Read Full Story >>