Stories of Kindness from Around the World

"Family Dinners" With Alaska Street Rats

Last summer a very good friend of mine introduced me to a group of kids, who live in the downtown area. Many couch-hop with friends, some stay in the local teen shelter and some sleep in tents, sheds and sometimes in a park with just a coat. These kids are brave, but they are young. Some come from families that were hard, others just didn't know how to cope. My name is Mama Jassz and my best friend is Mama Darque (dark). At least once a week, we get these kids together and buy lots of food from donations (usually from our own pockets) and have a "family dinner" together.  We strive to make sure every child there gets a little something and we even save some crackers for the stragglers.  These kids (ages 15 - 30) don't really have any family. Most are runaways, or were kicked out, some were left by choice or cruel ... Read Full Story >>

A Chain of Unexpected Acts of Kindness

When I was twenty-two years old, my eight year old son and I moved to Pennsylvania so that I could attend graduate school.  I had a graduate assistantship but we were still incredibly poor.  During the holiday season, our elderly neighbor gave my son $20 with the suggestion that he take me to dinner.  He was so very proud that he could do that!  She had always been a pretty crotchety neighbor so I was particularly surprised by her kindness and thoughtfulness.  We went to a small restaurant nearby, and he proceeded to charm everyone with his manners.  Previously, before we were so poor, we'd practiced restaurant protocol at an IHOP so he knew exactly what to do. When he asked for the bill at the end of meal, the waitress told us that another customer had paid for our meal.  The customer had already left, so there was no way to know who ... Read Full Story >>

My 29 Days of Giving Journey

I found a site in the internet about a "29 Days of Giving Challenge" which I decided to do.  The idea is the same as random acts of kindness, except that what you give can be anonymous or not. I’ve been doing it for a while and it’s quite interesting because when you get to the end of the day, you think to yourself, “I gave this or I gave that today”.   Sometimes it’s easier and sometimes it’s more difficult.  I tend to try to give something significant. I don't mean significant in terms of monetary value but more in terms of making a difference to someone.   One of my gifts this weekend was the gift of patience.  My brother-in-law brought his two little ones aged 2 and 4 to spend the weekend with us.  As you can imagine my home was no longer mine - it was theirs. My home was turned ... Read Full Story >>

Pickpockets Put Back a Little Cash

August 19, 2009 -- LONDON (Reuters) - Visitors to London always have to be on the look out for pickpockets, but now there's another, more positive phenomenon on the loose -- putpockets. Aware that people are suffering in the economic crisis, 20 former pickpockets have turned over a new leaf and are now trawling London's tourist sites slipping money back into unsuspecting pockets. Anything from 5 pounds ($8) to 20 pound notes is being surreptitiously deposited in unguarded pockets or open handbags in Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and other busy spots. The initiative, which runs until the end of August in London before being rolled out countrywide, is being funded by a broadbrand provider, which says it wants to brighten up people's lives in unusual ways. "It feels good to give something back for a change -- and Britons certainly need it in the current economic climate," said Chris Fitch, a former pickpocket who ... Read Full Story >>

Another Day When I Didn't Have An Umbrella

I'm not exactly the most prepared person.  I'm always misplacing things - pencils, pens, my phone, sometimes even my purse.  I usually never remember to carry an umbrella - I normally just have to walk (or run if I’m in a hurry) in the rain.  I was walking to class one day when suddenly a summer rainstorm started.  Somehow, on this occasion I actually happened to have an umbrella!  And this one was my favorite color too - hot pink!  So I smiled as I walked on in the sloshing rain, enjoying myself in my dry haven, thinking happily that “I've got it all together today”.  That's when I saw her. She was walking near the admission office, she had a bag slung over her shoulder and some papers in her hand.  But, it's not any of that stuff that caught my eye - it was the beautiful baby girl she was holding ... Read Full Story >>

A Little Story, A Big Thank You

Let me tell you a little story...

A Helping Hand on Move-in Day

I was staying with a friend of mine recently because my parents where out of town.  On one of the days, my friend and I went out on an activity day, which was lots of fun and I had the chance to meet a bunch of new people. I was talking with a few guys, and during the course of the conversation, it came up that they where from a town that I was going to move to in just one week. One of the guys was very interested in when my family and I where moving and asked if we where going to have any help moving in. He insisted on getting my information so he could help out.  I thought that was quite funny but didn’t really give it much thought.   Well, sure enough, he called me the day we were moving in, and when my family arrived, there was a big group of people outside our new house.  These people didn’t even know us and ... Read Full Story >>

Lesson Learned...the Hard Way

A long while back, I used to work as a bus and van driver for an organization that provided services to the elderly in our county. I transported senior citizens to and from the senior center on the bus and also took them on field trips to various places. One old lady, Mrs Garripy, was very slow. She only walked a few steps at a time before she needed to stop, sit and rest. It was such an effort for her to get around that I often thought to myself, "Oh Mrs Garripy, if only you would just exercise a bit more then you would be able to move around more easily and you wouldn’t be so tired or out of breath." Years later, my thoughts came back to haunt me.... I had undergone serious surgery which nearly took my life. I spent the next year recovering in bed.  I was so ... Read Full Story >>

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 >>