Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Crocheting Coasters For My Favorite Uncle

I went to visit my favorite aunt and uncle the other day. My uncle has been terribly sick and is facing some surgery on his lung next week. 

I wanted to take him something handmade as a gift, but couldn't think of much to crochet a man other than a scarf and hat. Of course, it is too hot for that at the moment so I crocheted him six coasters in different colors with smiley faces and a holder to be kept in.  I thought it was something he could use with his drink when he was sitting by the computer.

I teased him when I presented it. ''Here's somethin' to put your beer cans on,Uncle Russell!'' He doesn't drink, but he seemed to like the gift. Aunt Lucille chimed in by saying, ''The kids were over here visiting from out of town yesterday complaining that our cork coasters left water on top from the cans..''  Uncle Russell quickly responded, ''Well, they are NOT using these! I'm hiding them up on the shelf until they leave!''    That made me think if nothing else, it was the gesture appreciated  from making them for him. :)

Lend Me Your Ear

How much attention do we pay to the person actually sitting next to us? On my bus ride to work, I generally just look out of the window, meditate, or read a book. Recently, I have also tried to look at whoever is next to me and pay attention to their needs. Today a teenage girl around my age sat next to me. I smiled at her and continued to read my book. She suddenly started a conversation by asking me why I looked so dull. Unaware of my own demeanor, I started to be more aware of her, the passengers around me, the colors outside the window, and the sounds that were playing on the radio. After we began conversing, I realized that she was very lonely and just wanted someone to speak to. Her parents were farmers and she had grown up on a farm her whole life until now. Suddenly, ... Read Full Story >>

The Story of a Wallet

I just joined today, but have been reading your wonderful and inspiring posts for several weeks now. I would like to add a story that occured to me this week as a result of two related acts of kindness. Last Thursday I was pumping gas and set my wallet on top of my car after removing my debit card. I pumped my gas, drove away, and after realizing that my wallet had flown off the car roof, scanned the route I had traveled four times to no avail. Luckily I had no cash and my debit card was in my pocket, but this came at an already stressful time as I was getting married in six days, planning to move and trying to find a new job. This Monday at 5 a.m., I received a call from a Sheriff's Dept. three hours away in Marietta. The man said that a gentleman had ... Read Full Story >>

Unloading a Heavy Burden for Grandpa

Just two weeks ago, I was about to cross my little busy neighborhood road when I noticed an old Grandpa with a heavy load on his head just a few yards from me. He looked very weak and his bones had no strength to even carry him let alone that load with him. A few minutes later, I realised that I had forgotten to cross the road and I had seen him with a such a fixed gaze that even he had seen me looking at him. I shyed off his gaze but I couldn't for much longer... I've always loved my Grandparents so much so that whenever I see any older people their age I don't forget to smile at them.  I couldn't let go of this Grandpa either.  He came near me with faltered steps and handed me a slip on which was written an address very near to my house.  I showed him the directions ... Read Full Story >>

Side By Side With A Young Man

I was shopping at the local department store and noticed this young man in his late 20's looking carefully for children's clothing and putting together really cute outfits to buy. This is a small store and when I went to the checkout counters, they were closed and the courtesy desk called me over there to check out. Wouldn't you know the young man was checking out there too. We were Side by Side and I could see and hear his conversation with the cashier.  When the total appeared on the cash register he looked down and said I don't have enough money. He put back a shirt, and he was still short for money. Now, I myself, am not overflowing with money because my hubby is unemployed, but when I saw this guy putting back underwear and socks, I was heartbroken.  Here he was trying to buy some nice clothing and needed items for ... Read Full Story >>

A Sweet Surprise for the Post Lady

Yesterday I wanted to leave a nice surprise for our Postal Carrier.  I called the Post Office to ask who would be delivering our mail.  They gave me her name, Michelle.  So, I put a cake ball (which is the most decadent thing you have ever eaten) in a red plastic heart I had from a Valentine's gift which I had saved to use on just such an occasion.  It fit just perfect!  I added a SMILE card to the outside with a couple of small pieces of tape.  I put it in an envelope.  I wrote To:  Michelle and drew a "stamp" on it myself with a little heart.  On the bottom I wrote "Pay it FORWARD".  I put it in the place the carrier always picks up our outgoing mail.  My plan was for her to just scoop it all up and go to the next suite and find it a few minutes later, or ... Read Full Story >>

Quotes Celebrating Fathers

Father’s Day Quotes (Don’t Forget Father’s Day on Sunday, June 14th!) He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.  ~Clarence B. Kelland My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.  Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass."  "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply.  "We're raising boys."  ~Harmon Killebrew When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.  ~Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874 One father is more than a hundred Schoolmasters.  ~George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs, 1640 Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.  ~Bill Cosby A father carries pictures where his money used to be.  ~Author Unknown The greatest gift I ... Read Full Story >>

Learning from a Father's Empathy, 28 Years Later

On Sunday while I was having my own Father’s day celebration, I thought about my dad a lot.  By the time I called to tell him that I loved him, he had already gone to bed.  I was bumbed out a bit because of missing him so I thought I would write a little post about what my dad means to me. My dad is that absolute most kindest man in the world.  He would never hurt anyone intentionally and would give the shirt off his back in an instant.  This made me reflect on a story about 28 years ago. My dad was a used car salesman and owned his own car lot and body shop on several occasions.  Every Thursday night, he would head off to Shreveport, LA to the auction.  Most of the time, I drove a car over there for him so he could sell it at ... Read Full Story >>

A Desert that Learned to Smile

Many summers ago in a faraway Desert, a seedling came along to be and share herself with the scorched barren land. She was a young lavender colored flower in the Desert where all was dry and sullen. It was as if the Desert sat alone, depressed and dry. The flower's name was Violeta and she was blooming on her own. She enjoyed every day and would often ask the Sun, "When shall I be all grown up"? The Sun would smile by shining and say, "Be patient. Each time I touch you, you grow a little." Violeta was so pleased to have this opportunity to grow because she wanted so much to have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of the sand. That truly was all she wanted to do; bring a little splash of color to this side of the lonely world. Suddenly, one day, a Hunter came ... Read Full Story >>

A Man We Will Never Know

Twelve years ago yesterday, my mother gave birth to the most beautiful little girl.  We were a broken family with little money.  We were given the news that this little girl, who was three and a half months premature, would only have 14 days on this earth.  It's hard to understand what kind of feeling you have when you find out that you're losing something that you don't even know.  As time went on, the number of days kept growing, which gave us hope.  When they said that we could take her home, that's when realization hit.  We had no money.  I am from a small town with small hospitals, but when you don't have money, you just don't have it.  My mother tried for days to get the money, but came up pennyless each time.  The case worker was even doing her best.  It's sad that it almost felt like we ... Read Full Story >>

Just A Simple Little Thing

“Never lose sight of the importance of a beautiful sunrise, Or watching your kids sleep, or the smell of rain.  It’s often the little things that really matter in life.”  -- Unknown Yesterday, I did a very simple little thing. I was working out at the gym on my lunch hour and an elderly lady was in there riding on the bike.  She can't walk very well and uses a cane, but she was in there working hard. When I was done exercising, I told her that I was going to wait for her until she got done and that I would walk her out to the car.  It was a little ways to the car and it was a foggy, gloomy damp day yesterday here in Missouri.  I walked her to the car and opened her door and I felt so good for helping her. She could have fallen so easily out in that damp parking lot ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness for Those We Like Less

It is always easier to be kind to people whom you like. Doing an extra kindness for someone who "rubs you the wrong way" is much harder.

There is someone like that in my life and tonight I am preparing a meal to share with them since they have just returned from a long trip and I thought it would be nice for them.  I have been working very hard at seeing the good in this person---and I know there are many positive qualities in her so I am trying to focus on that and not let the "other stuff" get in my way (though it's hard!).

I am making an effort to do the same for this person what I would do for anyone else.

Thanks to everyone here for inspiration!

Leaving a Little Soul With a Smile

I was in the queue for the supermarket checkout earlier today. All of the checkouts were busy and the woman behind me in the queue was not happy!  Every word that came out her mouth was negative, a complaint, a moan, a whinge! She wasn't happy with the number of checkouts opened, she wasn't happy with the amount of shopping some people had in their baskets, she wasn't happy because this supermarket didn't have a stand where you could scan your own shopping. She wasn't happy! I listened to her without looking around as I loaded my stuff onto the conveyor belt. I didn't want anything to do with that kind of attitude, and if ever I had felt like letting someone go ahead of me, it wouldn't be such a moaner! But then I glanced back. Standing beside the woman was a five year old girl, possibly her granddaughter. The girl's part of ... Read Full Story >>

Breakfast on the Beach

I live near the beach and one morning I looked over my terrace and saw that someone was sleeping rough on the beach. He had tied his bike near him

I tip-toed down to the beach and left him breakfast with a little message that said.

Bonne Apetit.

I hope it bought a smile to his soul.

Sands Leave for Stones to Live

Often we forget how to truly live. Here is a tale to remind you: Two lifelong friends were walking through the desert. At some point during the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one on the face.  The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, he wrote in the sand: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.   They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the harrowing near-death experience, he wrote on a stone:  TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.    The friend who had both slapped and saved his best friend, asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and after I saved you, you wrote on a stone. ... Read Full Story >>

Three Red Marbles

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me. "Hello Barry, how are you today?" "H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good." "They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?" "Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' ti me." "Good. Anything I can help you with?" "No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas." "Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller. "No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with." "Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?" "All I got's ... Read Full Story >>

Who is the Giver?

In some parts of India , beggars go from door to door, at night , to collect left-over food. One such beggar appeared at the door of a family which was busy . The lady tells the beggar, "My husband has to rush to board the last bus to his village - as someone is seriously ill there. I have already cooked food for him as well." The thoughtful beggar offers to return later.

After collecting food from the other houses, the beggar returns much later.  Seeing the disturbed expression on the lady's face he enquires, "Is something wrong?"  The lady replies, "My husband has come back as he missed the last bus."  The lady's dilemma  is clear to the beggar. He says, "I can manage with less food one night, but your husband may not . Please keep this food for him!"

HE WAS THE GIVER!

I recall this story , in my own words, from years ago in the newspaper.  I remember how it shook me totally when I read it and I can say that it has been the turning point in my life - towards deeper ecological, LIFE and spiritual issues.

30 Days of Inspiration for My Aunt's Birthday

I have this amazing aunt Tina who really transformed my life.  She is so kind and caring, and always loves unconditionally.  She always listens and gives great advice.  She is a real inspriration to me.  She makes me want to be a better person, and trust me she has done just that.  She always helps others, always thinks of others first, she helps strangers, family, and friends.  She raises money for charities, and is very charitable with her money.  They have been very fortunate. So her birthday comes around, and I say to myself what do I get her?  She has everything she needs.  I have to do something special.  So I handmade these little envelopes with decorative paper, 30 of them,  and bought some stock paper which I  cut into little cards.  On each little card I put an inspirational quote and wrote things from the heart  -- how she had ... Read Full Story >>

Carrying Love Half Way Around The World

The postie has just delivered a letter. It's from a friend in a far away land. Inside is a note, a list of "I Believes" and a beautiful bookmark.

I've been sitting here for the past five minutes at a loss for words. Not because of the gift, although it is sweet, not because of the thought, although that is also appreciated, but because my friend took that thought and that gift and put them into action, in a way that carried love half way around the world.

That's an awesome thing, and, well, it's a lot to take in.

So, I'll digress a little and mention one of the "I Believes." My friend says, "I Believe ... that your life can be changed by people who don't even know you." In a very real way, that's what you all out there in HelpOthersland are doing. You change the lives of the people you help, but you also change the lives of the people you share with on this site. We're becoming a family, for the best of all possible reasons. Thank you all for that.

And to my friend, I Believe ... you have changed my life!

A Smile That's Still In My Mind

I just started using smile cards. One day I was out for my daily walk when I saw this lady sitting by the corner store.  She was a homeless lady, who had all her stuff with her.

The next day she was in the same spot, so I stopped to talk to her about her life story.  A few days later I had my smile card with me and some money, so I went to Denny's to get a gift card.  I gave it to the lady by the store and when I gave the gift card to her with a smile card she gave me a smile that is still in my mind.  She said that she has not eaten in days and from that day on I get a smile from her whenever I see her.