Stories of Kindness from Around the World

A Child's Response to Life's Unexpected Gusts

Last spring I was walking in a park. A short distance ahead of me was a Mom and her three-year-old daughter. The little girl was holding onto a string that was attached to a helium balloon. All of a sudden, a sharp gust of wind took the balloon from the little girl. I braced myself for some screaming and crying. But, no! As the little girl turned to watch her balloon go skyward, she gleefully shouted out, "Wow!" I didn’t realize it at that moment, but that little girl taught me something. Later that day, I received a phone call from a person with news of an unexpected problem. I felt like responding with, "Oh no, what should we do?"  But, remembering that little girl, I found myself saying, "Wow, that’s interesting! How can I help you?" One thing’s for sure - life’s always going to keep us off balance with its unexpected problems. That’s a ... Read Full Story >>

A Lesson in Generosity from a Woman in Tatters

I live in an Indian city and at every traffic signal there are women and children who beg.  Once, while I was driving by, I noticed a woman in tatters.  So, the next day I brought along two used garments we call 'saris' which are five-metre pieces of cloth that we wrap around ourselves. She was happy and so was I.

Some days later when I stopped again at the traffic signal, I saw the same woman. When she saw me, she called out to another woman and said, "Say thank you to this lady, say thanks..she's the one who gave us the saris."  This woman, who had no clothes worth wearing, had shared with another equally deprived woman one of the two saris I had given to her!

It is a lesson in generosity I will never forget. How often  do we share although we have so much? Yet this woman with almost nothing didn't think twice about giving away half of her gifts!!

Would You Help A Little Lost Robot?

In New York, we are very occupied with getting from one place to another.  On the way, imagine you encounter a tiny, cardboard skinned robot making its own way down the streets of New York City, asking for help.  Would you help this lost little robot?  Tweenbots are human-dependent robots that navigate the city with the help of pedestrians they encounter. Rolling at a constant speed, in a straight line, Tweenbots have a destination displayed on a flag, and rely on people they meet to read this flag and to aim them in the right direction to reach their goal. Given their extreme vulnerability and the possibility that no one would be interested in helping a lost little robot, I initially conceived the Tweenbots as disposable creatures which were more likely to struggle and die in the city than to reach their destination. I set out on the first test with a video ... Read Full Story >>

Setting a Good Example

We all either set examples or follow examples. Often both. Recently, I was walking away from a primary school, having delivered my Godson safely to the playground. A mum and her young son were walking towards the gate in happy conversation. "I'll soon be six, won't I, Mum?" the boy said. His proud mum agreed that, yes, he would. "And then I'll be allowed to say bad words. Won't I, Mum?" Imagine the mother's face! It wasn't so much what the boy said, that caught my attention, it was the complete confidence with which he said it. Someone he trusted had obviously told this little lad that once you get to be six years old you could say bad words and it would be okay. So okay he could happily tell his mum about it. Supposing that same person had told him that six was the age when you started helping those younger than you, or six ... Read Full Story >>

A Surge of Compassion For An Old Lady on the Streets

One afternoon, as I was driving back home, I stopped  at a busy intersection as the traffic light turning red.  I waited patiently for the light to turn green, so that I could resume my journey. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an old woman appeared and started asking for money. That day , I had unknowingly switched off the   air conditioning in the car and my window was down. The old woman was standing very close to the car.  As she begged for alms, I closely observed her weather-beaten face, which had lots of wrinkles on it.  Her eyes showed lots of sadness and her whole body was shaking.  I instinctively sensed that this elderly lady had  seen some incredibly hard times in her life and at this time there was no one to look after her, which forced her to beg on the streets.  Seeing her condition, I immediately felt from within my being a tremendous surge of compassion for ... Read Full Story >>

The Universal Language of Hugs

HUGS
(Author Unknown)

There's something in a simple hug
That always warms the heart;
It welcomes us back home
And makes it easier to part.

A hug's a way to share the joy
And sad times we go through,
Or just a way for friends to say
They like you 'cause you're you.

Hugs are meant for anyone
For whom we really care,
From your grandma to your neighbor,
Or a cuddly teddy bear.

A hug is an amazing thing-
It's just the perfect way
To show the love we're feeling
But can't find the words to say.

It's funny how a little hug
Makes everyone feel good;
In every place and language,
It's always understood.

And hugs don't need new equipment,
Special batteries or special parts -
Just open up your arms
And open up your hearts!

I Love YOU More!

I wanted to share a thought on a game my wife, Denise and I play with each other. It’s called “I love YOU more!” I make it a part of my day to tell her that I Love Her. And she does the same thing with me. She’s pretty loveable and so it’s always been easy all these years to say it and to mean it. And maybe that’s one of the reasons that we’ve been married so long, (33 years). What I’ve realized though, is that there are days that “I love Her more” than she loves me and visa versa. Because of this we have a relationship where the power of that love is constantly shifting. In a funny sort of way, I’ve found that the person who loves the least that day, is the one with the most power in the relationship as they actually need more love ... Read Full Story >>

Flowers for a Stranger in the Hospital

     On my birthday this year, I decided to do something very different.  I decided to do something for someone.  I have been blessed with so much and I wanted to reach out and be a blessing to someone.  So, that afternoon, I went to my local grocery store, bought a bouquet of flowers and went down the street to the new hospital.  I had no idea who I was going to present the flowers to, but I would find someone who needed to be cheered up.    I went up to the 4th floor, asked the nurses at the station, who thought it odd that I didn't have anyone in particular that I was there to see.  Still, they gave me the room number of an elderly lady who they said,  "could use some cheering up."    I proceeded to the room and when I entered with the bouquet of flowers ... Read Full Story >>

Learning From A Cabbie

A couple weeks ago I was standing out on a cold evening in New York City waiting for a cab to come take me to a nightclub.  After about 5 minutes of waiting, I was picked up by a middle-eastern gentleman in his 30's, and he was clearly angry.  Swear words left and right about how horrible New Yorkers were.  I knew my cab ride would only be about 10 minutes and there was a part of me that wanted to be silent and just move on with my life, but I also wanted to try and connect. I asked the man what the issue was, and after some beating around the bush, he told me that he had just come from JFK airport without a customer.  For those that don't know, this is basically $70 in lost fare, which is a fairly big deal.  I tried my best to commisserate ... Read Full Story >>

Lessons Learned from Lavender Lilacs

I  was strolling by some lavender colored lilacs which were clustered alongside the sidewalk yesterday on the way to catch a ride with my neighbor who was joining me for a community dinner gathering. The quiet and soft movement of the little flowers as they danced in the breeze just made me pause for a moment. I looked at them swaying in the breeze as if they were alive and happy. I thought about how it would feel to make another human being alive and happy like those lilacs...  It was Mother's Day and although I was many continents away from my mother, I thought about my neighbor, who is a mother too. In fact, a mother of two. In addition to wanting to express my thanks to her for giving me a ride to the upcoming evening gathering, I scrambled back home with my new idea unfolding in my ... Read Full Story >>

11 Smiles for You

A smile will gain you ten more years of life ~ Chinese Proverb If you see a friend without a smile; give him one of yours.   A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. ~Phyllis Diller   A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.   Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo F. Buscaglia   Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  ~Mother Teresa of Calcutta   Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh   Smile - It's the second best thing you can do with your lips. ~ Bob Armstrong   Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart. ~ Anthony J. D'Angelo   Start every ... Read Full Story >>

Something Stronger Than Fear Inside

I used to live in residential area that was quite far way from everything. It was a very hot midsummer day with temperatures over 35 ºC and it was also around that time of the day that the sun is stronger.   I was driving home when I saw these two men walking along the road under that burning sun.  They looked exhausted. I drove past them in the opposite direction and I had this urge of doing a u-turn and giving them a lift.  All kinds of thoughts came into my mind, including what if they harm me? But, there was something stronger than fear inside of me.  So, I did a u-turn and stopped the car next to them, opened the door of my old fiesta and invited them in.  I noticed the puzzled looks on their faces and I could even feel that they were embarrassed.  They were immigrants and didn’t speak my language, but ... Read Full Story >>

A Mother's Legacy Of Unconditional Love

As I entered womanhood, Mom sat me down and told me that no matter what happened and no matter what I did, I could always come home. Because of what those words meant to me, I said the same thing to my sons.  My childhood was filled with affection—lots of kisses, lots of hugs, lots of spoken I love yous. I never wanted for physical affection, and because of what that affection meant to me, I gave the same thing to my sons.  I grew up in a home where love was openly talked about and warmly expressed. I can still picture myself in my attic bedroom, sitting on my bed and fuming at my parents. They had been mean to me and were totally unreasonable—at least that was my evaluation of the situation. They hadn't understood that I was a teenager and should be allowed certain freedoms. With eyes closed, lips ... Read Full Story >>

Why Mothers Are So Special

Why Mothers are so special...

A Fishing Lesson

I went to the pond with my kids and a few young boys were wandering around as we fished and came by and I said "hi" and asked if they liked to fish.  They said they never had.  I gave them my pole and showed them how and in the course of the two hours, taught he and three other kids how to cast and put a worm on a hook as the kids shared stories of their home lives. I cried that night thinking of their stories of parents with alcoholism, anger, and seeing their need of positive input into their lives, etc.       These kids needed an adult to care.  It scared me to think of my kids out there talking to strangers, and so needy and hurting. I just listened and encouraged them, hoping they would take away something positive.  I let them know I believed they would ... Read Full Story >>

Saying 'Thanks' at a Finnish Post Office

   Living in Finland yet not speaking any Finnish has forced me to use English quite a bit. Finland is, officially, a two-language country though; the people of Finland are required to learn Swedish in school (which happens to be my mother tongue). However, only a very small minority of Finns actually speak the language beyond school level.    Upon a trip to the post office earlier today, where the staff has name tags with little flags representing the languages they speak (usually Finnish only, but in some cases also English and Swedish), I was fortunate enough to be attended by a staff member who, according to the tag, spoke all three languages. Still, I wanted to be sure. Sometimes the sign means they’ve studied the language, though it doesn’t necessarily mean they actually understand it.   I asked her – in Swedish – if she spoke the language. The answer ... Read Full Story >>

A Dialogue with the Universe

Here is an exchange between myself and the universe that I thought would be a helpful transcript to share with all of you. Question 1: What is most difficult in life? My Answer: Discovering its purpose. The Universe  Answers:  Don't look for purpose. You won't find it. Create your purpose. Purpose serves as a principle around which to organize your life. You should give meaning to life and not wait for life to give meaning. Question 2: What is most challenging to deal with in life? My Answer: Staying positive The Universe Answers: Everyday may not be good, but there is something good in everyday. It is not your position but your disposition that makes you happy or unhappy. If you are busy looking for gold, you miss the silver lining. Question 3: What is hard to let go of in life? My Answer: My ego. The Universe Answers: Most of the shadows of your life are caused by standing in your own ... Read Full Story >>

The Clarity of Kindness

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world," said Gandhi. Well, today I had two exams, so not much spare time, but afterwards I went and bought a sealed bag of cookies and gave them to a random person who got on my bus. She looked hungry and like she'd had a hard day.  I am struggling at the moment. Faith and religion do not seem to mix in my head, and I have many conflicting views.  Sometimes decisions are so difficult. But I suppose without some confusion life would be boring! One thing I am sure of is the importance of kindness. With kindness we can change the world, and work towards happy peace. Never stop trying to change the world!  Sunshine and smiles, I hope everyone has had a wonderful, fulfilling day. ... Read Full Story >>

Bringing Back Neighbourly Kindness

My 25 year old daughter moved house yesterday. It wasn't a big move. Just around the corner, in fact. But she was moving from a flat to a house with a little garden so her son would have space to play.   The distance was probably too short to justify hiring a removals company, but it was long enough to make carrying all the stuff a real pain. But we didn't have to. A neighbour offered the use of her Transit van. She reversed it up to my daughter's front door, then went home while we loaded it up. Then she came out, drove it to the new house and walked back home for a cuppa tea while we unloaded. Then she did it again. And again. All offers of payment or petrol money was waved aside.  My daughter got her a big bunch of flowers later as a thank you. Before I left, I ... Read Full Story >>

Will Work for Food

One day I had a doctors appointment to have some lab work done. I had to fast for 12 hours prior to the tests. Knowing that I would be starving by the time I left the doctors office, after not eating for 12 hours plus, I prepared myself a sack breakfast. So I had the testing done and was leaving the doctors office and was thinking about the food I had in the car, and how I couldn't wait to eat. I had reached for the sack and was fumbling and driving trying to get to it, when I had to stop at a red light. I looked out my windshield and there before me to my left side, the drivers side of the car was a man with a cardboard sign that read "Will work for Food". I wanted to cry. The first thing I thought of was I know how ... Read Full Story >>