Stories of Kindness from Around the World

The Healing Toddler

A month ago,  I stepped through the revolving door  into my physician's office, feeling both afraid of being there because of what I could find out about my health, but also knowing that I would feel afraid if I didn't come there precisely to find out. So, I felt stuck. As I scurried over to a wooden chair with a plush cushion and a Home & Garden magazine lying on top of it, I noticed there were many other patients who were carefully seated on the chairs surrounding me with frightened faces buried in magazines. Amidst, these nervous readers, I spotted a little two-year old girl who was propped up on one of these seats with her short little legs sticking horizontally out into the air.  Just a moment after I sat down, I heard this little doll-like child's voice as she suddenly and fearlessly, began to sing. She was making up her own song. It was something about Santa Claus. Everyone was listening but I don't think she even was aware of how all of ... Read Full Story >>

Are you that Bird in the Sky?

Do you reach beyond to touch the sky, or lag behind afraid to try?

Do you reach beyond to learn anew, or hesitate, the same old you?

Do you reach beyond to test your limit, or do you tell yourself, I'm timid?

Do you reach beyond to reach the pack, or do you waste your time looking back?

Do you reach beyond & try to find, better ways to stretch your mind?

Do you reach beyond to care & share & help some others do or dare?

Do you reach beyond, expect the best, or have you given up the quest?

Do you reach beyond & claim your space, here & now, this time, this place?

Do you reach beyond & try to soar, or sadly, play it safe once more?

You are Royalty

Shakespeare was absolutely right: all the world is a stage and you are on it! It means we all have many roles to play.  Never identify with any one role, or you will get very stuck in that role like a habit. You are not what you do. Your job, your position, your vocation are just roles you are playing. Play the role but never think you are the role. In fact, when you are acting in life you are the movement that is flowing through all of these roles. You are breathing creativity, joy, laughter, and pain through the various characters you embrace. All great actors dislike being typecast into one particular type of character or role. There is no role you cannot play. No stage you cannot perform on  because there is nothing you cannot be, if you really want to be it. You can even be a queen or king. You may not have a ... Read Full Story >>

Hand Ups, Not Handouts

My daughter and I recently started volunteering at a center in the inner city of Grand Rapids.  As a family, since 1990, we've been involved in one way or another with this wonderful center that serves the homeless and under-resourced in our community. Currently, my daughter and I can be found on Thursday afternoons at the center sorting mail and then helping homeless people receive their mail.  Over the years, something I have grown to love about this center is that they do not believe in giving handouts ... but rather "hand ups". Meals are served at a low cost.  Coffee/hot chocolate is available for 25 cents.  Lockers can be rented for $1 a week.  Haircuts can be obtained for $2.  Laundry can be done at a cost of $1 to wash/$1 to dry.  Underwear, socks, t-shirts can be purchased for $1.  You might ask, where do homeless people come up with the money ... Read Full Story >>

Three Words of Wisdom: "Don't We All?"

One evening I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was, what society would consider, a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of the "don't want to be bothered" times. "I hope he doesn't ask me for money," I thought.  He didn't.  He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop and he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.  After a few minutes he spoke.  "That's a very nice car," he said.  He was ... Read Full Story >>

Certificate of Kindness for a 10-Year-Old

"True Happiness is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy cause."     Helen Keller Sometimes we set examples when we don't even know it.  My 10 1/2 year old son amazed me not too long ago.  He came home from school and was upset that someone had taken a classmate's Gameboy.  He said, "Mom who could have taken his Gameboy?  Doesn't everyone have Gameboys already?" I told him that sometimes we don't know why people take things.  I told him what my grandmother always told me.  "Tressy, people who steal or take things, must need them way more than you do."  So I told him that someone must have needed the Gameboy more than his friend. A few days later I noticed a note in my son's bookbag from his teacher, letting me know that he had earned an award in kindness. He was mentioned in an assembly and was given a certificate of kindness.  My son ... Read Full Story >>

Random Acts of Patience

For some months now, I've been purposely choosing the longest lines to stand in -- supermarket, movies, cash register at stores during holidays so as to "develop" patience. Then, if someone looks stressed, like a mom with kids or something, I give my place away and move back to the line or longest line. What goes on is my mind races. I start blaming -- clerk for not being faster or organization for not having more checkers, or the lady with the coupons, the man who's visa card isn't accepted. I judge the people in front of me. I notice what a rush I'm in and question why I'm doing this. My monkey mind starts to consume me, racing with endless stream of such thoughts. I often fail to do this process, just getting carried away by my todo list and my internal stress or "forgetting" to do it. But sometimes I ... Read Full Story >>

The Muscular Smile

Today's lesson is short and sweet:  Just wrap a smile in a blessing and send it forth. Today's exercise: Close your eyes and smile. Now let that smile spread throughout your body, saturating every organ, every muscle, every bone, so that it soaks into your pores until every single ounce of you is smiling. Just imagine that every cell and molecule that makes up your body, even your DNA strands, are all happy and smiling and filled with well-being and joy. Just smile all over and let yourself really feel it.  Now mail it out into the universe, wrapped as a blessing, and know that just like a ray of sunshine, it will go forward to warm the heart of the recipient. Today's Life Affirming Wisdom: Did you know that there is quite a bit of data from encyclopedias, journals, and newspapers that say it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile? After doing this exercise, it's ... Read Full Story >>

Thank you Mrs.

I was shopping at my local supermarket. A lady in front of me in line was visibly upset and appeared to be having a rotten day. Unfortunately her two little boys were the casualties of her angry mood. She was snatching their arms and scolding them in such a way that the surrounding store customers in line just watched her in silence. The two little boys were clutching  candy bars in their hands. The cashier totaled the bill for the mother. She paid and began shuffling the boys out of the customer line when she suddenly noticed the candy bars in their respective hands. Her fury surged as her face reddened and her eyes became larger. She was telling them it was too late to buy those candy bars and that they were too sugary anyway! She coldly told them to put the candy back on the shelf as if the boys were little chocolate culprits. The two small boys, with their adorably sulking ... Read Full Story >>

Love Me Now

If you are ever going to love me, Love me now, while I can know The sweet and tender feelings Which from true affection flow. Love me now While I am living. Do not wait until I'm gone And then have it chiseled in marble, Sweet words on ice-cold stone. If you have tender thoughts of me, Please tell me now. If you wait until I'm sleeping, Never to awaken, There will be death between us, And I won't hear you then. So if you love me, even a little bit, Let me know it while I'm living So I can treasure it. ... Read Full Story >>

Christmas Through My Child's Eyes

My son is 4 years old and Christmas is a very magical time for children. 

My son ran down the stairs very excited as most children are on Christmas morning and went straight for the gifts under the tree.  But, to my surprise, the first gift he grabbed was a gift he made for his father and me.  

He stood there with anticipation, joy and patience as we opened our gift waiting to see the expression on ours faces. As I opened the gift, which was a hand-made wreath made of his small handprints (which is one of the best gift I received), I started to cry.   My husband leaned over and asked why I was crying.

I said I could not believe the thoughtfulness of this child and with all the gifts under the tree with his name on them, he was most excited about giving us the present he had made for us.  As a parent, I felt so proud of the child I am raising, knowing that he values other people and how they feel.

That is actually the best gift I received for Christmas.

The Smile Index

Recent comments reminded me of something I used to do in college.  I would walk around campus just "lovin' life" and smiling at the great natural beauty around me, the people, the fact that I was so excited to be there and study.

I would secretly keep track of what I called (to myself) the "Smile Index".  I would smile at random people while walking across campus and see how many smiled back!  It was just a random thing I did, but I found that the "index" was indeed quite high---more than some would have expected.  I haven't thought about that in 20 years, so thanks for jogging my memory! 

Based on all of you walking around out there, I would guess that the Smile Index is pretty high today!   :-)  Thanks for spreading all the good out there.  You guys really inspire me and remind me how we're all connected to each other.

Many hugs to you and have a great week!

Next Generation of Kindness

I was with my kids at the grocery store.  They are 3 and 5.

We were doing our grocery shopping, when we saw a 75-80 year old lady in one of those motorized scooters, doing her shopping.  We saw that she was unable to reach something, so I reached it for her and she said, "Thank you."

The old lady also mentioned there were other things she was unable to get because she was confined to her scooter.   So my 5 year old son spontaneously tells her, "Oh, we can help you get the rest of your groceries." 

And we did.  We went through the whole store with her, until she had all that she needed.  When we finished, the woman blessed us and told me that it was nice to see that little ones still have manners. 

As we finished our own grocery shopping, I felt so very proud to know my children will not be selfish people.

There is Life in Just a Smile

It was only a sunny smile,

And little it cost in the giving,

But like morning light,

it scattered the night,

And made the day worth living.

-Unknown

Thank you for all of your smiles as they have made my days worth living. 

Enjoy The Gap

    I was reminded today while sharing my heart with a dear friend how moving silence can be. In today's world, people often feel they have to talk. My conversation today, as well as a few stories I have read on this site, reminded me that it is also good to sometimes not talk. Words can be great but some of my favorite conversations are those done by the heart, not the mouth. Silence gives words or feelings a chance to penetrate the heart and soul. The gap of silence, however tiny, allows us to reach each other in different ways, whether it be meeting through our eyes, through our touch, or through our smiles. A warm embrace that comforts and often speaks affectionately to another louder than words or the simple presence of being around a friend's loving heart can reach and heal the heart of another. Yet what I like most about silence is that it lets the heart talk without ... Read Full Story >>

Tears of Joy, Love and Gratitude

This past Christmas is the first one ever that I feared we may not be able to bring Santa to our little ones who are 5 and 3.  I tried not to get down or focus too negatively on it; I have a deep knowing that things always work out somehow and I also did not want to perpetuate a feeling of "lack" in our lives.     In late November, a memo came home from my son's school requesting anyone who felt they needed help with Christmas.  People who had children under 12 were asked to call the phone number at a local outreach center.  So, almost reluctantly, I called and was told to come to a local church the following day.  I had to bring my daughter with me and I was feeling rather sheepish and a bit sorrowful.   The happy folks, all volunteers filling monthly supplies for a needy food pantry,  were smiling and welcoming.  An elderly man gave ... Read Full Story >>

Something for Everyone on My Door

My office walls are covered with unique things.  Dried roses cover almost 1/2 of one wall.  Pictures of Tigerlilies are posted all around those.  Mixed between the tigerlilies are the sweet smiling faces of a dear friend's children, a photo of a close friend and her husband, inspirational words from songs that leave me breathless, pictures of my children, meaningful words clipped from emails from friends.  Co-workers come in my office and look around and smile.  As fun as my walls are, they don't compare to the outside of my door!  Sometimes when I have the door shut I can hear people standing outside laughing.  My entire door is covered with jokes and cute or funny pictures.   I continue to add them until the door is completely covered.  Let it stay that way for a while for all to enjoy and then take them down and start all over.  Sometimes people will ... Read Full Story >>

Secret Santa of Kansas City

In 1971 a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a diner and ordered a big breakfast. After eating his first good meal in weeks, he found himself lying to the waiter, telling him he had ’lost his wallet.‘ The waiter, who was also the owner, walked behind the stool where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor. ’Son, you must have dropped this,‘ the owner said. The young man couldn’t believe his luck! He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, ... Read Full Story >>

My Conscience of December, 1979

It is funny how at the end of the day, just before we fall asleep, a torrent of thoughts that had not been addressed by my mind during the day come rushing my way. I was looking forward to relaxing in slumber on my soft pillows but my mind seemed to win over my exhaustion as my thoughts scattered and triggered memories of the past. I was lying there with my eyes wide open staring blankly at the darkness that engulfed me and an episode from the past came to mind that I thought I would share. It wasn't anything profound, but at that time, it had meant a lot to me. This incident took place in December of 1979. I had started a new job down at the City Market Deli in New York City. I didn't really care for the job, which included wearing white gloves, slicing bread, cold cuts, and shelfing cartons of juice, milk, and soda. Moreover, I  was miserable ... Read Full Story >>

Tis' the Season of Smiling

In the spirit of embracing the season of giving, I was going through all of the books my children had and was getting ready to donate them to our local library. Since I use the facilities and books at the library all the time, I thought that the least I could do was keep the circle of giving going by donating more childrens' literature back to the public institution. As I rummaged through the piles of books and organized them into stacks, I could not help but peek through some of my most cherished childrens' poetry books, and share a short and sweet poem with all of you, before I gave it away:

"Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it like the flu.
Someone smiled at me today,
And I started smiling too."
-Author Unknown

It's the Season to Smile!