Stories of Kindness from Around the World

A Special Party for the Children at MOMS House

I am working on my bronze award for my Girlscouts.  It's the higest award you can work for as a junior Girlscout and it takes a lot of planning so it's a big big honor that I got permison from my parents and my scout leader.    There are a lot of rules about what I can and can't do for the bronze award.  One big thing I can't do is raise money so I can't have any fund aisrs like I usually do.  There is a place here in my town called MOMS house -- it's a great place 'cause they take care of the babies of teenage mothers so that they can go to school and get a job to be able to take care of their children.   My idea is to have a great big birthday party for the children that they take care of because their moms are so young and they don't have a lot of money.  After ... Read Full Story >>

It's Not What I Got, But What I Gave

It took me quite a while to realize that a simple smile and short greeting could truly make a difference in people's lives.  I did not smile much as a teenager or young adult.  Once in a while someone would say, "Smile", and I would want to tell them to mind their own business. 

As I grew up and was able to get out of my own head , I began to realize that it was not what I got but what I gave that would ultimately make me smile with autenthicity.  Even when life is rough, I remeber that others might be having a tough time too and I always try to rise to the occasions and brandish a smile.

My Moment with the Bear

I was leaving for work at about 6:20 am on Monday morning. The sky was gray but the sun was rising. I stepped out the front door, looked up at the trees breezing in the wind, and  suddenly I realized the large creature resting at the foot of our driveway was not my black dog 'wolfy' but was a different furry, black animal that was ten times larger: a full grown Black Bear! The Bear and I looked directly into each other's eyes at that moment. It was a rather long pause. He then proceeded to waltz around our property as he must have found it rather interesting. He walked by my bright red Toyota Yaris. I suppose we have the same taste in cars!  Frightened and yet also curious, I gradually shifted backwards to the front door, but still carefully observed this fascinating beast.  It was the most beautiful bear. Of course, I was mindful of how fast bears can run, how large their teeth are, how vicious they can devour their prey, but as I ... Read Full Story >>

A Memory that Lives and Gives

My husband’s administrative assistant (who is a friend of mine) suddenly lost her grandmother this weekend. Her department sent flowers to her on behalf of the company.   We all signed a sympathy card which was mailed to her home. That was very thoughtful,  but I wanted to do more. I wanted to do something extra since I knew she was very close to her grandmother and this was her first major family loss. I decided to surprise her with a Living Memorial Gift. It’s a tradition in my family which was started over 15 years ago with the sudden loss of my sister. I made a donation to a foundation who agreed to plant 25 trees in memory of her Grandmother which includes a full name dedication and a certificate. These trees will be planted in a U.S. National Forest that has been devastated due to insects, diseases, and wildfires. Excited to surprise my friend with this gift, I brainstormed on how ... Read Full Story >>

I Have a Secret

Psst....I have a secret.

I have a positively powerful secret that I want to share.  If you look deep into my heart, you can see how you have touched my life.  Can you see me changing?  Have you noticed my new countenance?  Perhaps you have sensed the smile that has been placed not only in my heart but also on my lips. 

When you said the right thing or encouraged me, it made a difference. When you shared my pain or agreed with one of my thoughts, you lifted me up.  When you gave me a new perspective, it was welcomed. 

Did you know that I am a better person because of your presence in my life?  Did you know that I have learned from your pain that you were thoughtful enough to share?  Did you know that  your insight has heightened my own? 

My secret is this: when you share,  it shows how much you care.  Okay, now you can tell this secret to the world.

Small Price, Great Feeling

    I've started a habit that is very inexpensive, but has been very rewarding!

    We have a grocery store that requires customers to pay a quarter to get a shopping cart. When we're done shopping, we put the cart back in line and get our quarter back. Now, when I leave the store, I start looking for someone just arriving, and give them a free cart and a Smile Card.  Even though the gift is inexpensive, the smiles on their faces are priceless.  I had a person last week that immediately brightened up and said I must've known how bad her day was going. Small price to pay for the great feeling I get. 

Singing In Traffic

I have been studying the teachings of Rhonda Byrne (The Secret) and Wayne Dyer (Power of Intention) among others.  A theme that carries through both teachings is  "blessing others." I've started a new habit of singing on the way to and from work because I felt that there are lot of people who need blessings, especially while they are stuck in traffic!  I sing rather awfully, but the good intentions are there!  I sing to all the drivers around me, to all the employees working in the companies beside me, and to all the passengers in the planes flying above me.  I sing to everyone and even though I am not a songwriter, this is what I came up with: Calm is inside you Love is all around you It is already such a beautiful morning! Peace is inside you Smiles all around you It is about to be such a beautiful afternoon! Joyful surprises Laughter and Kindness It is going to be a beautiful day!                                                        ... Read Full Story >>

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.