Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Hawaiian Gratuity for a Special Waitress

After I married, we honeymooned in Hawaii. Both of us enjoyed our ten day stay-- the islands are gorgeous, the people loving, gracious and spiritual, the sunrises/sunsets one more spectacular then the next, the rainbows miraculously appearing each afternoon after a brief rain and the flowers so brightyly colored and diverse. What a paradise!  We returned to one restaurant several times in Maui because I loved the buffet, the service, the outdoor tables where I could feed the birds, the ocean view and it was close to our hotel.  I befriended a waitress who symbolized the Hawaiin people to me:  she was plump, middle-aged, super friendly, greeting us each time with a huge, warm smile, twinkling eyes, a deep booming laugh and a hug. She was quite chatty and so am I so we bonded instantly.  She shared some of her life stories with us, which was so sad: hubby ... Read Full Story >>

Chicky's Lessons Of Love

I had a neighbor when I was a child whose name was Chicky.  He was a good 20 years older than me and he had Cerebral Palsy, quite severe.  He was never able to walk or even use the bathroom on his own, his parents carried this grown man in and out of their home whenever weather permitted.  Chicky would sit outside, strapped in his wheel chair, so he didn't fall out from his spasams.  His spot in the world was sitting under an apple tree listening to his transistor radio.  I was also limited physically, so I sat with him a lot and we talked.  I don't think many people knew how smart Chicky was.  He used to ask to touch my face and I would stand close to his chair.  He would make this little hoppity motion with his hand and it would strike up against my cheek, and he would be so ... Read Full Story >>

11 Years Without a Single Complaint

I met my husband (my 2nd) back in 1997 at a colleague's wedding. We immediately hit it off and saw each other regularly. I told him all about my having IIH, and what it involved as well as the worst case scenario, which is blindness. I was also at the time a single parent to an 8 year old daughter. Although in some ways we were total opposites, we shared the same humour, values and ideas, and within a year we were married. It was the most fantastic day, and I don't know who cried more, myself or my husband. He became a fantastic husband, and father to my daughter (the only one she's ever known), and life was good to us. Two years on, due to my IH I lost my peripheral vision and depth perception. After having an Lp shunt to prevent total blindness, my mobility was severely affected, as the ... Read Full Story >>

A Long Line is a Chance to Give

At the grocery store today the lines were moving very slowly and people seemed a bit on edge. So my brain started to tick and I wondered, "What can I do for this poor, sweet cashier to make her smile?" Then I noticed that there were coolers right there with soda pop and water. When it came to my turn in line, I smiled and said, "tough day, huh?" She said, "It's so crazy here today." I asked her if I could buy her a soda or some snack to give her a lift. She smiled and said, "Oh no, that's okay." I urged her to accept and finally she said, "Okay, I'd like a water please." I gladly grabbed a nice chilled water for her. I think it made a difference. And I know it made me feel good to do that for her. It's easy. Get out there and take advantage of a long line next time to do something good. :) ~Aurelia

Pay-it-forward Cheetos

The vending machines at work are very old. These vending machines are the kind that you turn manually after having placed quarters in the slots, but they have the best junk food!

It's common for people around my office to ask for quarters for the vending machines if they happen to be short. The other day, I paid particular attention to one person who loved Cheetos. I decided to place 2 quarters in the slot and went about my day. I happened to be talking to my boss in the break room, near the machines, when that person came in to buy some Cheetos with quarters in hand.

I heard him say, "Hey, someone already paid for my snack!" and proceeded to turn the level to get the cheezy swirls.  I then casually remaked , "Maybe you should pay it forward too," and he did!!  I saw him place the quarters in the slot after taking his bag of Cheetos. I'm hooked on doing this now!

All the Smiles that $20 Can Bring

It is amazing how many smiles $20 can bring.

Most local dollar stores sell very nice stuffed animals.  This presents a great opportunity to bring smiles!  I love to purchase stuffed animals, put them in nice gift bags and then randomly give them out to anyone that looks like they can use a smile!

All you have to do is take a walk down the street and I bet you will see that not everyone has a smile. This has always brought smiles and the smiles that it brings is all the thank-you that you will need.  Even so, people are always eager to let you know that you have given them a smile or how you changed their day! I try to remember that everyone is fighting there own battles and that everyone can always use a smile!

A small teddy bear can change someone's day!

The Holy Shadow

Long, long ago there lived a saint so good that the astonished angels came down from heaven to see how a mortal could be so good. He simply went about his daily life, diffusing virtue as a star diffuses Light, and the flowers perfume, without even being aware of it. Two words summed up his day: He Gave And He Forgave.  Yet these words never fell from his lips; they were expressed in his ready smile, in his kindness, his forbearance and charity. The angels said to God, “Oh, Lord, grant him the gift of miracles.”  God replied, “I consent; ask what he desires.” So they said to the Saint, “Should you like the touch of your hand to heal the sick?”   “No”, answered the Saint, “I would rather God should do that.”   “Should you like to convert guilty souls and bring wandering hearts to the right path?”   “No; that ... Read Full Story >>

Chocolate Shake for a Dedicated Employee

I work with children in an after-school program & staffing is definitely a challenge.  As a coordinator in this program I supervise several staff.  Our staff are mostly college kids, many who call in to say they can't work for many different reasons. 

However, one of the staff I supervise is soooooo wonderful, enthusiastic and excited about her job and also very dedicated.  I talk to her quite often when we are working together.  This week she has been pretty sick, but not once did she call to say she would not be coming to work -- thank goodness!  She still showed up with the same enthusiasm as if she was feeling perfectly fine. 

I decided to bring her in a chocolate shake to thank her for her dedication to our program and to show her that I truly appreciate all that she does for us.  I honestly wish I could clone her because she is a wonderful, fun, caring & dependable employee!

Uplifting Kindness Quotes

I am a huge Quote person so I've compiled some I thought I would share...

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.  ~Jesse Jackson

A good character is the best tombstone.  Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered.  Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.  ~Charles H. Spurgeon

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.  ~Author Unknown

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  ~Mark Twain

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.  ~John Wooden

Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.  ~Marian Wright Edelman

Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.  ~Frank A. Clark

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 Buscaglia

Ready-to-Go Care Packages

About a week ago I was at the post office and picked up a bunch of extra "priority mail" envelopes, knowing that I might need one or two, but thinking they might come in handy.  

Well, lo and behold, just by having them around when I was baking up some muffins for a friend, I decided it would be easy to stick a few extra in an envelope and mail them to someone!   My son just told me we should send some to a friend who recently lost her beloved dog, so in the muffins and note went and we were ready to go. Now all I have to do is drop them off at the post office--the packages are all ready!

It just occured to me that it's a great thing to have these envelopes lying around so that you can fill them with goodies and send them off quickly without having to plan ahead.  Hope this gives some of you an idea you can use!  Care packages are always appreciated
by young and old and everyone in between! :-)

Turning Unwanted Items into Unexpected Gifts

Somebody had a LOT of samples of Dove soap and body wash, Eucerin Cream and lotion to get rid of so I said I'd take it.

I suggested to a group that I belong to that maybe we can make gift bags for the nursing home for Valentine's Day. It will cost me only about $13 for the tiny gift bags at the local dollar store (3/$1). The group said they'd repay for the bags and will add combs and things to make the bags nicer.

I think there will be many smiles at the nursing home from this unexpected gift. This just goes to show how unwanted items can turn into a treat for so many.

A Priceless Smile From An Old Lady

I was at a busy traffic junction waiting to walk over to the other side when the green lights come on.  There was a family, a man, his wife and an elderly lady, waiting to cross with me. Both the man and his wife were chatting endlessly while the elderly lady was engrossed in staring at a banner with a picture of a child and a mother, which brought tears to her eyes.  Then, the lights finally turned green and all of us rushed to cross the road.  The signal was very short, so the lights changed to red in no time.  I noticed that both the man and his wife had crossed along with me and the elderly lady was left behind.  She seemed to panic as the other two had already crossed and were continuing on without looking back.  I quickly realized what was happening and signaled the ... Read Full Story >>

Scouts On A Train To Scotland

Traveling back to Scotland from a holiday in England, my family was to board a busy intercity train in the middle of its run.   We thought we would be okay as we had booked seats, but the train was just chaos. The booking system had broken down and everyone just sat anywhere. Our family were scattered throughout the carriage.  The next stop was a busy one and a whole lot more folks got on. It soon became apparent there wouldn't be seats for everyone -- actually nowhere near enough seats. I had noticed we were traveling with a Scottish Scouts troop (neckerchiefs, brown shirts and kilts), and the boys were engrossed in the usual games and chat.  Then, all of a sudden, the leader stood up in the middle of the carriage. "Boys!" he shouted. "Let's be gentlemen!"  Without a scowl or a grumble, twenty young lads stood up and ... Read Full Story >>

Helping Others Know They Are Not Alone

For 20 years I have been a sufferer of IIH (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension), and for the better part of it had never known anyone with this illness. It wasn't until I lost my peripheral vision and some mobility in 2001 that I turned to the internet.

Eventually I managed to connect with other sufferers of this dibilitating illness, and when it became so bad that I had to be early retired, the groups I had found became a comfort.  One such group I am now a moderator in, and I'm able to share my experience of IIH with the many members in it, and especially with the newly diagnosed. I try to help motivate and inspire them, and where possible to help them smile. Most of all I try to give them optimism and to show them that despite this illness, they are still capable and worthwhile people.

I keep in touch with them through the group, and email, and several in the UK by phone. Knowing that I am helping these people from my own experiences with IIH, however big or small. It's the least I can do!

Walk My Path: Love, Respect and Compassion

I am a male who has been egoistic, dominating, angry, jealous, suspicious, and have had a lack of respect for myself and others around me.   I have been on an emotional roller coaster.  I participated in various transformation workshops, however it made no difference, I remained stuck in my life. As a result, I became separated from my family and reached rock bottom in my life. Having reached there, I resisted transforming myself . After some time I realized the law of  universe: what one resists, persists.     I then thought to myself, start believing in yourself and it will make a difference in you life.  I first started loving myself and then all those around me.  I started respecting myself and then others around me.  My self worth increased. The  universe supported me and the law of attraction started working for me.   In my life I connected to people with similar energy.  One such energy was ... Read Full Story >>

A Classroom's Kind Acts Campaign

I am a teacher in an urban school and many of our students have a very difficult life. You can see and hear it in their voices. I've been working with many of them on becoming more giving of themselves without expecting anything in return -- kindness. I think it is working.

I have several former students who have come back to tell me that they want to help in my next community project or bring kindness ideas of their own that they want to do. I never tell them no and watching their smiles is all I need in payment. We have painted murals, collected items for shelters, planted flowers and read to the elderly.

Now, we are expanding it to every part of our lives. The students are going to make a committment to do acts of kindness. We will start with 2 a week and build on it. It is called our Kind Acts Campaign. I look forward to posting many stories about my students in the coming months for all you to enjoy.

$20 Miracle

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.  He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.  He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.  No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20." "Many times in our lives, we are ... Read Full Story >>

Smile Stones, Mile Stones

Here's an idea that brings lots of smiles-- go to your neighborhood crafts store (I went to Michael's), pick up some polished colored stones, hand-draw some smiles, and leave those smile-stones with the following poem at coffee shop tables or just about any public venue. Look a Smile Stone straight in the eye and you'll smile back not knowing why It's something about their lopsided grins, their lack of noses and of chins A twinkling something that's not-quite-art touches your heart Like snowflakes and fingerprints no two are the same But why? You ask- What's the point of this game? Somebody's hand drew those smiles for you To find and to keep and to give away too For when the smile fades from the stone Then you'll find it within And this is where you get to begin To share that smile where there's a lack All ... Read Full Story >>

Anonymous and Unknown Favours for Neighbours

We had a bit of a storm last night and a fair bit of damage has been done around the country. Out early this morning I stopped at a couple of neighbours gardens and picked up their plant pots, garden furniture etc, putting them back in place before owners even knew they were OUT of place.

I've done anonymous RAOKs before, but these were acts of kindness for people who would never even know what had been done. And, you know what - they still felt good!

Archive of Kindness Quotations

Here are some quotations archived from the weekly newsletters on this site: "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do." --Edward Hale Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver. --Barbara De Angelis Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate. --Albert Schweitzer Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness.  Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. --Scott Adams Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that has. --Margaret Mead Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind. --Eric ... Read Full Story >>