Stories of Kindness from Around the World

A Pen With A Smile

I recently went to the bank to cash a check that I had. I really didn't want to go, but I knew that I had to so I decided that I would make the trip to the bank worthwhile and fun!

I grabbed this smiley pen that I had been saving and smile card and I attached it to the pen along with a post it note that said "Keep the pen, smile, and pass on the card!"

When I got my money out of the tube that the bank sends back and forth, I slipped in the pen and cards, so that the next person that came to cash their check, would get more than just money...they would get a bank smile!

3345 Reads

Looking for Josephs

She stood looking at every tag on the tree for over an hour. Ten years old and a heart of gold, she decided that she would give up one of her Christmas gifts to the boy named Joseph who needed clothes but wanted a skateboard.

Money was tight in our household but her argument was "Mom, I have a lot to be thankful for; maybe he doesn't have that much." That year when she unwrapped her empty gift box, she read the word Joseph in it. My daughter smiled her beautiful smile and we cried.

Ten years later, I lost that daughter in a car accident.

It's been 9 years and each Christmas I stand in front of the tree of angels at the store for an hour, searching for the "Josephs" who will get her gifts.

One year, a 15 year old girl wrote, "My baby brother needs clothes more than I need a photo album and film." So I got her box of scrapbook and photo supplies and I hope they had as much fun with it as I had shopping for her.

I know my Angel girl was watching over me that year. The girl's name was Johanna ... the same as my daughter.

4127 Reads

RAK Spreading Fast

I thought that everyone should hear this! My local radio station started this thing called "KSOK's Random Acts Of Kindness." They have a party bus and randomly go out and suprise people.

They have partnered with a local bank and go around to local businesses. For instance, today, they pulled into Sonic and stood at the door and waited for a big order and they followed the waiter to the car and paid for the whole meal! They also go to places like the grocery store and pay for random people's groceries! They pop up in many places!

I thought that it was cool that the randomness of being nice is finally starting to catch on!

1721 Reads

Blessings

This reminded me of something I used to do some 20 years ago. It was a very cold winter in Salinas, Ca. I would go to the Dollar Store and buy mittens, knitted hats, and gloves. Whenever I would drive around and notice a homeless person without one of these items, I would ask if they would like one.

I received such a blessing to see their face light up, as I would drive away I'd call out to them and say, GOD BLESS YOU. It made me feel good that not only their body, but soul would be warmer over such an inexpensive item.

On Friday nights I would go to the bakery and buy day old donuts and offer them to the teenage boys skateboarding in the parking lot. If I had extra I would get them a hot chocolate.

Those were the happiest days of my life.

1709 Reads

My Grandma's Breakfast at IHOP

I have been using the smile cards for quite a while, and I try to get my family members to do it with me. It is a lot of fun.

Recently, my grandparents went on a trip to New Mexico, and on their way home they stopped at an IHOP to eat breakfast. When they had finished, the guy came over with the bill, but when my grandfather opened up the folder containing the bill, there was nothing!

The waiter said the a young man had paid for their breakfast! They were so suprised! My grandmother called me and told me the story and said that "wasn't it like those cards that I used!" And I said yes, it was. She thought that it was awesome and now she wants some cards!

It just goes to prove that if you do nice things for others, nice things will happen to you!

3192 Reads

Web comment:

I found out about your email from charityfocus.org "Quote-A-Day," and was so inspired, I forwarded it to everyone I know. Now all my neighbors want to split a bunch of cards, especially to give to our kids. It's one thing to talk abstractly about committing random acts of kindness with kids, but I think having an actual physical manifestation of the idea will help kids (and us grownups!) literally "hold onto" the idea -- and pass it on. Looking forward to making it a fun, positive "game" to play with all our kids. Thank you for this brilliant idea, and for making the world a better place, one kind act at a time. Blessings to all! :-) sue

1686 Reads
  • Posted by Sue Piozet
  • Jul 25, 2006
  • Add Comment
  • Share Story

An Unforgettable Birthday Gift

My daughter's birthday is May 29. She was 6 by then. As it was Monday, we prefered to celebrate it earlier, i.e. on Saturday 27 May. This was easier for me as I'm free on Saturdays. On Thursday the entire family was busy packing the presents and putting funny pins on them. I promised my litte princess that I would wake her up early in the morning and distribute the presents to her classmates. I woke up at 05:30. After I took a bath, I planned to wake her up ... but.... as I came out from the bathroom, I realized that an earthquake struck. I screamed to wake my husband up and asked him to carry my daughter; and ran out of our house. We were watching our house swaying from outside. It happened for just 3 minutes, but... the piano thumbled down, tiles came down, some cracks appeared ... Read Full Story >>

10.3K Reads

Web comment:

When being asked, how will you use these cards?

I find homes for abandoned animals, I find them, put ad's in the paper, radio, posters, when I find one a home, I will pass out the card. I carry seniors groceries, transport women at shelters to appts. and court, I take in children till mothers an afford childcare from 1st or 2nd pay. I groceru shop for seniors.

Anything that I see where I can be of serivce, I try to help, the pay off? I FEEL GREAT!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"!

1621 Reads

With a Help of a Stranger

Hello, My name is Tracy and I wanted to arrange for a "Surprise Delivery" to my Dad at his office on his last day of employment right before Retiring.

I wanted to let him know that I was thinking of him and i truly wanted to be there to give him a hug at the office on the last morning knowing full well that he would be overwhelmed with mixed feelings. I live in Mississauga, Ontario Canada a completely different City from my Dad in St. Catharines, Ontario and time and location was a problem.

I was able to complete my surprise with the help of a stranger who only knew me by my voice on the other end of a telephone. He was completing an "act of kindness" by personally hand delivering the gift that I had purchased for my Dad.

I am truly grateful to Peter for doing this for me.I was filled with goosebumps knowing that my surprise is now possible due to the "act of kindnesss" from Peter in St. Catharines Ontario Canada. Thank you very much.

1483 Reads
  • Posted by Tracy Watson
  • Jul 22, 2006
  • Add Comment
  • Share Story

The Dusting Lady In My Hospital Room

When I was in hospital and just given birth to my first child a lady use to come in and dust and sweep. I would say 'Hello' and she would never answer. I did this repeatedly and no answer. I thought she may have been deaf. I was told that she was mute and had been because she had been in a concentration camp. She had recovered but some children threw 'crackers' at her window letting off very loud 'bangs', and she never spoke from that day on. On the day I was going home and I asked her if she would be my friend. No answer. I left her some magazines and told the staff to give them to her. I had left the hospital with my husband a new born child. Then I realized I had forgotten to ask the doctor something. I went back with my baby ... Read Full Story >>

6999 Reads
  • Posted by Maureen Flanagan
  • Jul 20, 2006
  • Comments (30)
  • Share Story

Grocery Store

I was in line at the grocery store yesterday. I let two women with few items go ahead of me. The second did not want to accept my offer, but eventually did. This would have been a perfect time to have pased out a smile card. I look forward to them and many thanks for perpetuating goodness in the world.

1467 Reads
  • Posted by Paul Lanoie
  • Jul 20, 2006
  • Add Comment
  • Share Story

Kindness Every day

Hi There,

My name is Selma and I live in Wellington, New Zealand. My friend and I have for quite a few years had a random acts of kindness policy whereby we try and do something nice for a person every day. It really is small things but it seems to make peoples' days. I have just come across your web site and I think it is brilliant.

1543 Reads

Act of Kindness in Zimbabwe

I was in the bus in heavy traffic going to an orphanage to visit some children. What I saw brought tears to my eyes.

There had been a terrible accident. The owner of the motorbike laid bleeding, critically injured and dying on the side of the road. Members of a church nearby called an ambulance. They were having a women’s gathering day at the church.

While the man lay helpless and hurt, the women rushed to his side and around him sang beautiful hymns and prayers - some to save his body and some to save his soul. They sang like angels. The music was so sad and beautiful and the gesture was so touching at such sad and tragic moment. I shall not forget the kindness of those women being there in his hour of need.

3734 Reads

A Wonderful Gift

It all happened when I joined a non-governmental organization. We were asked to go to the streets and solicit some funds for the poor and the needy. I managed to get some money.

On my way I met a lady who was tired and weary. She had nowhere to go and had not eaten. I gave the money to her and managed to find her a place to sleep. She gave me a beautifull gift in return, a beautifull broken china that was given to her by her great great grandmother. She said it is a blessing to you for helping me.

I always thank God that I was able to help her. Thank you and that's all i want to share. From sandra ghana, west africa.

1614 Reads
  • Posted by Sandra Boatemaa
  • Jul 16, 2006
  • Add Comment
  • Share Story

It takes a village

I'm a single mother of a 14-year-old male. I have not been around any young children in a long time. However, this weekend, I kept a four-year-old little girl overnight at my house. Brought back lots of memories. Her mother has no family here in Atlanta and just needed a little "me" time. I was happy to help her out even though a four-year-old is definitely a handful. I actually had a good time.

1741 Reads

Crown Coin

When my father married my mother in 1943 he gave my mother a 1937 crown coin and told her to keep it in the back of her purse and not spend it. This would mean that she always felt that she was protected and would always have money if she really needed it. When I was married in 1970 my husband who had heard this story, obtained a 1937 crown for me and I have always kept it in my wallet, and I have always had enough for my needs. A friend recently fell on hard times, partly through external circumstances and partly through poor planning. Friends and I have loaned her money, paid her bills, even given her food, tried to teach her budget techniques, and none of it has been a solution, she has just slipped deeper and deeper into financial trouble and depression. Last week she looked pale ... Read Full Story >>

4884 Reads

Latte Factor

Have you heard of the latte factor? Instead of saving one million dollars by cutting out my morning caffine fix each day, I buy two cups instead. I have a goal of giving away one million dollars, one granda coffee at a time. Each day I leave behind a free coffee to be given to a person who needs a pick me up. If you are that person, I hope you have a nice day!

1753 Reads

A Pair of Sunglasses

I always seem to lose or toss sunglasses in my car. I noticed I did the same in my boyfriend's car recently. We both joked about them, but then we pulled up to a man at a street corner. It was a bright day and he was hoping someone would offer him some food or a bit of change. Instead, we gave him a pair of our sunglasses - the sun was so bright and he looked like he was a regular there.

Later that afternoon, on our way home, we pulled up at the same corner to see him wearing my sunglasses. We had the window down, and between lights he thanked us and mentioned that he hasn't enjoyed a beautiful day in so long.

4257 Reads

Laundry Mystery

I was a first year college student in a Graphic Design course and I'd like to tell you an interesting story that happened to me a few months ago. You see, I live in a "seedy" (an abundance of illegal activity) apartment building whose residents are a large diversity of minorities, most of which I have never met, (I don't even know my neighbors name), and we all have to use the laundry room on the third floor. The dryers in the laundry room are old and usually require more than one cycle to fully dry even a small load of laundry. One evening I found I had only one loonie left for the dryer (they only accepted $1 coins) and so opted to leave my wet clothes in the dryer all night knowing that my clothes would still be damp in the morning and that they were the only ... Read Full Story >>

4453 Reads

The Bend in the Road

I am 36 years old and went in to the Dr. last November with a severe cough. That cough got worse and worse and after a x-rays, a cat scan and biopsy turned out to be 4th stage Hodgkins Lymphoma. I have always been pretty healthy, worked out and had no cancer previously in the family to speak of. I have had so much love and kindness demonstrated to me during this time. I have had to go through 9 rounds of chemo to date with 3 left to go. Doc says I am responding very well to the treatments and should be done in August of 06. I have learned that time is so precious and should be spent wisely! We do not know how much time we have left here so turn off the tv and interact with God, Family and friends. If you were to loose someone close to you today or tomorrow you could face the regrets that you should have spent more TIME with them and showed more love. Through my trial I have changed my daily life to spend time by: Having at least 1 hour of family time daily and playing with my kids, calling people I care for and letting them know I care for them, and helping those in need.

Thanks and please spend your time wisely!

1588 Reads




Submit your own
story of Kindness

Search by keyword

Tags

Subscribe to the Kindness Newsletter

143K subscribers

About Us

KindSpring is a place to practice small acts of kindness. For over a decade the KindSpring user community has focused on inner transformation, while collectively changing the world with generosity, gratitude, and trust. The site is 100% volunteer-run and totally non-commercial. It is a shared labor of love.

Other servicespace Projects Include

KindSpring.org is a project of ServiceSpace. BY-NC-ND 4.0