Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Twelve Dollars for a Check

Today, I was in line for the parking garage at the convention center. The one line was a not moving, so I moved my car over one lane. Then, a girl pops out of the car and walks to the car behind her and says, "Can you give me $12 for parking and I will write you a check? They only take cash; otherwise, I will need you to back up so I can get out."  They didn't help her. They were a little confused at first, they thought she worked for the garage. After a few attempts. She walked defeated to her car. I had just paid and yelled, "Do you need money?"  She said, "yes, I will write you a check."  I said, "here is a $20 just bring back the change and pay it forward. I do not want a check" I pulled to the side and waited for her to ... Read Full Story >>

Seeing the Joy Spread

Yesterday, while shopping I reached for a cart at the same time as another woman. She immediately let go of the cart and said " you carriage has arrived, madam".  She gave the cart to me.

I was so shocked and I said "that was a random act of kidness". She said, "yes it was" and at the same time we said " helpothers.org." we laughed like crazy and shared the basket.

Friends in Need

In 1987, our 18 year old daughter starting feeling bad.  At first we thought she was run down from dieting.  She went through all kinds of tests.  Our family doctor had exhausted everything she knew to do.  She suggested we go see an infectious disease doctor.  He immediately diagnosed endocarditis which is an infection that if antibiotics can't knock it out a person's mitral valve has to be replaced.  He thought that because she was so young antibiotics would rid her of the infection.  Unfortunately this was not the case.  Open heart surgery must be performed.  In 1987, blood testing for Aids was not nearly so accurate as it is today.    We decided that we only wanted direct donors of blood.  We did not want her to have to worry about contracting Aids because of blood transfusions.  We had a very limited time to get the donors so that the ... Read Full Story >>

Love "Seen"

I had a friend that every time you walked in her door for a visit, her greeting was "Hi Honey".  She had a way of saying it by dragging it out as she said it, that made me feel like she was so glad to see me.  We met several years ago when her husband was admitted to our Hospice program.  I got in on that admission as I was on call the Saturday he was admitted.  We hit it off right away, and my friendship with her continued even after her husband died. We visited together once or twice a week, never for very long, but always with sincere joy in one another's presence.  She had told me that when she got ready for Hospice care, she would let me know and we could admit her.  Sure enough, one day she told me it was time.  We continued to have ... Read Full Story >>

Infectious Smiles Around the World

Smiling is contagious
You can catch it like the flu
When someone smiled at me today
I started smiling too.

I pasted around the corner
And someone saw my grin
And when he smiled I realised
That I'd passed it on to him

I thought about that smile
Then I realised it's worth
A single smile just like mine
It could travel round the earth

So if you feel a smile begin
Don't leave it undetected
Lets start an epidemic QUICK
And get the world infected.

By Anonimous

Balls of Yarn

I bet that everyone has a local seniors center or home in their neighborhood! Everyone has an opportunity to make a seniors day.

For the past 13 years I have been buying huge garbage bags of yarn at the Salvation Army and other second hand store were I can purchase this cheap (for I do not have much money) and then I drop them off at the local seniors home.

Many seniors love to knit and do crafts. But many homes do not supply this! Senior homes have limited funds and most do not supply what they determine extras. So why not make a seniors day in your area. I bet they will appreciate it!

I get the biggest JOY from seeing what they have made out of the yarn.

A Blind Date And An Eyebrow Wax

I was sitting in the salon with my eyebrows bushy and badly needing a wax. The man tells me it'll be ten minutes.  Ok, I'll be back I say. And I'm back in 10 and waiting patiently.  Just then a lady walks in requesting the same service - an eyebrow wax. The man asks her if she wants to wait awhile. She laughs and responds, "Do I want to wait? No."  She readies herself to turn around and leave. I speak up and ask if it's still 10 minutes for me? No, it will be 20 minutes for the new lady, your turn is now. What else can I do? I tell him "No, please give my turn to this lady and I'll come back tomorrow." He looks at me confused "That's what you want to do?" The lady thanks me and asks how did I know she had a blind ... Read Full Story >>

A Goal of Kindness, Smiles, and a Slurpee.

Last week I decided I would choose one thing to be kind about and really focus on achieving that goal. That goal was to allow anyone who wished to, go ahead of me -- putting others' needs first before my own, no matter what. And let me tell you, this was not easy. Especially driving :) But true to my word I let others go before myself.  Drivers who needed to merge were, with a smile and a wave, allowed in front of me (much to the distress of the people behind me  -- so I guess I didn't really make their day). In the supermarket I smiled genuinely as I asked the women behind me if they would like to go ahead, getting looks that ranged from sheer astonishment to harried gratitude to those that made me feel they were thinking I was a few sandwiches short of a picnic! But ... Read Full Story >>

A Jar Full of Change and a Trip to Home Depot

For years I had always taken my change out of my pocket each night and placed it in one of those water cooler jars.  I would use the change every so often when it got full.  As nature would have it, I got older and the glass jar got fuller.  I changed my process to taking the change and putting it in a small container. Then every so often I would take the change to my bank and have it put on a visa card which is what I carry around in my wallet for "Smile Emergencies".  So the other day I was in line at Home Depot and a lady with way too many kids for one person to watch at one time was in front of me. She was buying some curtains and various plants and house hold items.  She was telling the kids to stand still, be ... Read Full Story >>

A Blind date and an Eyebrow Wax

So I'm sitting in the salon with my eyebrows bushy and badly needing a wax. The man tells me, "10 minutes". "Okay I'll be back" and I'm back in 10 and waiting patiently. In walks a lady requesting the same service, an eyebrow wax. The man asks her if she wants to wait awhile. She laughs and responds, "Do I want to wait? No."  She readies herself to turn around and leave. I speak up and ask if it's still 10 minutes for me? No, it will be 20 minutes for the new lady, your turn is now. What else can I do? I tell him "No, please give my turn to this lady and I'll come back tomorrow." He looks at me confused "That's what you want to do?" The lady thanks me and asks how did I know she had a blind date? I winked at her and told ... Read Full Story >>

Donuts at the Gas Pump

Yesterday morning on my way to work I stopped at our local gas station to fill up my gas tank.  While paying inside I also picked up a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and a handful of napkins.  I then went outside and offered donuts and napkins to everyone who was pumping gas into their cars. 

If they took a donut I also gave them a Smile card.  It was so much fun!  One truck had a couple of burly construction workers inside. The driver apparently was inside paying.  I offered donuts to the two guys who eagerly took one and then asked if they could take one for their buddy -- nice of them to think of him, too, huh?!  The only downside was that I ended up with three leftover donuts and guess who ended up eating them?  I couldn't let them go to waste! :)

A Smile For Ice Cream

I received my Smile cards and was looking for a chance to use them.  I was in the Albuquerque airport on my way back to Colorado and decided to get some ice cream.

As I was paying, a young woman came up and placed an order.  I pretended to count my change and generally waste time until the clerk told the woman how much she owed.  I quickly fished out the money, gave it to the clerk, handed the very surprised woman one of my new Smile cards, wished her a good day and left!  The smile on the clerk's face and the confused/changing to surprised face on the woman was so much fun and I hope the Smile card is now out there circulating!

The Conspiracy Of Blessings

Hi,

I'm new to the site and just wanted to share my current kindness project. I have an anonymous blog through which people can request artful blessings for themselves or others. I send a variety of original art postcard prints (mostly mandalas), poems, inspirational quotes, and nearly always something handmade.

I also send blessing packages as an act of gratitude to people who inspire me through their own generosity.

This is my most consistent practice of kindness, although the project has motivated me to bring acts of kindness into my every day life as often as I can remember.

Blissings, Artmystic

An Unexpected Light

"As I waited at a busy intersection in our city  for the red light to change to green,  I glanced left; seeing an elderly man groping about on the curb. He had fallen off of his motorized cart which had lurched a few yards ahead of him, and was crawling off the sidewalk onto the road to pick up his front basket ( which was now in the path of oncoming traffic). Without a second thought, I rushed over to help him to his feet, and although unsteady and shaken, I was able to walk him to his cart, and help him back onto the seat and reattach his basket. As he glanced up at me, he smiled and said, “Thank you.” I made sure that he was OK to continue on and then I returned to my car, which I had left at the intersection. Nobody was honking. They just stared at me. ... Read Full Story >>

Lessone From a 3-year Old

My three year-old got into helping me give out the "smile you've been tagged cards" to everyone she sees. She got people laughing right out loud , even the cashiers and baggers were laughing so hard. All the other workers stopped to laugh too when they read the card. Even other people shopping in the grocery store laughed,saying my daughter was so adorable.

My three year old said "have a nice day" to everyone she handed the card to. That's when everyone that wasn't yet laughing joined in too, making her even more proud and happy. She had even more confidence to make a world a more lovable place.

They thanked her and gave her a handshake , some of the older ladies and gentlemen asked me if they could have a hug from her.  They just wanted to say thank you personally to a beautiful little lady who jsut made their day a lot more better. She even got a couple of people in tears saying nobody has ever been so nice to them.

Stage Hand

Been very busy lately helping out with scenery, costumes and props for the school play.

I asked one girl performer  what night her mother was coming to watch, she looked rather down and said she wasn't.  I know that her mum is single and would not have much money, so last night on the way to the opening we called at her house and said we had a spare ticket, she jumped at the chance to come.

The beaming face of her daughter when she saw her mum sitting next to us was worth a million pounds.

Love and Smiles

Afriendlysmile  

The Kindness Of Children

I often write about how amazed I am to have such great kids.

Well at 5 and 10 I am almost always surprised at what sinks into their minds.

I knew  I have made an impact when I heard my 5 year old say my mommy says it's nice to be important but more important to be nice.

My soul beams.

So often kids repeat what they hear.

Criticism and swear words are not what they should hear.

Today I am proud of my 5 year old.

It's Time To Help

As I said last week, a very good friend of mine is going through a difficult time. Her dad had  bypass surgery on both legs and also a colostomy and her mom had to be put in a nursing home until he recuperates and is able to care for her again.  She loves her parents so much and has been spending so much time in the hospital with her dad and then off to her mom at the nursing home at night. They are 30 miles apart and my friend is so tired.  Please Pray for both parents. Thank you.

I decided to get together with another girlfriend and make dinner for her Family at Home (a husband and 2 sons).  So after work today, I made a Potato Salad and lemon cake, and my other friend made Sloppy Joes and Macaroni Salad. We both delivered the dinner items together. The family was so happy to have a home cooked meal and couldn't thank us enough.  I know my friend will appreciate our kind act of helping her keep her family well fed while she's unable to be home and cook.

Front Porch Surprise!

Well, it was the weekend and I love to sleep in....I woke up late (knowing I need not rise early for work) with the sun streaming thru the blinds and my cats like bookends, each claiming one side of me to cuddle against. I stretched and breathed in the wonderful smell of coffee wafting up from the kitchen....its aroma coaxing me downstairs for  some java and breakfast. The house was quiet except for the bird song which could be heard thru the sliding glass doors....such a wonderful sound to hear first thing of every day! I never get tired of listening to their sweet music, much better that the radio or CD. I searched for my hubby ...he was not in the garage  nor the backyard either so peeked out front where I usually  find him chatting with our neighbor. To my great surprise, there was a brand new oak glider and 2 large terra cotta planters brimming with a colorful selection of flowers ... Read Full Story >>

Doggie Treats

When I went to volunteer at the animal shelter yesterday, I saw one of the dogs had a bandana wrapped around his neck and I thought that it was very cute and added a little personal touch.

Today, I passed by a discount store and I saw they sold bandanas for 99 cents each. I decided to buy one of every pattern. I plan to bring it with me the next time I go and put it on the dogs I walk. Certainly, it'll appeal to people who come in looking to adopt a pet.

I also bought a box of milkbones to give to the dogs as treats. They absolutely deserve to be loved.  It is really really important they they get adopted. Sadly, the shelter I volunteer at is a kill shelter and they put dogs and cats asleep because we have very limited space and because we're funded by the city, we cannot refuse to take in an animal that is found or surrendered.

I hope getting them treats and spending time with them would make them feel better. Sometimes, I feel like I have very limited power to help but I'm going my best. Still, I remain hopeful.