Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Without Anything, Life is Beautiful

Today I went to St. Anouthy's Dining Room in San Franscio with a group of 28 adults and 26 students, to feed homeless people. When we got got there there was this guy who shared a bit of the histoy of Tenderloin district and St. Anouthy's and its work.  Plus a little bit on the people we going to help out with. We went to the dining room to serve the food.  By the third tray, I realized that this was a life changing experience for me.  It felt so good to hear perspectives from those who were less fortunate than I am.  When I got to take my break from serving food, I sat and ate with the homeless instead of my classmates.  I sat down and talked with this guy who had almost nothing and when we ended our conversation he said, "Life is beautiful." That was last straw for me.  ... Read Full Story >>

Just A Visit

We live in a retirement complex here in Adelaide. 

My daughter and I went to visit the couple who live across the road from us. The woman has recently returned from hospital after having a stroke and she was excited to see my daughter.  We spent  a long time with them just talking and laughing.

Our visit really bought a smile to her face.

I really enjoyed making this couples day by spending some quality time with them.

The Beggar Poem

On my way to work,my eyes wander to various sights
There always sits a beggar man next to a shop
He sits outstretching his arms
I dig in my pocket to give him alms
The beggar man is my everyday sight
He gives me a smile that is just so right
We are blessed with everything in life
Yet we do not smile as if there is a strife
The beggar has wealth nor health
Yet the smile on his face is heartfelt
For sometime the beggar man is seen nowhere
I feel something missing,
I look around and stare
The shopkeeper tells me he died
Silently I pause,he will no more be in my sight
I will miss him,I do not know why
Seeing him was a habit,
I feel to cry
The beggar man taught me to smile and to forget lifes worry awhile

***based on a true story

Secret Valentine

In my 20's I lived with a roommate for over seven years. She never dated nor had a boy friend (though she had one all through high school). I felt bad since I was going  steady for most of the time we lived together and knew she'd get sad at times, having no special guy to celebrate and share with and have it reciprocated.

I am a big believer is celebrating birthday, holidays, giving gifts, sending cards, smiling at strangers, saying thank-you, counting your blessings & giving to charity. I became inspired after reading Randam Acts of Kindness.

Anyhow, we both love chocolates .. I mean the "really, good stuff" that is so expensive.

When I moved out with my fiance, I decided to become her Secret Valentine. Every Valentine's Eve, I would place a different chocolate surprise and a special card in her mailbox signing it your "Secret Valentine".

I did this for years and years until I moved away and though she never mentioned it, I knew it brighten her day and made her feel special.

Eating a Kindness Meal!

Every week I cook up a big pot of lentil stew for my lunch each day. I add brown and red lentils, brown rice, split peas, and also fry up onion, garlic, tomato, mushrooms, peppers, soya mince and spices. This ensures I have a power meal, which is vital for me as I am very active.

Anyway, last week I was bringing a container of this super stew to work, and as I left my apartment I saw an elderly lady sitting on the sidewalk.

At first I walked past, but then something made me turn back. I gave her my apple, then realised that while I could afford to buy myself lunch, she couldn't. I gave her the container of lentils, which made me feel just as full somehow as if I'd just eaten a huge meal.

In a way I guess I had - a Kindness Meal!

Kindness Is The Key

I was driving home from work, and as I passed a little blue car that had just pulled out of a gas station, I noticed something big and shiny on the trunk. 

The passenger had left a huge key ring full of keys on the trunk. 

I yelled and got their attention, they looked at me like I was crazy.  :) They pulled over and got the keys off of the trunk.

Can you imagine wracking your brain trying to retrace your tracks to see find them and then the hassle of getting new house or work or car keys made? 

If you see me and my keys are on my car, holler at me, please!

Taking It To The Floor

Saturday night and the prom has begun. I walk through the main entry way to make my way torwards the buffet dinner hoping to find a vegetarian meal. Luckily they had a nice salad and some pastra, with white alfredo sauce.   After finishing my plate, every one made their way up to the dance floor upstairs and to the card tables set up by the teachers. While I wondered about looking for friends to hang out with or an empty card table, I couldn't help to notice a friend of mine standing in a corner with a blank  (and lonely) expression. Immediatly, I thought to myself that there is no way I can let my friend spend his entire prom night standing alone and not having fun.   So I walk across the room to where he was and ask him if he wanted to join the dance floor. "Oh I ... Read Full Story >>

Bubble Gum Quarter

I was at the mall yesterday when I walked by a bubble gum display.  It had all different kinds of bubble gum that you could buy for 25 cents a piece. 

A little two year old girl was asking her mom for some gum and her mom didn't have any change. 

Now, I just happened to have taken out 2 quarters to buy my husband and I each a piece of gum.  He didn't want one so as I started to put the quarter away I saw the little girl and gave her the quarter. 

The smile on her face could have lite the whole city of New York!

Prayer Gram

We go to a wonderful church with wonderful people who I love so dearly. We have a lot of faithful ladies who do whatever they can to help you out or just give an inspiring word. One lady who I love so much has been having a hard time lately. I hadn't seen her in a week or so and I decided to send her a prayer gram. Inside I told her how we always get so caught up helping others that we sometimes forget to pray for ourselves once in a while. And I believe that is the time when God layes you on someone else's heart to remind them to pray for you. I wanted to tell her that I thought of her, said a prayer for her and sent some love her way. I hoped it helped and sent it to her in the mail. Yesterday at church ... Read Full Story >>

Share Your Magazines

I get several magazines in the mail monthly. 

I hate to just throw they away, so I leave them in the breakroom where I work.

This way I am recycling, and someone gets to read some great magazines for free!

:) :) :)

A Young Man In Need

This past Saturday while I was at work I had a woman come and ask me when our next sale day was because her family invited a young man into their home who needed help and I told her that it would be this next Sunday and she went on her way.

Even with an extra cashier in the front this woman was in my line to be checked out and as she came to my register I informed her that if she was there the next day that I would bring her some gift certificates, I gave the woman my name and told her to ask for me because most of the time I'm in the back, so they could use them for this young man.

Well Sunday came and even though I made it for our store meeting my manager sent me home because I was sick, so I gave a description of the family who were suppose to be there and asked my manager to give these certificates to them, and she assured me that she would keep her eye out for them. I can only hope they were enough.

I wanted to reach out to this family because I can remember when I was at one time in the same boat, and it was the kindness of a stranger that always stayed with me.

O, For Those Who Volunteer!

When I was 16 years old I was in an instution and my future looked bleak.  Very bleak.

O for those who volunteer their time, like a lady who befriended me back then. She got permission for me to go out with her to a picnic.  Boy, was I excited!  That day I met her 2 sons & fell in love with both of them on the same day!

This lady kept seeing something worthwhile and never gave up on me.  She kept praying for me, and O, there's power in prayer.  Today, my life and future are brighter than the noonday sun!

I hold a thankful heart today for that lady who volunteered.

That was 43 years ago and we are still close friends today! One act of loving patient kindness has not only touched and inspired my life but many others.

Just Doing Her Job

A staff member at a local public swimming pool was just doing her job yesterday... *ensuring all swimmers were safe by telling them not to throw people from their shoulders and into the water *checking sauna/spa users had paid *keeping loud music at reasonable volume for all users *checking facilities were safe and clean at all times ...and all I could see were users glancing at her like she was a drag -- as if she was spoiling their fun.  It was sad to see because that is her role.  If she didn't follow through with her role then there would be chaos and danger.  She could sense the negative energy from the users which gave her a very straight face.  No smile - no expression whatsoever. While in the changing room she appeared with the hose and scrubbing brush.  I have been to several public pools around the city and the cleanliness is shocking so I paid ... Read Full Story >>

Adventure of Lost Keys

A British family were on holiday in a rented motor-home in the USA. Traveling through California they visited the Magic Mountain amusement park close by Los Angeles. Mid-afternoon, halfway through what was turning out to be a most enjoyable day at the park, Mum, Dad and the three kids came upon a particularly steep plummeting ride. In the queue, the ride attendants strongly warned everyone about the risks of losing hats, spectacles, coins and keys, etc., and these warnings were echoed by large signs around the ride. During the ride, Dad lost the keys. Due to the fact that the motor-home was a replacement vehicle resulting from a breakdown earlier in the holiday, there were no spare keys. And there were six keys on the lost bunch: ignition, front doors, side door, fuel tank, propane tank, and storage cupboards. The park attendants drove the family back to the motor-home, suggesting the least ... Read Full Story >>

Stories With the KeyMaker

Locksmith story ... from last afternoon. A friend of mine loses her purse and all the keys in it. She didn't have any copies of her key, so her white, 4-door car is idly stranded outside my house. I called up a locksmith, to create another key (apparently they can do it in ten minutes -- so much for the illusion of security). In thirty minutes of my phone call, a young man in his thirties rolls through with "Grant" written on the left side of his shirt and "AA Locks" on the right side. He asked me for proof of registration for the car and I told him it wasn't my car. After some hesitation he called his boss on the cell, to check if that's ok; eventually he said yes, figuring that I wasn't really the type of guy who would car-jack a 1992 Toyota Corolla. :) There's a ... Read Full Story >>

Seaworld Cell Phone

We recently visited Seaworld, in Florida!!!

While in the ladies' room I found a cell phone on the floor in the stall I was in. I quickly picked it up and loudly stated I found the cellphone on the floor and held it out under the stall door.

Someone said  "That's Mine, thank you so much!" 

Right as I was leaving, the women came to me and thanked me for being honest and quickly shouting that I found the phone before she left.  Because the park is very large, families go in different directions and meet up again by using the cellphones to locate one another.

I felt good that she appreciated my efforts of not being shy in the bathroom! :)

Couple Guys Near The BP Garage

Around where I am staying there is a BP garage. Couple of guys normally hang around behind the garage: playing games (dices) and just chat and chat, looking and admiring at passerbys. Some of the guys don’t have places to stay and are unemployed, whereva the night catches them that’s where they lay their heads. Some are bit scary, they are untidy and look more like gangsters. There is one guy among this group whom I met and most of the time we end up having a friendly chat and we greet each other always. Before I bought a car, he would voluntarily pick up my grocer, assist me when I have loads of things to carry, accompany me half way to my place when it’s late, defend me when the guys wana mugg me, make some funny moves and so forth. After all the efforts and help he sometimes refuses ... Read Full Story >>

World of Cellphones and iPods

I was sitting on the bus, waiting for it to start to begin the second half of my two hour commute home. The woman(a stranger) next to me and her daughter seemed to be extremely agitated.  She told me that her daughter had fallen sick and was vomiting continuosly; and in the meantime, she had lost her purse, in the confusion of taking the bus. Although the purse had a significant amount of money, it also had a very important phone number of an official, a person that she travelling 90 kilometeres to meet for discussing a pressing matter. I handed her my cell phone without any hesitation and told her she could make any call that she wanted.  I also gave her the packets of mineral water I had in my bag to relieve her daughter of her sickness. The mother and daughter, after making several calls, turned to me with grateful faces, and ... Read Full Story >>

Everyone Loves Candy!

I was talking on the phone to my friend Naima, and how I need to be more considerate and generous because I want to improve on those areas.

But she said she thought I was very considerate, like when I made sure she got extra candy on the way out of my house. 

So I think even though we want to do really big nice things for people, like go out and raise money for the poor or collect things for local shelters, I think we do a lot of kind things without even realizing it.  :)

Pushing A Cart

A few weeks ago my sister and I went shopping and we were walking behind an elderly lady pushing a trolley full of groceries.

She seemed to be having a tough time pushing it so I decided I would ask her if she wanted help. 

"Oh darling, that would be lovely," she said.

I ended up pushing her trolley for about 15 more minutes as she continued to go about her shopping.  I actually didn't mind at all, and in fact, enjoyed talking to her about her life,  where she was from, and so on.

My sister and I walked with the elderly lady to her car and even helped her pack her groceries into the back of her car.  The woman even offered us money, but we naturally refused.   She then gave us both a little cuddle and told us that we had been sent by the heavens.