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Persistance Pays Off!

On my hands and knees on the floor of the airplane, searching for an old lady’s missing hearing aid during the flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, it occurred to me that this may not be the most dignified posture for a Buddhist nun. (With shaven head & long flowing orange robes, I stand out.) I had seen the old lady from the seat in front of me as she tottered up and down the aisle with a flashlight. I asked a few times what was wrong, but she didn’t answer at first — she couldn’t hear me. She spoke with a thick eastern European accent, wearing a vintage plaid tweed woolen coat.  Do you know what hearing aids cost? Thousands, especially for the new tiny hidden-in-the ear type she described. It takes a long time for an appointment to make a new one, and many doctor visits to get the thing ... Read Full Story >>

Human Spirit Rises To Meet Japan's Tsunami

[Amidst the tragedy of the quake, tsunami and the subsequent nuclear plant explosions, the narrative of hope can often get lost. Below is an excerpt  of some truly heart warming moments of oneness that unfolded in the aftermath of the tragic Tsunami.] You can see my full note here.   Below are the some of the heart warming anecdotes that I have witnessed and heard from others ... Someone overseas called me on my cell. She said she wanted to connect to anyone who is in Japan, and so she called the country code and their own mobile number, which happened to be the same as mine. I didn't fully understand everything she said, because it was English, but I knew enough to know that she really wanted to support the Japanese people.  It really gave me so much hope.  Last night when I was walking home (since all traffic had stopped), I saw an old lady ... Read Full Story >>

Help came quickly to a neighbor in need

Hello lovely people and a happy new year! Internet is back, and so am I :) Today has been an exciting day. I have a small herd of goats, and it's kidding season. Goats generally give birth independently, and only once before have I had to assist. But as I was taking them out for their walk this morning I noticed that one had a little head sticking out behind. Further investigation also revealed a little foot. Aaarg! - intervention required! After some efforts to find the second leg I decided I needed help and we telephoned a neighbour, a wonderful soft spoken man who used to keep goats but seems to have a way with all animals. He arrived within minutes, slipped his jacket of and got to work whilst I held and comforted Mummy Goat. He too was not having any success at finding that second leg, but I could ... Read Full Story >>

Fierce Competition To Be The Kindest Inmate Inside A Women’s Prison

Fierce Competition to Be the Kindest Inmate Inside a Women’s Prison: Though constrained by the walls of the prison, these women still have a choice as to how they want to show up in the world. Story Credit: Good News Network Typically, kindness doesn’t top the list of survival skills needed in a women’s prison. But last week, inmates around the world who call themselves “compassionistas” teamed up to see who could perform the most acts of compassion, and competed other prisons and citizens in The 2017 Compassion Games. In previous years, as part of Compassion Games International, the prison inmates at the California Institution for Women (CIW) tallied 4,500 acts of kindness that included sharing food, cleaning each others’ living spaces, and helping apply sunscreen before going outside. Even when temperatures climbed to 108 degrees in the Corona facility in 2013, the women avoided irritable exchanges and encouraged one another to stay hydrated.“The Compassion Games allowed ... Read Full Story >>

A Precious Stone

A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveller who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveller saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.

The traveller left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone
was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.

But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. 'I've been thinking,' he said. 'I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.  Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone.'

Sometimes it's not the wealth you have but what's inside you that
others need…..A Precious Gift inside you. 

The More I Understand, The Less I Know

After a couple of decades on this planet, many years of soul searching, and studying the "self," I feel that I am finally closer to knowing myself which ironically seems to be a journey which tells me that the more I understand myself, the less it is that I know. I now can say I have truly felt the difference between the deepest agony of the human condition and the highest state of joy. I know from my own experience that the main difference that lies between "you" and "me" is just a feeling, a feeling of being separate, isolated, lonely, lost, versus a feeling of being whole, connected, at home, and loved. I think most people, if not all, live with a kind of homesickness, a sweet nostalgia which they can't quite put their finger on as if they were once in a place that they can't quite remember but desperately, somehow, want to get back to. The mystics have said for over a millennia that in existence there ... Read Full Story >>

Ever Been Nudged?

My husband and I were shopping in a local grocery store one day and as we were ready to leave, I had a nudge to go into the coffee shop they had added a few months before.  "Are you hungry?" Gene asked.   "No, but I just have a feeling we should go in for a cup of coffee or something".  As we neared the back corner table, I smiled at a lady sitting alone at the table next to ours and asked her how she was today.  She turned and began to tell me.  She talked for about 10 minutes of all that was going on in her life with very few words of encouragement from me.  She then smiled and thanked me for listening but she had to go.  I asked her if she needed a hug and I was immediately enveloped in the strongest yet tenderest hug I had ... Read Full Story >>

Subway Kindness

I just got back from a fun day in Manhattan. I was able to share smiles and peace doves, (that a KS member Mindy makes) on the subway with a few folks. I had tucked dollar bills in each dove (they fit perfectly if you fold them up and tuck them right in with the blessing Mindy puts in each one). Young boys play music and do amazing athletic "dance" routines, swinging from pole to pole. Then they pass the hat hoping for donations. And in went a peace dove. On the return trip a lovely Chinese gentleman was playing a heartfelt version of Amazing Grace on his violin. When I gave him the dove he bowed to me, I bowed back, and then he kissed my hand. That was a first for me! LOL. My husband gave his seat to an older woman who came on the train. At first she ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness in a Moment of Need

  One evening, as I was about to go to sleep, my brother phoned to tell me they had taken my father to the hospital! He had been vomitting and had recently lost a lot of weight.   (We had recently discovered he was diabetic which was why he had been losing weight.)   He asked me if I could send them money for Dad's medicine. I told him maybe I could send some in the morning.    During that long night I wasn't able to sleep. I kept on wondering what I could do since it was still a long time until payday and I didn't have money to send. I just cried through the night, then I bowed my head and prayed, "Lord, I know you have a better plan for us. Without You Lord I am nothing and through You nothing is impossble. Amen!"   The next morning I went in to work early. I bumped ... Read Full Story >>

A Gift, 15 Years Later

Twenty years ago my eldest daughter celebrated her thirteenth birthday. I worked hard at the deli the week before and got a paycheck of about $125.  I went to the bank to cash my check and asked for one hundred one dollar bills, nice and clean and crispy if possible, please. I went home and grabbed a nice branch from a tree in my backyard and proceeded to use (almost) all of my paycheck to make my daughter a beautiful money tree with one hundred ones placed as carefully as I would have placed ornaments on the Christmas tree.  It was a joy to behold! My daughter was thrilled.  I wanted to take a picture of it, but all my money was gone and could not even afford a roll of film or a disposable camera.  I asked the birthday girl, Jess, if she would buy some film so we could get a picture.  ... Read Full Story >>

Kids showing kindness to animals

A recent bunny article reminded me of more children's kindness. People in the house behind us moved out and left bunnies behind. The children in the neighboring houses were coming into the garden and feeding them (they spent their pocket money on the food). They asked for my help cleaning them out and I passed newspaper and hay over the fence to them. By the time I'd walked round, they'd cleaned the bunnies out themselves. They called the RSPCA (animal welfare) who came and took them to rehouse. I was so impressed by those children! 

The Challenges of Travelling with Children

For my birthday, Julie booked a coach trip to Liverpool. It's where I went to college thirty years ago and I hadn't been back since. We had a great time!   Watching the passengers embark on the coach as we got ready to head to Liverpool, I was a little dismayed to see a couple get on with two boys, both under five. We were gonna be on the coach for four hours. Would they act up? Or be sick? Or would it just be too boring for them?  It turned out they were great!  No doubt about it. Travelling like that with two lively little boys would take both parents full attention. And they did seem to work well together. In the hotel (a hotel that was once the pride of the city, now a bit dowdy, but still spectacular!) the parents got through the meals by working as a tag-team and never leaving ... Read Full Story >>

A Radio for Dancing and Singing

I was conducting an auction for a non-profit to help our senior citizens in need.  There was an old battery-operated radio, never used, and an older woman came up with her friend. 

She was digging in her handbag to find 50 cents to buy a ticket and her friend asked what she would do with the radio if she won it.  I was eavesdropping because I was also curious.  She smiled and said, "I would sing and dance in my apartment." 

That really touched my heart, so when she left I found out her name and surprised her anonymously with gift cards so she could buy a radio and not have to worry about batteries.  I have never forgotten that. We take so many little things for granted!  And we can all make a difference!

A Helping Hand

Today after school, I came home and saw my mother cleaning the house. Since I didn't have much homework that I needed to do, I started helping. While she vacuumed, I picked up junk left out and rearranged things.

While we cleaned, we chatted a little bit. I think my mother really appreciated the help and company, and I had fun hanging out with my mom and helping her with her chores.

Stop and Hug

My nine year old daughter has walked to school almost every day of her school life and each morning the same crossing guard, Ms. Leslie is there to help us safely cross the street. She and my daughter have a special ritual of hugging. My daughter runs to her, they hug, lock eyes and Ms. Leslie twirls her around once with the "stop" sign in one hand. Once, a neighbor driving her 3 children to school told me they feel lucky when they get the chance to witness this. Any fighting in the car that is going on, stops and they all share the joy between these two. This morning after watching them and having crossed the street to the other side, I said "That looked like so much fun can I have a hug too?" Ms. Leslie smiled and we embraced a full 5 seconds. I could feel our skin touching neck to neck and ... Read Full Story >>

Tyden and the Turtle

My nephew Tyden and I were attending another nephew's birthday at a local amusement center. It was the kind of place were you get tickets for scoring points on the games and then cash them in for prizes. Tyden won a jackpot of tickets, so we went to cash them in and select his prizes. I was feeling nostalgic because my loved one and I had our first date at this center and had exchanged little trinkets from the showcase. I noticed a turtle and remembered my partner loves them. I asked the young man behind the counter if I could just purchase the turtle without tickets. He said unfortunately that was not an option. I decided I needed to win 350 tickets. I left Tyden at the counter to finish choosing his prize with his grandma. I bought game tokens and entered the games room with all the delighted little faces ... Read Full Story >>

What I Am Grateful For

I learned to count my blessings a long the time ago. I believe that if any one stops for a minute he/she will find something to be grateful for.   I am grateful for a great number of things but I am especially grateful for NOW, for this moment in time.   I am grateful for the lovely town where I live.  In this town the number of charity shops almost equals the number of “normal” shops.  There are charities for almost everything you can imagine. Even the primary schools are charity orientated, with the Parents and Teachers Association taking responsibility for raising money through parties, discos, fairs and other events in order to be able to buy things like interactive white boards or sports gear for the school football team.  I think my town is very kind and it is very easy to live here.  People smile at you a lot, ... Read Full Story >>

Look Inside Yourself To Heal Others

Two years ago, I heard about a therapist in Hawaii who cured a complete ward of criminally insane patients--without ever seeing any of them. The psychologist would study an inmate's chart and then look within himself to see how he created that person's illness. As he improved himself, the patient improved. "When I first heard this story, I thought it was an urban legend. How could anyone heal anyone else by healing himself? How could even the best self-improvement master cure the criminally insane? It didn't make any sense. It wasn't logical, so I dismissed the story. "However, I heard it again a year later. I heard that the therapist had used a Hawaiian healing process called ho 'oponopono. I had never heard of it, yet I couldn't let it leave my mind. If the story was at all true, I had to know more. I had always understood "total responsibility" to mean that I am responsible ... Read Full Story >>

Nightshift at the Marriott

It had been a long, hot August day. We'd driven over six hundred miles and it was nearing 11 pm as we entered Kingman, Arizona. We pulled off and picked a motel. Much to my surprise, it being mid-week, the deskman informed me they were full. Next place, same story. This time, I asked the clerk for suggestions.      "Try the Hampton Inn."      At the Hampton we were greeted with, "We're booked. Sorry."     "What's going on?" I asked. "Is there some kind of convention in town?"     "A tour bus just pulled in with 60 people," he said. "Plus lots of people are heading up to the Grand Canyon. It's an unusual evening. You might try the Best Western. I think they had one room left about an hour ago."      We tried the Best Western. No luck.      By that time, we'd traveled to the west end of ... Read Full Story >>

An Angel In The Check-out Line

It was a busy day at the grocery store and two young ladies were in line behind me with birthday balloons.  They appeared to be stressed and in a hurry so I asked if they wanted to go ahead of me. They were very appreciative.   I asked what the balloons were for and one girl said they were for her nephew's second birthday.  She said it was a difficult day for her with lots of family drama and that her nephew had a twin and something bad happened to the baby at birth.  I noticed she had a small heart shaped tattoo on her neck with the a date in it. The date was exactly two years ago. So, I knew it had to be a significant day.  They were chatting together about their rush to get ready for the party, all the things left to do, and how nobody offered to ... Read Full Story >>