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One Cup Can Change the World

It’s surprising how easily and often humanity inspires you when you’re working in a coffee shop. I’ve heard people complain how working with customers makes them bitter at the world. But in my few months at Starbucks, I saw random acts of kindness preformed almost daily. And one act was so large and unexpected, I’ll simply never forget it. If you’re a regular reader, you know how obsessed I am with  random acts of kindness. However, please don’t mistake me for a good person just because of my strange set of hobbies. I enjoy surprising drive-thru workers with candy, dressing like a superhero, leaving flowers on people’s doorways, and scattering smiley-faces all over Raleigh in much the same way I enjoy collecting comics and video games. It gives me an odd thrill. Tingles. The sweet terror of getting caught. Like ringing a doorbell and running. So it’s not really altruistic. I totally do it ... Read Full Story >>

Birthday Tulips

A Smile Card Challenge For A Girl Facing A Difficult Time

This is my first story and I'm very excited to share. As a young teen, life can be tough when it comes to exclusion, especially when it comes to someone deemed "uncool."  To tell the truth, even as a leadership student, I was unmotivated to change someone's life since it could cost me my ranking. Sadly, in that week, my life went spiraling down when someone kicked me out of my group and told everyone else to ignore me. It was then that the truth hit me, that I didn't know how much exclusion can hurt. I had always been friendly with Patricia (as I will not take her real name), but never willing to be close friends with her and lift her up. I was always nice, just not very motivated. The week that I was kicked out of my group, though, I felt this hurt and throbbing agony of ... Read Full Story >>

By Mom's Bedside

I've had the opportunity to serve my mother a lot recently, and I wanted to share, in hopes that others can be inspired. A couple days ago, my mom had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor. The tumor was near her parotid gland, which, unfortunately, is right on her face. With all the love I could muster, I stayed with her for the several hours of the surgery, and then continued to stay by her bedside for the next two days, as she recovered in the hospital. She seemed in good spirits, despite the occasional aches and pains from the surgery. I really tried to keep her company. I watched TV with her in her hospital room, we talked lightly about funny memories, and I did everything I could to put a smile on her face. =) After the doctor said it was okay for her to return home, I took her ... Read Full Story >>

The Power of a Handwritten Letter

Our world is so dependent on email that handwritten letters have gone by the wayside.  At a service I attended recently, the topic had to do with how important and touching handwritten letters are. 

I followed my heart, which had tugged at me for some time to actually write letters. I started by writing a letter to my grandfather and nothing could have made him happier. Even though I see him every week, he said so many times how much it meant to him. So now we write each other a letter each week. There is something so special about seeing a real letter when you open the mailbox and something even greater about sending it to someone special. I write at least one letter a week now to family and friends -- it reconnects you in ways that no email ever will.

I Am Hungry For Peace

On occasion I come across a poem or short story that I have read that deeply touches my heart. I was sent this poem when Peace was a theme that kept recurring throughout my days. Thank you for the beautiful kindspring soul who sent this poem to me when I needed it most. I am hungry for Peace. I want to slather it on thick as a sun drenched smile rising from my heart to yours. I’d make a sandwich of our tribulations and joys, layering it with compassionate slices of a mellowing perspective. The bread would be kneaded with seeds of kindness, baked to a delicate golden crust of understanding, fluffy and warm on the inside with forgiveness. I’d be sure to eat it from my best chipped plate, the one with flowers painted from a forest rain, tinged with the blush of a robin’s breast. And to wash it all down, there would be goblet of stars whirled into a constellation of such possibility, that I’d have to sip slowly so as not ... Read Full Story >>

This neighborly act of kindness came easy, because it came from the heart!

I went to help my elderly neighbor move some furniture as she is getting some kitchen renovations done. We packed up her things and sorted out the pantry. She then asked me if I wanted her solid oak table and a two door free standing cupboard. I said I don't have room for them, but they are lovely. I suggested that if she didn't want them I could advertise them online for her, so I did. She didn't want any payment for the items, just that the people could move them themselves, and organize their own transport. She was worried about being alone with strangers, so I said I'd give the people my phone number, get them to text first, and I'd go over to her house and be there when they took the furniture away. One man collected the cupboard and had a beautiful story about setting up homes for refugees, ... Read Full Story >>

Homeschooled in Kindness

We homeschool our children so we sometimes have the flexibility of adjusting our schedule to fit in special things. Today, as part of our 'Kindness Klub' we decided we would head out for an afternoon of giving back. Each of my kids chose from a list of kind things that they wanted to do. I ran down to the local store, picked up a few potted  flowers and attached Smile Cards. We then put a few dollars in a plastic bag with a Smile Card.  Before we set off on our mission, we read a verse from the Bible about kindness and said a prayer that our efforts would be well-received and help brighten someone's day! First, we stopped off at the local bus stop. We taped the plastic bag to a post inside the bus stop and quickly left ;) Second, my 10 year old daughter said she had seen a house she wanted to drop her flowers off at.  She directed me to it. ... Read Full Story >>

Adventures In Babysitting

I had offered to watch a friend's children so she and her husband could go out to watch a movie. She was delighted with the offer - but didn't get around to fixing a day. 
 
So, finally, I picked a date and asked her if she was free. She was really excited and looking forward to her night out. 
 
On the day of the babysitting her husband e-mailed me and told me it was her birthday! I hadn't known that! He told me he would bring over a cake after the movie, when they came to pick up the kids. 
 
The kids had a great time (and so did we!) We made cookies together, played games, and so on. Then, when their parents came back we had a surprise birthday party with cake and ice cream and sparkling juice. We made music together and it was very festive! My friend said it was the most special birthday she had celebrated in a long time.
 
I was so happy!

Finding the Courage to Smile

I was at a coffee shop last night where there was a wonderful folk music performance. I was busy tapping my feet and singing along to the soothing beats! As I got up to get a cup of coffee and a cookie, I noticed this middle-aged woman near me. She had obviously been caught in a fire of some sort. Her face was severely burned that it looked very tight.  She barely had a nose and her eyes were extremely tiny.  I took a deep breath and went back to my seat. I thought about how brave she was to come out and appear in public. I also felt ashamed of myself for mildly shuddering and looking down while I headed back to my seat, unable to send even a feeble smile her way. As I sipped my coffee and ate my cookie, I just kept thinking endlessly about whether I should ignore this ... Read Full Story >>

The Taxi Driver

When I got on the taxi I had booked this morning I noticed it was the same gentleman that had taken me back home last week. I remembered what we'd talked about so I spoke to him. He was surprised and said he thought sometimes that no one cared.

He said he'd started swimming and was happy to have lost weight, he does it every morning before starting work. We got talking, told him that swimming was a great activity and mentioned the effect of exercise in our brains too. He said he knew it was good for depression and so .... (we are all fighting our own battles, sometimes in silence) I was glad I'd spoken to him.

Sharing, listening...so important, we all need it some time or other. He wished me a good day so many times when he dropped me back that he made laugh, we were both happier :-)

Honoring an Old Friend

One of the women in my spirituality group will not be coming to our retreat next month. She has participated for about 15 years but cannot this year. She has dementia and finds it hard to be away from her home. My friend is turning 90 the end of August. She still lives in the home she built herself more than 50 years ago. She loves to paddle the canoe she made, out on the sound. She plays a piano beautifully and has not lost the music in her mind. She wants to stay in her own home for the rest of her life. Because she now needs much more help, the cost has gotten pretty high. One of her closest friends sent an email to our group telling us what's going on and asking for help. There is a woman who lives nearby who has been coordinating the various services ... Read Full Story >>

Living on the Street

I was headed to the UMW womens basketball game yesterday, and I saw an older man, maybe 65, sitting next to a stop sign on William Street at the intersection of Route One and William Street. He was sitting down wearing tattered clothes, and an oversized jacket. A homeless man holding a sign that said: "Hold care in your hearts Thanks very much And God Bless!" I parked my car in the Goolrick Gymnasium parking lot and walked up to the old man and asked "How are you doing?" He looked at me suprised, like I was going to injure him, kind of caught up in words he just said "I am fine, just making a living." Embarrassed, he said "I live on the streets." The one thing that suprised me was that he never asked me for anything, no money or food, seeing that he was homeless was given he even told me so. Even his sign didn't ask for ... Read Full Story >>

Walkathon for Orphans

$150,000 raised from the Walkathon!

I would like to thank everyone for coming out
today to the Copprome Walkathon. I can't
thank everyone enough! We had over 700 people
attend!

With the combined funds of SHH, CCC, and William and Mary team, at the event we raised at least $150,000!! This is amazing, all the hard work everyone has put in is remarkable! This money will be used to pay off land debts and begin self-sustainable programs at the Copprome orphanage.

Today I saw groups of people coming together for a great cause, to help save orphans. When you are performing a good and just cause help seems to come out of the woodwork and I saw that today.

I thank everyone soo much for donating, walking
and supporting the cause!

"Orphans walk miles a day to search the trash
dumps for leftover food, and rotten cabbage, to
eat and give to their younger siblings, today we
are walking in this walkathon so they dont have
to!" ~strider

~Strider

A Smiling Face at the Store

I needed to get some supplies to clean the house this weekend, so I headed over to a local store. While walking through the aisles there, I realized that I wasn't smiling at anyone. That was out of character. I almost always smile at strangers with the hope that it might brighten their day a bit. But in that particular moment, my mind was focused on events that had bothered me earlier in the day. Not really in the mood to smile, I thought, Oh well, and continued through the store. When I went to check out my things, I was met with a very long line. People were stocking up on Christmas gifts and things for the holidays. To help minimize the first line, a second register opened up. I quickly switched over to the it. After a few moments, I began to notice that all the people in front ... Read Full Story >>

An Act Of Kindness Kept This Homeless Man From Stealing

The other day I was doing some grocery shopping and a man, who was unkempt and spent most of the time talking to no one in particular, walked toward a group of us at the checkout stand. I overheard him say to the man in front of me, "I don't wanna steal from this store...would you buy me some food?" The man in front of me pretended not to hear him; it was as if he were invisible. I waited patiently for my turn to be questioned, but it never came. So I asked him, "Can I buy you something to eat?" He gladly accepted. The man got a bag and began putting samosas in the bag. As my items were being rung up I watched the man put the samosas into the bag; 1, 2, 3... He finally stopped and I asked him how many he had got and he replied ... Read Full Story >>

In My Late Twenties ...

In my late twenties I taught aqua-fitness for three years (three times a week). I was also teaching swimming to people afraid of the water. I had an amazing lady of 77 years old, that just began to love water at that age. It was beautiful to see her new love story with water as she was so scared of it for so many years before. I was also finishing my bachelor in psychology at that time and thought about the incredible positive psychological impact all that had in her life. It was beautiful to see her evolve in the water.... playing and having fun! She felt so good about her swimming,that she started to become more active. She used to run on the her roof top, begun to do yoga again and she fell in love with a new neighbor.... her eyes were twinkling! she told me it was like ... Read Full Story >>

Looking for Ways to be Kind to Strangers

Over the weekends I often find myself leaving home at around 9:00am. I find it hard to stay indoors on a Saturday, so I either head to the office or to town to run some errands. Towards the end of last year, after being encouraged by various acts of kindness from this website, I resolved to make it my mission to touch people's lives unexpectedly.  My target was the underpriviledged in society and in my country the street children were my target group. Each Saturday morning as I would go to get some milk and bread from the nearby shop, I would see how many kids there were in the vicinity and buy them milk and bread also. They would of course have no clue of this and all I would do is creep up on them and give it to them. One day, I was heading back to my bus terminus and saw this beggar on the street in a wheelchair. ... Read Full Story >>

Secret Santa for a Family in Need

I have always hated how Christmas has become more about the commercial side and less about the giving.  So, a few years ago, I was without a job (between jobs, but not working none the less)  but knew I wanted to give something to someone that needed things more than I did.  I searched around and found a local community centre (this isn't my home town, so I wasn't familiar with the area yet) and asked if there was anything I could give to help someone else.  Well, it was just a couple days before Christmas and the lady there told me that there was a family in need, who had submitted their names, but had somehow gotten lost in the system.  They didn't know what they were going to do about it, so, my boyfriend and I decided to take them on and be their Secret Santa.  All we ... Read Full Story >>

A Chocolate-Chip Birthday Cake

I work in a small department store. I decided to celebrate my fellow employees birthdays - if they wanted to be remembered!