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Gasoline, A Burger Meal, and a Kiss!

Yesterday afternoon in St. Louis Mo it was rainy and light snow. While pumping gas, a young man approached me and asked if he could pump my gas for a dollar so he could get something to eat.

At that moment the pump stopped, my tank was full. I asked him to meet me at the Burger King across the street. At this time he informed me that the manager had asked him to stay away, as he was begging.

I went in, talked to the manager, explained that I was going to buy him a meal, and would they let him stay long enough to eat his meal. The manager agreed. I purchased his meal, and thanked the manager by telling her she'd done a good thing and also gave her a smile card and a Hershey Kiss!

2595 Reads
  • Posted by bosslady4925
  • Apr 15, 2014
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A Bag of Donuts

Yesterday, I went out and saw a street vendor selling potato donuts. I had bought 8 donuts for the boys at home. Before I left the place, I saw this little boy sleeping on the sidewalk, with his mom sitting next to him. She appeared to be sleeping as well, with her head resting on her knees. Their clothes were tattered and dirty.

As I walked to my car just a few meters away, I couldn't ignore the tightness in my chest, as the thought of what that boy was going through came into my mind. So I went back and gave the woman the bag of donuts. She thanked me and placed the bag next to her and went back to sleep.

I left the place and hoped that maybe when that little boy wakes up, he will smile when he sees a bag of sugar covered donuts, all for him.

2419 Reads

A Smile Goes A Long Way!

It costs nothing to share a smile and help someone in need. Today I woke up grumpy and on the wrong side of the bed (obviously).

I knew that doing something special for someone would snap me out of this mood. I work with a bunch of college students and today, I met a really nice student. She was returning after the death of her father. He lived to see his daughter attend college! I decided to go one step further and show her where she needed to go for her ID and parking pass.

Instead of telling her, I walked with her. I am rehabilitating from a full knee replacement.  I really feel that walking with her not only helped her learn her way around college, but helped me in my rehabilitation process. We both smiled, glad that we had made a new friend. Something so simple as a smile goes a long way.
 

2946 Reads

Happy Tails

I sent a "We Heart You" card to a young woman who fostered my dog in between her (my dog's) time in the pound in Arkansas and when I met her.

It has been three years since I've adopted Espresso, and I am grateful everyday to all the people and agencies involved the rescue process. But individuals who foster animals (and children) stand out as exceptional.

To love unconditionally and without attachment to save a life ... Jennie is one of those exceptional individuals.

2285 Reads

Thank You to the Bus Driver

Everyday when I go to school, I thank my bus driver before I get down, and say good morning when I get on in the morning. He seems like he is starting to appreciate it more and more. I am going to try and do this for the rest of the year.

Hopefully his heart will be touched.

2191 Reads
  • Posted by LoveAll999
  • Jun 22, 2014
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Reconnecting With My Angels

I reconnected with two people who came into my life as angels during a very difficult time. 

One was my roommate. He was the first person I befriended in a foreign country. He always supported me, mentored me and encouraged me when I needed a friend. Since then our lives had moved on and we had lost touch. 

The other was a mentor who helped me get freelance work at a time when even affording one meal was difficult. My brother was unemployed in those days and he lived with me too. It was through this mentor that I earned just about enough to save $50 a month, which, at that time, was a huge amount for me. 

I wrote long e-mails to each of them expressing how wonderful they were and saying I was truly grateful for their presence in my life. 

As serendipity would have it, it was BOTH their birthdays the day that messages went out!

2102 Reads

Day 1: Sufficiency

Sufficiency in my life: As the weather begins to turn cold in the Midwest, I feel gratitude towards the blessings that keep me warm: beef stew in the crockpot, a warm and cozy blanket, cuddles from my children and a sweet kiss from my husband.

As the days grow shorter we tend to spend more time inside, however I appreciate the time to connect and converse with my family. At the dinner table, I've asked my kids during the month of November to share and reflect on kind deeds they accomplished during the day.

My son explained today how he helped another student clean up a mess after this child had spilled his lunch. I could see in his smile and hear in the tone of his voice a sense of accomplishment he felt in helping others.

2049 Reads
  • Posted by theconroys
  • Jan 7, 2015
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People on the Corner

Many years ago my observant 7 year old was in our car on her way to school. This particular day we drove by many displaced/homeless people who were asking for help.  She asked why the same people were asking for help everyday and why no one was helping.  I really did not have an uncomplicated answer to this question. So I decided to ask her how she thought she could help. This beautiful little girl had so many ideas flowing out of her I couldn't keep up. There were a few good ideas flying past me just as the time did that morning.  The next day on the morning trip to school my daughter asked me to stop at each corner where a homeless person stood.  I asked why but was quickly informed to wait and see. Stop #1 - I rolled down my widow and asked the gentleman to come ... Read Full Story >>

4656 Reads

In Memory of our Son

After becomming a recent single mom, that had no family with in 2,000 miles I found myself and my children with no where to spend last Thanksgiving. So I decided to make the best of it. My kids and I (they were 6 & 9) volunteered at the Salvation Army soup kitchen, handing out meals to the homeless (helped me be grateful that I have what I do) Then I splurged and the three of us went out to a very nice dinner downtown (I was behind on bills, and did not have the money for extra expenses) We sat down and enjoyed a wonderful meal ... they were impressed how nice it was (not our usual McDonalds). We had decided to eat dessert at home, but when the waiter came over he told me that another family in the dining room wanted to treat us to dessert, the kids were ... Read Full Story >>

3975 Reads

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

6004 Reads

Paying With Conversation

As I was waiting for the bus, I saw a shuttle rickshaw and decided to hope in.  Inside, I found a mother sitting with her daughter. The little girl was absolutely precious -- all dressed up in a new outfit, her hair done, new shoes and a purse on her lap. I began talking to the little girl. They were headed to her aunt's house to celebrate the holiday.  She happily pointed out her school on route and told me about her shoes that squeak when she walks.  Her enthusiasm and smile were absolutely heartwarming. While conversing, I noticed something unusual. The driver wasn't stopping at the bus stops en route to pick up more passengers. In my mind, I began to think if this trip was going to cost more than the bus fare.  "Maybe I should have asked how much it was going to be before I jumped in," ... Read Full Story >>

3441 Reads

Radical Kindness on the Battlefield

[This is a true story, written by Murray Polner and Stefan Merken in Peace, Justice, and Jews (1968).] During the spring of 1921, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Muhammed Amin el-Husseini, instigated an organized pogrom  against the Jewish population in Palestine. When a group of Arabs threatened to attack Jewish homes between Jaffa and Tel Aviv, Jewish defenders went forth to meet them. An exchange of fire ensued, which threatened to escalate into full-scale warfare. In the middle of escalating violence, a remarkable man Rabbi Ben Zion Uziel intervened.  He donned his Rabbinic robes and turban and went straight onto the battlefield. He asked the Jewish fighters to hold their fire and proceeded alone toward the Arab positions, calling out to them to also hold their fire. Surprise, the sheikh in command of the Arabs instructed his men to stop firing in order to hear what the rabbi had to say. ... Read Full Story >>

4159 Reads

In Flight From San Francisco

Airports, even familiar airport, are very difficult to negotiate alone, when you have lost a good deal of your eyesight, as I have.  Boarding a recent flight out of San Francisco, I sank into my seat with relief and belted myself in.  I was seated at the bulk head on the aisle.  The window seat was occupied by an elegant older man.  There was an empty seat between us.  Looking to escape the tension of the past half hour, I put my purse on it and took out a murder mystery and began to read.  When lunch was served an hour later, I was deeply engrossed, the book inches from my nose.  We were given a salad, a bagel, and a pint container of yogurt.  Times have changed. Continuing to read, I tucked into my plate until my seatmate gasped in dismay.  Turning my head slightly, I saw that he had ... Read Full Story >>

3815 Reads
  • Posted by Marianna
  • May 25, 2009
  • -1 Comments
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Beyond The Call Of Duty

The maid at the Kingsgate Hotel off Salam Street in Abu Dhabi had outdone even my mother. Every article of clothing had either been placed on a coat hanger or folded neatly,  even the socks. The disposable razors and washing gels were lined up like toy soldiers, waiting to do battle. I thanked Agnes profusely, gave her a generous tip and went about my day. Late that evening, when I returned from work, a shiny new alarm clock was on the bedside table. As I had occasionally asked the maid for the time of day, I knew right away what had happened. She had used some of the money I had given her – money she certainly needed for herself or her family back home in the Philippines – and bought the clock. As I hope anyone would have done, I told her she was too kind and returned the ... Read Full Story >>

5149 Reads

Celebrate World Kindness Week!

"This is my simple religion.  There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy.  Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." -- Dalai Lama  Dear HO family,  Please join us in celebrating World Kindness Week this year from Nov. 13 - Nov 20th! This year, for World Kindness Week, we are asking the Help Others community to join us in participating in our Kindness Challenge - doing one random act of kindness every day this week!   If you are looking around for ideas, you don't have to look too far!  We have tons of kindness ideas on our site that might help.  We are also including some of our favorite kindness ideas below for you to share with your friends in celebration of World Kindness Week!  Enjoy the Kindness Challenge and thank you for helping to spread the ripples of kindness and inspiration to ... Read Full Story >>

10.2K Reads

My Smile Deck Week

I recently received a Smile Deck, and decided to do a challenge, by drawing one card randomly every day!  Here were my opportunities for smiles this week ...  7 ♣ - Thurs. Sent encouraging notes to family members who are far away A   - Fri. Gave hugs to first five people I saw in the morning. They were exercising in the park. I announced my mission – to give hugs – and was enthusiastically accepted by 4, somewhat reluctantly by one. 6 ♣ - Sat. Made a lunch for my husband and included a written note with a joke in it. 9 ♣ - Sun. Put on a vintage “Sun, Wind & Fire” video for my husband & did a little joy dance to this fine disco music. 8 ♣ - Mon. Did a chore for a neighbor .Took out & carefully folded his dried laundry in our apartment laundry area. 9   - Tues. Donated a favorite recipe ... Read Full Story >>

3709 Reads

21 Day Kindness Challenge Top 10

When I take my daily walk, I say good morning to each person I pass on the trail. And when a bicycler comes up from behind and says, 'On your left', I always say thank you. Kindness becomes a habit." - -  "When my daughter and I traveled home on Christmas Day one year, we made a small gesture that still makes me smile. We had wrapped Pez dispensers as a small gift for her 8 cousins. When my sister-in-law gave them all large gifts, we decided not to mention our little stocking stuffers. Instead, on the way back home, we gave one to each toll-worker we encountered. "Merry Christmas. Sorry you had to work today!" we said. We got smiles and waves and some even leaned out of their booths to watch us leave. That Christmas was a strange one, but those smiles and waves made it a holiday. Its not ... Read Full Story >>

6735 Reads

Kindness Ninja Saturday!

Happy weekend, RAOKtivists! It's Kindness Ninja Saturday!! My sweet class of 23 second graders absolutely love sneaking out of our classroom and performing acts of kindness. We call ourselves the Kindness Classroom and we are Kindness Ninjas! The Kindness Ninjas' favorite RAOK was hiding bottles of bubbles around the playgrounds.

The past two Fridays, the Kindness Ninjas have made positive post-it notes for their friends as well as for some anonymous recipients. A big ninja snuck around after school and put some of these on teachers' classroom doors!

So....take it from the Kindness Ninjas...

Be kind. Be nice. Be sweet. And, never forget that together we can be the change we wish to see in the world! 

4395 Reads

Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2014

"Kindness, I've discovered, is everything in life." - Isaac Singer Sometimes, all it takes is a small reminder to open our eyes to the beauty and wonder that surrounds us.  Lucky for us, we get those reminders every day!  For the last 365 days, we have been inspired by innumerable acts of kindness that have touched the lives of thousands of people all over the world.  The following stories are some of our favorites from this year.  Enjoy!  3,762 Miles Walked and 100 Tons of Trash On an unassuming weekday evening, Jane was at home… as usual. As her thoughts swung between what she was going to do with her life and their dinner plans for the evening, she was unexpectedly interrupted by an urgent call from her sister “get over here! Turn on NBC and check these guys out, they are just like you…” One facebook message and a phone interview later, ... Read Full Story >>

6940 Reads

Walking In the Rain

It’s past eight in the evening when I came out of the mall and it began to drizzle. I continued walking as I needed to cross the highway to board a bus. A few minutes later, the rain poured a little harder. I walked fast and put the brown envelope on top of my head to protect it from the rain. Then the rain drops became bigger. I walked even faster and held onto the envelope, though I knew I’d get wet sooner before I reach the bus. But suddenly, I heard someone calling me from behind. “Miss,” she said and motioned to share her umbrella with me. “Thank you,” I replied and was silent for a few seconds, surprised by such act of kindness from a stranger. “What’s your name,” I asked so I could acknowledge her. “Diane,” she replied. I told her that she was so kind. She just smiled. Then I asked ... Read Full Story >>

13.9K Reads
  • Posted by mangojuice
  • Sep 7, 2007
  • -2 Comments
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