The Gift on the Sidewalk
Today, I was babysitting my two-year-old friend, Liam. He was feeling sad and wanted to stay inside with his mom and dad. I tried everything to get him interested in playing outside with me. Nothing worked. Finally, as a last resort, I took a shiny new penny out of my pocket. I tossed the penny down the sidewalk and then chased after it. It must have looked fun, because he joined right in! On one of my tosses, the shiny penny rolled down the sidewalk and appeared to stop near a Christmas tree that was laying next to the gutter, waiting to be picked up by the recycle truck. As I squatted near the tree to look for the penny, I spotted a small, lonely Christmas ornament attached to one of the branches. Scooping it up, I was struck by how delicate it was. Handmade, and crafted from felt, it was in the ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by kath1
- Jun 19, 2013
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A Pay-it-Forward Coincidence at Starbucks
I got a Starbucks gift card for Christmas. I don't usually go there but thought I would treat myself since I had the card. The card was for $10.00, so when I got to the drive through window I told the cashier I wanted to pay for the person behind me as well. She smiled and said, "that's great, because the person in front of you just paid for you!"
- Posted by donnaoiland
- Jul 13, 2013
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A Simple but Meaningful Act of Gratitude
Every month, I write letters to two Marines serving in Afghanistan who I don't know. I thank them for their service to our nation. While I don't know them, I hope that they know how much I appreciate them.
- Posted by caroline.s.king
- Jul 15, 2013
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My First Kindness Assignment
The first real "kindness assignment" I was ever given came when I was in 2nd grade.
A small boy with red hair, freckles and pleading eyes asked me, "Would you please be my friend, because I don't have any?"
This really scared me. This boy was disliked and shunned by the other students for some reason. I had a brief, scared, thought that I would also become an outcast and be disliked if I befriended him. I remember my heart pounding a second or two.
Then I remembered what this world was all about and I said, "Yes. I will be your friend."
When you have to make a quick decision always choose love over fear. Kindness can be as easy as speaking one word!
- Posted by Stoneglow
- Jul 16, 2013
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The Veteran Who Wants To Make Folk Smile
Last weekend I was navigating my way through a Good-will store as I do every Saturday. I was absorbed in my own thoughts when I overheard an employee say, "Let me shake your hand to thank you for your service!" I looked up and saw the employee, a man in his 30s, shaking the hand of an elderly man wearing a "WW II Veteran" hat. As they started talking I stood and listened in. The veteran said he was 85 and when the employee and I expressed surprised he fished out his driver's license to prove it. This man was sharp as a tack and looked to be in great physical shape. And, boy, did he have a sense of humor! The three of us stood there for about 15 minutes, just chatting away about the veteran's war experiences. He described the feeling he had when Germany surrendered in the war, how ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by whitby98
- Jul 12, 2012
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Seeds That Blossom And Windows That Gleam
Today I received a lovely act of kindness from a seed I panted some time ago!
- Posted by Bluebell
- Jan 27, 2013
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Runaway Coffee Barrels and the 'Angel of Mercy'
Coming home from a coffee shop today, we had our old truck loaded down with three 50-gal. barrels of mostly coffee grounds that we use to make compost. My husband had laid them down in the truck, and as we came up the ramp to a major intersection the tailgate hinge broke and all the barrels rolled out into the street behind us. Thank goodness there were no cars immediately behind us, which was a bit of a miracle since it was lunch hour. One barrel rolled right into a lane, and the two others were partially in a lane. We slammed on the brakes, jumped out, and I retrieved the closest one while my husband started running back toward the ramp to get the other two. I knew that one of the ones he was going to get was extremely heavy; we had had a horrible time getting it into ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Sundi
- Feb 24, 2013
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The Blanket In The Dug-Out
In my new position as manager of parks and recreation in a small California mountain town I have the great privilege of being able to visit parks and playgrounds as part of my job responsibilities. A month or so ago, on a cold autumn morning, I walked through a ball park near my office. In the dug-out I noticed some trash and an old blanket which I picked up and carried toward the trash bin. As I lifted the blanket to dispose of it I caught a whiff ... and it occurred to me that it was being used, probably by a homeless person. I stopped, thought about it, and reluctantly returned the blanket to the dug-out. Over the next couple of weeks I would pop my head into the dug-out. The blanket was always there, always in a different place. As our maintenance men were in the park often I assumed ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by SmileADay
- Mar 8, 2013
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Service Area Sweets
This past holiday season, I drove with my parents to Boston to visit my distant cousin. On my way way back home, we stopped at service area for food. As we were stopped there, there was this old lady who was busy cleaning all the tables and chairs as people leaving, making sure everything is neat and clean. I just thought of gifting her with five dollars and a chocolate in my pocket. I wrote on a paper napkin: "Thank you and Merry Xmas." I wanted to leave it there for her but decided to walk up to her and give her. She asked me, "Is it a gift? Only then will I take it." I nodded, "Yes," and smiled at her. "Thank you," she replied, and I left to buy some stuff from the store inside. On my way back to car, the woman stopped me. "I make a lot of cookies and candies on ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by mbbb230
- Mar 27, 2013
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Giving treats away at McDonalds
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I was at McDonalds the other day and was trying to decide what snack to get to tide me till I rode the 2 bus home.
There was a young lady looking at the menu but just got a small soda. I decided to help and got 2 breakfast burritos for one dollar each and 2 apple pies which are 2 for a dollar. I shared a burrito and pie with her and you would have thought it was the best meal of all time.
She was happy and I was too. I was able to share a meal with someone . I told her I never like to eat alone and was happy for the company. Who knows maybe I will see her there again some day.
Found out she had lost her job and didn't have much money for food . I told her to go to my church and they would help her with some groceries to help out. So I know she will have something else to eat later on that day too. Its a blessing to help someone in need.
- Posted by bookworm58
- Sep 28, 2013
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She Made My Piano Sing
She was in her late 70s when I met her and no longer physically fit. She was hard of hearing, very opinionated, and spoke broken English very loudly. Plus, she was seldom interested in listening. Instead, she talked almost non-stop. She had very few friends and had no family anymore, except for a son she last heard from in 1986. Somehow the winds of fate blew her into my life. I was a young bachelor at the time and, once a year, I used to go to the coast for a holiday. My 10 hour journey passed near the little country town where she lived all by herself. Whenever I felt sorry for her I would pick her up – along with her mountains of luggage – take her to the coast for ten days or so, and then bring her home again. And every year I promised myself that would be ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Herremon
- Nov 30, 2013
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Lunchtime
Around lunchtime today my son and I were walking in our community's busy "downtown" area. We passed by a homeless man sitting on the street and since I had no cash on me, all we could give him was a smile and a good wish. As we walked on my son asked me didn't I have any money to give him--I said I don't have cash, but why don't we ask him if he would like something to eat. On our way back on that street after doing our errand we saw the same man and asked him if he would like us to get him some lunch. His face brightened up and when I asked what he would like, he just said "anything is fine". So then my son pointed to a rather fancy looking "parisian cafe" type of place across the street and we decided to go in there. ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by cabbage
- Dec 2, 2013
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Do All, Feel Most
When you do an act of human kindness, you walk a step in someone else's shoes. This can change your life. It changed mine. I was in an awful job, 18hr days, getting reamed out by my boss. My new husband lived in another city and I saw him 1x a month, and even then we just had terrible, horrible fights. I was underweight, my hair thinning, I had eczema. But quitting was failure, simple as that. One day I was late for work and grabbed a taxi. I was on my computer when I noticed the driver. He was middle-aged Asian man wearing a nice golf polo and simply put, did not look like other cab drivers I'd seen in the city. I asked him where he was from. Korea, he's been here 25 years. I asked him how long he'd been driving a cab. A month. He said the reason he started driving was for money. His daughter ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by Anonymous
- Dec 5, 2013
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This Is Really Great!
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Leaving Paris, I had no more use for my mobile SIM card, which still had quite a bit of talk-time on it.
So, after checking-in for my flight, I made a detour to the Arrival area, where I found a just-arrived, almost-elderly couple making enthusiastic enquiries in English at the Information Desk. I asked if they'd like my SIM card and talk-time.
The man replied, "We had just a moment ago asked where we could buy one." "Now you have one," I said, handing his wife a small, cellophane envelope containing the SIM and a Smile Card. "Wow," he said, "this is great!"
She removed the Smile Card and started to examine it as I turned to head-back to the Departure area. "Hey," she called after me, "THIS is REALLY great!" I simply kept-on walking, grinning as broadly as I hoped they were.
- Posted by anonymous
- Jan 10, 2014
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❤️ Be Kind
❤️ May kindness fill your day & small joys come your way….
💫 Checking in on two people going through a hard time….one local and the other far away. Send the far away friend a daily message & he shared “ Thank you for the daily inspiration. It helps 😊”
💫 Check in with the local friend to see if they need anything when we are out running errands & before I send in our weekly Fresh Direct order. She texts me if she needs help retrieving deliveries on her porch (she’s recovering from a bad fall & lives alone)
- Posted by Mish
- Aug 30, 2025
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A Mother's Sacrifice
My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. My mom ran a small shop at a flea market. She collected little weeds and such to sell... anything for the money we needed she was such an embarrassment. There was this one day during elementary school. I remember that it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school..."Your mom only has one eye?!" and they taunted me. I wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so I said to my mom, "Mom, why don't you have the other eye?! You're only going to make me a laughingstock. Why don't you just die?" My mom did not respond. I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, it ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by anonymous
- May 11, 2014
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A unforgettable dance student and gifts we give and receive
As a graduate student, I picked up a job as a dance instructor at a community college. It was my first legit teaching job. My second semester there, I had a mother and daughter enroll in my jazz class. The daughter had a mild case of cerebral palsy and was on a pharmaceutical cocktail to help her. Some of the medication was for her medical condition. Some was psychopharmaceuticals to deal with the side of effects of the medication for her medical condition. She dealt with a lot of anxiety and sleeping difficulties. Her mother attended the jazz class as her care giver and to assist her with her special needs. The daughter was a delightful young woman in her early twenties and she was in a special programme that was set to help her gain her independence and live on her own. So she often missed my class but this was ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by aprylrenee
- Mar 4, 2015
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Compassionate Heroes
Thirteen years ago, we lost our home in a fire.The firefighters were amazing, the first thing they did was toss our child's first year album (she was 13 months at the time) out the front door with smoke and fire everywhere. How did they know? They are truly compassionate heroes.
After the fire, I would bake brownies and take them down to the fire station with our daughter. We have been friends all these years. It has been quite a while since I have baked for them, and today was the perfect opportunity!
As I walked into the firehouse, I was greeted by a firefighter with the warmest smile. He was so touched by the gift and welcomed me in. He wanted to know how our family was and hoped we would meet again.
I often run into one or two of the firemen who saved our lives that fateful night. We are family, and I am always touched by how caring and loving we can be with each other, if we are open.
- Posted by anne2
- Jun 23, 2014
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Cinderella, you have brightened the world.
Today was an intense day that offered opportunity for the whole community to be kind. Our dear friend Cinderella down the road had a severe stroke some time last night, and was found this morning by her close friend who noticed she had not picked up her paper or walked her dog. Thank GOODNESS for kind, loving neighbors who pay attention. She ran to get my mom, who is a nurse, and we both ran to Cindy's house. I had never seen someone in her state, she was not responsive to us, but she looked terrified. We called 911 , and while we waited we spoke to her to calm her and I sang to her a little bit, which helped her close her eyes and stop shaking. After she was taken, 2 neighbors went to the hospital, while a team of 4 of us began to clean her room and figure ... Read Full Story >>
- Posted by amneaves
- Aug 14, 2014
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Yeehaw! My Day!
Did the "usual" acts of kindness today. Encouraged a co-worker, left homemade caramels on co-worker's desk, advocated for a student to be placed in public school, and sent an encouraging email to a teacher who is moving to another job.
Today seemed to be MY day though! 3 boxes of books were delivered to me for my trade in project for the 4th graders and a previous director of special education read my facebook post and sent me a check for books!!! Tomorrow I have to pick up more books from 3 more people!!!!
- Posted by lindy
- Mar 16, 2015
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