Search Results for 'popular' (3455 matches)

Share A Smile

When I was in middle school,I got mad at my parents because they would never give anything to the homeless that would pass us by. On a family vacation in Washington DC there was a homeless man down the street who would say the same thing "food, money, a smile?" My family always walked past with our eyes at our feet. On our final day in the city, when my parents went for an evening walk I snuck out of our hotel room and ran down the street to the homeless man. He looked at me with curiosity, surely not expecting anything from a middle school girl. I asked him what he would have for dinner if he could have anything in the world. He replied 'lunchables'. I ran into the grocery store down the block and bought 5 lunchables, 3 bags of chips, one chocolate bar, my favorite candy, 1 smoothie, 1 ... Read Full Story >>

Universtiy Can Wait

I was on my way to the library to do some studying for history class. That's when I saw my friends and their family knocking on doors.  As I was standing outside one house my friend's brother walked past me and went to the door of the house. When the resident answered I heard him say, "Excuse me. Hi! I am raising money for my mom. She needs to have surgery but we don't have enough money. Could you please help with a donation?"  The lady gave him some coins and he said, "Thank you so much! God bless you." Then he walked on to the next house.  I could see he didn't have much and I also saw he had been crying.  Instead of going to the library I went to the bank. I told them I wanted to withdraw all my savings. The lady in the bank said to me, "But, sweetie, ... Read Full Story >>

Angeldog

My wife and I were out on the perimeter road that runs around where we live. Two dog walkers passed by and we heard one of them say, "Never seen that dog around here before." We looked down the hill and saw an old black labrador stumbling painfully up the hill. It reached us, and its legs kinda fell out from under it.   We bent down, talked gently to the mutt and patted it. I checked and there was a collar. There was a phone number on the collar, but no one answered.   The dog was so painfully thin that there seemed nothing between its ribs and its pelvis but spine. It didn't have many teeth left and, well, it just seemed done.   My wife ran home to get some of our dog's food and mush it up in some milk while I tried to entice the dog to come along with me.   By the ... Read Full Story >>

Lesson from the Check-Out Line

A little part of me thought about going to another checkout line. This one had the shortest queue, there was only one guy in it, but he was in a wheelchair and there seemed to be some complications going on. Well, I stamped on that little part, and we stepped in behind him. At first, he seemed to be having difficulty getting his groceries onto the conveyor belt. But after a while, I realized that what he was actually doing was separating it into two lots. Still, getting the stuff up there was no easy task in itself. I offered to help, but he and the checkout lady had it under control. He asked Julie if she would mind putting his empty basket away. Then he reached for his wallet which was in a pouch on one side of his chair. The way he was positioned and the fact he only had ... Read Full Story >>

$3 And A Smile

I always carry at least $3 in my car and also in my pocket. I save it for the first person who asks if I can "spare some change". Smiling and maintaining eye contact, I always respond very cheerfully with a comment like, "Yes, I would love to" or, "It would be my pleasure". And I give them the $3.    Then I replace it with my next $3 for the next person. I never spend this money myself. I honor the idea that it is the possession of the next person who asks for it. Three dollars is a small amount, yet it means a lot to the person who might only expect 25 cents, especially when delivered with respect.   I have also taken to carrying items I think the needy may be able to use. I carry hats, socks, gloves, and an umbrella. Recently I put together some care packages for ... Read Full Story >>

Wacky Smile Dolls (with Photos!)

I decided that I wanted something fun to leave with my smile cards...so I made these crazy looking dolls... designed with no other purpose in mind but to make the finder SMILE!  Each one is different and rather wacky in his/her own right!  Have a look at the photos below - what do you think?  If you stumbled upon one of these ladies sitting quietly, minding her own business, just waiting for the bus with a smile card attached... would you smile? Or say you might open your desk drawer to find her there rumaging through your belongings...wouldn't you just have to smile? The possibilities are endless! You just never know where one of these little Wacky Ladies might show up next!  But if you see one during your travels...I hope you'll share a smile with her! Silly, silly girls! Today I hid one in between some rocks at a garden at a historic site.  I ... Read Full Story >>

Helping A Young Blind Man

The other day I was at Subway, grabbing lunch with some friends.  I received my order, sat it on a table, and went to the bathroom to wash my hands. On my way back I noticed a young man struggling to get his drink. He was spilling everything and making a mess. He was looking for the lids but reaching in the wrong trays and dropping straws and napkins everywhere.  As I got close to him I notice why. He was blind.  I saw that he had still not gotten his drink so I went over and offered to help. I asked him what drink he wanted. Then, instead of getting the drink for him, I took his hands and guided him through the process.  After we were done I took him by the hand and led him to the table. I asked him if he needed anything else and he said he was ... Read Full Story >>

Carrying Love Half Way Around The World

The postie has just delivered a letter. It's from a friend in a far away land. Inside is a note, a list of "I Believes" and a beautiful bookmark.

I've been sitting here for the past five minutes at a loss for words. Not because of the gift, although it is sweet, not because of the thought, although that is also appreciated, but because my friend took that thought and that gift and put them into action, in a way that carried love half way around the world.

That's an awesome thing, and, well, it's a lot to take in.

So, I'll digress a little and mention one of the "I Believes." My friend says, "I Believe ... that your life can be changed by people who don't even know you." In a very real way, that's what you all out there in HelpOthersland are doing. You change the lives of the people you help, but you also change the lives of the people you share with on this site. We're becoming a family, for the best of all possible reasons. Thank you all for that.

And to my friend, I Believe ... you have changed my life!

Sunglasses in the Custodian Closet

I'm new to the Smile Cards, but here's my first experience with the cards. I work in a school and after all the kids are gone for the day a sweet young lady  Claire comes in to clean the school classrooms and offices. I'm there late once a week and I often chat for a few minutes with her.  She always makes me feel so good because she's not full of herself and instead she wants to hear about me or will talk about her children.  Our conversations are always great.  Last week she wasn't her happy self and told me how her husband had lost his job of 15 years and that she didn't know what they would do without his income. I wanted to cheer her up some how, but couldn't think of anything at that time. Later that week I was in a department store I noticed all the pretty summer clothing ... Read Full Story >>

Befriending a Bully With Kindness

During the first week of of my second semester sophmore year, the first thing I happen to hear is that there's a new kid at school.  From what was being spread around, this student was being portrayed as a big mean bully, someone that was expelled for getting in a fight at a school nearby. In my mind, though, I could only think how awful and how uncomfortable I would feel as a new student with a reputation already set out for me. So the next thing I did was I searched for the new student.  I ran all over campus to find and locate him, until I found him, head sulked down and with a weary expression upon his face.  Without hesitating, I approached him, introduced myself and asked him if he was new to the campus and if he needed any help getting around.  With a relief, he ... Read Full Story >>

A Lift From The Storm

My daughter works in a drive-thru coffee shop downtown.  Our town is small, so we know just about everyone that goes by. 

Gena is a less-abled mom who always walks with two crutches and her son, Sam, rides his bike along with her.  They don't have a car.  The other day a tremendous storm hit and my daughter called to tell me that Gena and Sam were walking in the freezing rain. 

I stopped what I was doing and went to pick them up.  They were so cold, wet and grateful. 

I was so proud of my daughter for taking the initiative to help others!

Hope And Joy In A Wal-Mart Car Park

Wal-Mart parking lots can be a very busy place with cars and vans backing out while other vehicles wait impatiently to get the next spot. It can get a little congested at times and I have certainly seen many hurried people lacking in patience. I have ocassionaly been that hurried person. The other night when I left Wal-Mart I was in a lot of pain from some chronic health issues and I just wanted to wave a magic wand on be sitting on my couch with the groceries all put away. I would love to have a magic wand like that!    I started to get irritated when a woman and her child stopped dead in the middle of the parking lot to chat and hug with a friend while I was trying to back out! They seemed oblivious to my need to get moving.                 ... Read Full Story >>

Breakfast For A Tired Mom

I went through a drive-through this morning to get breakfast.  I saw a woman behind me in line.  She looked really tired and had a couple of kids with her. 

I pulled up to the window and told the clerk I wanted to buy her breakfast and asked him to give her my Smile card.  He seemed moved and said he would.

As I was waiting to pull into traffic, I paused long enough to see the clerk hand the woman in the car behind me the card and point in my direction while she stared in disbelief.  

Then I pulled out and continued on my way, my car windows open, my hair blowing in the long-awaited cool breeze, my favorite music playing.  The morning seemed even sweeter than before.

Drinking Water Project For Kids in My Area

Government schools in India have very limited facilities, and drinking water is one of them. On a regular basis about 20 government school kids pass by my house. Today I assembled and distributed water bottles to all of them. I have also told them that they can refill the water bottle at my home every day before going to school. (Potable water is not available at the place where they live).

The kids were really happy with the colorful water bottles. I am thankful to this community in helping me do positive deeds. Thank you. Thank you, Thank you.

 

Kindness In Grief

A long time ago, I was a waitress in a pancake house that stayed open til midnight. One evening around 11:30, a couple came in. There was no one else in the restaurant, so I started chatting as I poured the coffee. It turns out that the womans mother was in the hospital and it was only a matter of time before she passed. We talked how hard it was to watch a parent die and how we both hoped that she wouldn't be in pain for too much longer. She asked if the restaurant would be open the following evening and I assured her that it would and I would be waiting for them with a hot pot of coffee. For 5 more evenings, they retured. I wouldn't let the cook turn off the grill until they showed up. He wasn't happy about it, but after I told him the ... Read Full Story >>

Holding My Hand

As the little girl and her father were crossing a bridge, the father was a bit scared.  So he turns to his little daughter and says, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."

To which the little girl replied, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

"What's the difference?" asked the puzzled father.

"There's a big difference," said the little girl. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."
 
   
In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours.

Letter to 4000 Children With A Scar On The Chest

[Mother Teresa handpicked him to be her personal surgeon. Today, Dr. Devi Shetty is perhaps the most compassionate, committed and charistmatic thing that has happened to cardiac surgery in the last century. He runs the world's second most productive heart hospital where children under 12 are treated for free and other patients pay whatever they can. After completing his 4000th pediatric heart surgery, he wrote this.] My Dear Children: I have been planning to write this letter for quite some time.  May be I just waited for you all to grow up to understand what I am trying to convey.  The story goes back many years.  When God sent you to this world it was perhaps the best thing that had happened to your parents.  Every little nudges and kicks in your mother’s womb opened up a new world of happiness and expectations.  Then one day, a miracle happened.  You were to ... Read Full Story >>

My Response To A Friend Who Kindly Challenged Me

A friend of mine watched me visit the KindSpring site. He asked: "what is that place you always visit?" Then I made a quick briefing for him. Then he was reflexive and asked: So, all of you people are boasting about good deeds? I remained in silence. Then, a few minutes later I said: No. We share positive thoughts and invite people to change for good. It's inspiration and daily doses of good vibes. It's an inspiration because you can emulate those good deeds and apply them into your life. And you start to change your world and spread kindness. Then he replied: But that doesn't work too much. There are many evil on this planet and you guys are few against an army of negativity. Besides, you don't change anything by simply posting beautiful images and quotes. If you want to change the world, donate or something. Then he was laughing. Then I replied: Which side ... Read Full Story >>

The Day Star Trek Came Alive

When I was about five or so my favorite television show was Star Trek. Dr. Spock was clearly my favorite character and I listened to his advice with great seriousness. When I found out that  he was going to be signing autographs at TSS, I begged my mother to take me. To continue this story, you have to understand a little about my chaotic childhood. With rampant abuse, television, movies, and books were my only escape. I delved into them and  found places, people, and situations  both like my own and not. It gave this little girl hope. It helped to save me from the messiness of growing up in a dysfunctional household. So I hope you can imagine how important meeting "Spock" was to me. When the day came, I couldn't wait to get to the store! I dressed up in my favorite outfit, green of course, and waited, very impatiently, ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness at the Pharmacy

Today is a difficult one. It is my Dad's birthday. He passed away last July from cancer. I so dreaded this day. My husband and I picked up my Dad's sister, who was also just diagnosed with cancer. We took her out to breakfast. She told us that earlier in the week, she had tried to get a prescription filled before starting chemotherapy. She couldn't afford to pay for it, so we decided to stop at a drug store and ask if there was a generic form of the medication that was less expensive. I went inside and began talking to the pharmacist. I was alone at the counter when a women walked up and interrupted: "Excuse me," she said, "I would like to pay for that." She asked how much it was, and placed the money on the counter. I couldn't believe it. She just appeared out of nowhere! I hugged the woman, and thanked ... Read Full Story >>