Search Results for 'popular' (3455 matches)

Two Quick Judo-Joy-Chops

I was on my way to the post office. I hadn’t found a parking place on my first pass up the street and was now making a left turn into a small parking lot in order to loop back towards the post office, in effect accomplishing a U-turn legally. It’s a tight space and there’s a mail box set up right inside the lot so people can pull in, roll down their window and reach out to stick a letter into the box without getting out of their cars. As I completed my turn into the lot, I saw a four-door Buick pulled up alongside the mailbox in front of me. I would be delayed while the driver ahead reached out to put mail into the mail slot. I happened to be in a high-energy mode and at first was impatient as I watched the hand tentatively trying to get a small ... Read Full Story >>

An Opportunity to Connect, to Love

It's 5:15am at the local Starbucks.  I'm standing in line and the person ahead of me in line is putting together what seems to be a large order.     "Can I have some bagels, donuts, oh and some brownies too, along with this coffee order."   My curiosity is peaked, and she chimes to the counter person, "Thank you, the order is for the nurses at Sloan-Kettering Cancer society because they've been doing a great job taking care of my Dad."  I tend to believe that people share things in order to be self expressed, and to be heard, to have their expression recognized.     Standing in line, fiddling with my book bag, the possibility of her wanting to be heard flashed by.  I, stopped, and asked her how her father was doing.   "He's in a coma, he fell into a coma yesterday and my sister and I have been taking shifts being there with ... Read Full Story >>

Quiet Acts Of Kindness In Her Hour of Sorrow

I work at a Care Center where most of the people are elderly. About a year and a half ago a 59 year-old lady came to us who had cancer. She had to have her right leg amputated and she didn't have a family to take care of her after the operation. This lady was a quiet lady who mostly stayed to herself. But in the afternoons, when she was feeling well, she would go visit the other residents in the home. She would visit a lady who was blind and read to her. She would go into the room of a young girl with severe cerebral palsy and sing to her. In her quiet gentle way, she would go about the Care Center doing good. She passed away last Wednesday and after her passing, stories are coming forward of her quiet acts of kindness in her own hour of sorrow. We never know what impact ... Read Full Story >>

The Story of Karen

After working an inhuman 8-hour shift at a nameless, dirty factory, I got on the bus dirty, tired and hot. It was a beautifully sunny day but most of mine had been spent in the back of a dimly-lit warehouse, unloading freight cars that were filled to the top with parts for cheap office furniture. It was all metal parts, so they coated these parts with a thin oil that protected the metal and inhibited rust. Needless to say, I left that place every day looking like I worked in a coal mine. However, even with my addiction at that time, I still felt a bit proud of myself. I had held this temp job for 3 months which was extremely rare and as I took my seat on the bus going home, I decided that the depressing thoughts of my real life would not dampen my spirit today. I lifted my ... Read Full Story >>

The Dancing Butterfly Balloons

I was at the local grocery store and kept running into this young father with his small daughter (perhaps 4-5.) It was obvious that these folks did not have an easy time financially. What they had in their cart was pretty meager.  It was odd that I kept passing them in various aisles and would overhear their conversations. The little girl would ask for something and her father would reply, “We just can’t get that today, honey.”  Bless her heart, she never fussed.  Then - wouldn't you know it – they ended up right in front of me at the checkout! That's where I heard the little gal ask her dad if she might have the big balloon that was floating overhead, attached to the till.  It really was quite magnificent ... a brightly colored butterfly with an impressive wingspan and the words "YOU ARE LOVED!" printed across it.   Oh, how this little girl ... Read Full Story >>

Hope, There's Nothing Stopping You

There was about 15 of us folks chalking in front of the downtown Berkeley BART station.  We started with about ten adventurers and as the momentum increased, we gained more energy, creative inspiration, and people.  In the beginning, many pedestrians stopped by us, paused briefly out of curiousity, and for the most part remained rather perplexed by our so-called 'deviant' behavior.  However, after we chalked up some cheerful colors and phrases on the beautiful red stones in the area, people came over just to take a peek and see what adults chalkers really do.  Folks came by with cameras. Small children pointed at us and tugged the hands of their parents to have them take a look.  This one particular man in a suit came out of the station, appearing as if he had had an exhausting day.  Yet, he managed to trudge a bit closer to us to read the ... Read Full Story >>

When Blessings Come Home To Roost

I was recently invited to dinner by a friend. During the meal, the manager  of the restaurant came over and said that our meal was free. He stood there smiling at me and there was an air of familiarity about him but I couldn't quite place him. Finally I asked him if he knew me. He laughed and said I had probably forgotten him, but that I had changed his life.  My friend was quite curious and asked him how I had done this. He said that twelve years ago he was in recovery and I was teaching a stress management class that was mandatory for him to take in order to live in recovery housing.  I asked the group what their number one stress was and most, including him, had said it was their bosses. He said I listened carefully to everyone and then took a chair and placed it in the center of ... Read Full Story >>

A Precious Piece of Family History

I'm a bit of a family historian (not that we have much of a history outside coal mining in Scotland and farming in Ireland.) One of my most precious possessions, which probably dates from about 1915, is a family portrait. My great grandmother sits on a chair all stiff and formal with her brood of babies around her feet and on her knees. My great grandfather stands behind her the picture of authorirty, but he is actually standing on "tin" legs after an accident with a railway truck. One-by-one the people in the picture left this world. My gran died aged 82, but in this picture she is about 3 forever. One of her sisters, Lena, outlived all her siblings by quite some way.  Going to visit Lena not long before she died it occurred to me that she might not have seen this picture for many decades. So I made a copy, framed ... Read Full Story >>

Life is Like a Bank Account

This story is about a 92 year old, petite, well-poised and proud lady. She is fully dressed each morning by eight, with her hair fashionable coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind. She is moving to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight year old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room yet.  Just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness, The New Stimulus Package

Are you just plain sick of being bombarded by the media with the untold horrors and predictions of our impending doom?  I've heard the words "Stimulus Package" so many times it doesn't even mean anything anymore. I want to introduce a new kind of stimulus package that doesn't have a thing to do with the government:  Kindness.  What do you think would happen if everyone practiced being kind for just one day?  I sure as heck know.  The world as we know it would be transformed.   Impossible?  Consider this:  I organized a Kindness Challenge at a local arts and jazz festival in April.  My goal was to remind people what happens when we practice being kind.  It's a feeling most of us have forgotten.  The challenge was to entice 100 people attending the festival to do 100 kind acts within 100 minutes.  The result amazed everyone involved because when all was said ... Read Full Story >>

Garden Of Blessings

There’s a park that runs through the centre of Edinburgh. Sitting beneath Edinburgh Castle, the Princes Street Gardens are full of families, sunbathers and, of course, ice cream stands on sunny days.  The weekend my wife and I spent in Edinburgh was scorching. We had an amazing time, seeing the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and being entertained by street performers along the Royal Mile, all rehearsing their acts for the Edinburgh Festival of the Arts. Well, all good things must come to an end. So, we packed our bags and left the hotel. The gardens were empty at this time of day so we decided to walk through them on the way to the station.  That’s when I saw the old fellow. Picture a “salty old sea-dog” with deeply lined face and bushy white beard. He was wearing the tattered remains of several coats, which seemed to be lined with black, plastic bin ... Read Full Story >>

The Connection of Being Human

I have been reading a lot kindness stories. Last week, in an unusual way, a stranger showered me with generosity. At an Asian grocery store on a busy evening, I was shopping for the items I needed for my volunteer work of cooking breakfast on Saturday at a homeless shelter in San Jose. I went to the store to buy tofu and fruit. As I was waiting in  line to finish the purchase, the lady next to me approached me to find out how I was going to consume the big box of tofu I was buying. Enthusiastically, I replied that I was buying food for the homeless breakfast feed. While I was getting ready to pay the bill, to my amazement, she offered to pay for everything. Despite multiple requests for her name, she responded that she felt good because I was doing the kind of community work her parents once received when ... Read Full Story >>

Just 2 Quarters Worth Of Kindness

This morning there was a young man roaming the campus. He comes from one of the half-way drug rehab/mental illness houses on the surrounding streets. He's quiet, polite, and I think very lonely, and bored. I saw him earlier standing at the soda vending machines, jiggling change in his pockets. It appeared he didn't have enough money for a soda at $1.50. I returned from the adjacent building and he was bending down and looking for dropped change under the vending machines. Nothing to be found. I asked him how much money he needed and he replied "just 2 quarters". I reached into my pocket and magically, I had 2 lonely little quarters in my pocket. Gave it to him and he got his Dr. Pepper and flashed me the biggest smile. I asked him what he was going to eat for lunch. He said they have food back at ... Read Full Story >>

Helping a Person in Need

A homeless person was begging in a shopping mall for money and food. He asked me as well, and at first I declined.  

Then, he asked me if I was going to the grocery store located below, and that gave me a thought.  I went back to find him, and when I finally did, I offered to buy him food from the grocery store.  

I went shopping with this guy. He said to me that hadn't eaten for 2 days.  He also mentioned that he might get an appartement from an organization in my country that provides help and guidance to those in need.  

I said to him that he could buy for 5 euro and he did. He bought a loaf of bread, some yoghurt, cheese to put on the bread and some chocolate.

Even though the chocolate made the total a little over 5 euro, I couldn't lelt him put it back and told him to take what he wanted. 

He was so glad I did this for him and was so thankfull! 

Greetings,

Cirrus

Angels Of The Rest Area

  Years ago, when my daughter was an infant, I was traveling alone cross-country to join my husband.    I had a small sports car crammed full of household items, clothing, and one baby car-seat.    After driving for many miles, in an attempt to drive straight through, I was tired and needed to stop for a bathroom break.   The rest area was mostly deserted, on an isolated stretch of Interstate highway. I parked the car and carried my infant daughter, in her car-seat, into the restroom. Coming out again I saw a middle-aged couple hanging around. It turned out they were waiting for us!    The lady said, "We wanted to wait for you to come out and see you safely back into your car. Sometimes rest areas can be an unsafe place for a young lady.  We have a daughter almost your age and we wanted to make sure you got safely back on your way".   I ... Read Full Story >>

The Hobbling Homeless Man

I was shopping in town when I saw a man aged about 30 hobbling down the road. He didn't have any possessions with him but I guessed he was homeless and that he seemed to have pain in his leg.  I watched him for a few minutes but was unable to help that day.   All that evening I thought about him and wondered about his life and his story. Going to bed I decided that if our paths crossed again I would help him.   I saw him the very next day! He stopped and asked a young woman in front of me for some cash. She looked surprised and not very happy to be stopped. She gave him a few coins.   I carried on walking behind and saw him drop the money into a charity box.   I quickly went to the cash machine to get some money whilst trying to watch where he went.   With cash ... Read Full Story >>

Teaching Kindness, Staying Kind

The other day I decided to teach my son about the power of small acts of kindness.  He had won some lollies in a prize machine in the local supermarket, so I asked him if he would like to share his win with the next child that walks past.  He was hesitant because he is a shy young man but said yes after I encouraged him a bit. A father and his child were nearby.  I approached the father and asked if my son could give his daughter a lolly that he had won.  The father looked at me sideways and was unsure what to say.  I further explained how I was coaching my son about the power of kindness.  Eventually he said it was okay. We approached his daughter ... who wouldn’t accept the lollies!  She too was looking at us sideways with uncertainty!  At this stage my son was rather ... Read Full Story >>

Long Distance Thanksgiving Kindness

I work with a warm, fun-loving woman named Heather.  This year our boss asked a group of us to join his family on Thanksgiving.  Seated around the table, Heather said something had totally changed her the day before -- like she was walking in a new direction.  I listened and watched as her eyes welled with tears. Heather deals daily with people on the telephone.  She was speaking with a Veteran and asked if he was looking forward to Thanksgiving.  She was surprised when he said no, and asked why. He had been let go from his job more than a month before and was having a tough time making ends meet.  He shared how hard it was to feel powerless to provide a Thanksgiving meal for his wife and children.  She wished him a happy holiday and good luck.  There was nothing to do but say good-bye and hang-up. But I must do ... Read Full Story >>

A Little Act on Garbage Day

Every Tuesday morning, the garbage gets collected on our block.

Most people are at work during collection time and don't get home for eight to ten hours after the trash has been picked up.

After noticing all the empty bins sitting on the driveways, I've started going around the block after the collection, picking up all the trash and recycling bins, and putting them back beside the house or in the little passageways between houses. That way, the bins don't blow around, the lids don't get lost, and I can pick up the bits of trash that didn't quite make it onto the truck.

I have no idea if my neighbors are pleased, but it makes me feel good, and the block sure looks better for the whole day! :)

A Professor's Unforgettable Motto

I was priviledged to join a college which not only created an environment for attaining professional qualification but also ensured that each and every student left the college an all-rounded individual. Most of the colleges in my country were commercially oriented and students tended to come in, have their lectures and off they went.  The lecturers in the college I attended always embraced higher ideals and many of the kids coming straight from high school would dread this college on the basis that it was strict. It was no bother to me anyway and I often looked forward to my college days. One of the lecturers, in particular, captured my attention most, not because of his tutorial skills but by the way he would always walk and leave no dirt or paper behind him. He would always bend over and pick any piece of paper lying on the floor and throw it to the nearest dustbin. On ... Read Full Story >>