Search Results for 'popular' (3485 matches)

Oreo Smiles

I work in a busy department store. With the seasons changing right now the women's clothing department has been extra busy and our fitting rooms are loaded with clothing to be returned to the racks. 

I am like a "mom" figure to the girls and am always reminding them to stay busy and keep smiling when the going gets tough.

Today I wen out and bought chocolate covered Oreo cookies individually wrapped in bright colored foil. Towards the end of our day I went to my locker and got the cookies. I drew smiley faces on the foil and wrote Thank You on them. 

I gave each girl a cookie and  let them know that I appreciate them trying hard to keep everything neat and clean with a smile on their faces! 

I am not their manager, just a co-worker, but I know it made them feel special and appreciated. They couldn't wait for their shift to end so they could go eat their special treat.

Little things mean a lot. 

Like The Flowing River!

[ One of my favorite stories from Paulo Coelho’s 'Like the Flowing River', in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.]


My wife and I met her on the corner of Rua Constante Ramos in Copacbana.  She was about sixty years old, sitting in a wheelchair, lost in the crowd. My wife offered to help her and the woman accepted the offer, asking us to take her to Rua Santa Clara.

There were a few plastic bags hanging from the back of the wheelchair. On the way, she told us that they contained all her belongings. She slept in shop doorways and lived off handouts.

We reached the place where she wanted to go. Other beggars were gathered there. The woman took out two packets of long-life milk from one of the plastic bags and gave it to the other members of the group.

“People are charitable to me, and so I must be charitable to others,” she said.

Running On Empty

Not so long ago on my half-hour commute to work, I passed by a large white van stopped at the side of the road.  At first, I didn't think too much of the situation as it's not out of the ordinary in this area to see vehicles temporarily abandoned while the owners decide what should be done with them. Inside the van was a girl looking obviously distressed.  She sat in the passenger seat with her eyes fixated forward, ignoring everything.  Up ahead I noticed the only thing she could have been looking at -- about 300 feet up the road was a fellow about my age walking towards town with a red plastic gas can in his hands. Within a split second, I realized that he had run out of gas and was trying to fill it up.  While the drive to the nearest gas station was only about 5-10 minutes, ... Read Full Story >>

The Story of a Wallet

I just joined today, but have been reading your wonderful and inspiring posts for several weeks now. I would like to add a story that occured to me this week as a result of two related acts of kindness. Last Thursday I was pumping gas and set my wallet on top of my car after removing my debit card. I pumped my gas, drove away, and after realizing that my wallet had flown off the car roof, scanned the route I had traveled four times to no avail. Luckily I had no cash and my debit card was in my pocket, but this came at an already stressful time as I was getting married in six days, planning to move and trying to find a new job. This Monday at 5 a.m., I received a call from a Sheriff's Dept. three hours away in Marietta. The man said that a gentleman had ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness Tuesdays

Every Tuesday, my daughters have two hours of softball practice.  This is when I head around the corner to the library and work on my weekly class newsletter, grade papers and visit HelpOthoers.  I also do acts of kindness.  I have put homemade smile cards in library books and also left money with a 'please enjoy this random act of kindness' note at the reference desk to pay someone's late fines. Tonight, I attached a homemade smile card and Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) card to a small bag of Lindor chocolates.  As I walked into the library, I headed to my usual area near the reference desk and placed the bag on a table.  I sat in a comfy chair near the table and did some work. It was so interesting how quickly the library staff noticed! I heard at least four different workers say something like, "Hey, did you see that?" as they ... Read Full Story >>

Learning From A Co-Workers Compassion To A Plant

I have a plant that sits on my desk.  Yesterday, the two ladies that clean the office came in right before I was leaving and looked at me with with angry eyes. They do not speak English and I do not speak Spanish, but I practice with them every chance that I get so I’m getting a lot better at understanding and communicating with them. With the plant in her hands, she looked at me and asked me why I had not watered the plant since it was wilting. Ironically, I was holding a bottle of drinking water in my hand taking a sip as she was saying that. S he said a few words in Spanish that completely flew over my head so I asked the other lady to translate. She said, “You drink water all the time but you neglect to water the plant! She left the office with the ... Read Full Story >>

Beautiful Outfit Beautiful Smile

I was out shopping earlier today. 

On my way out of one store I noticed this rather large women sitting on a bench waiting. She was dressed in a brightly colored long dress and had pretty shoes too. Sometimes I think people overlook larger sized women but I am always looking to compliment. So, that's what I did!

As I passed by I smiled widely and said, "I love your outfit! You look very pretty in it." 

She gave me the biggest smile in return and said, "Thank You."  

I knew right then I made a difference in her day! 

For Children, Kindness Is Impulsive

Yesterday while I was busy doing my housework, my daughter ran up to me and said, "Mommy there's someone at the gate."  I told her to ask who it was. It was an old man beggar. I heard my daughter yelling, "Mommy he wants money."  For a second I ignored her, but then it hit me what she just said. I found my daughter taking out money from her Dad's wallet. Instead of stopping her, I stood there amazed at her action and the realization: kids give without hesitation and their kindness is impulsive.  Then I murmured a little prayer to myself, "God, let my kids never outgrow such a value and let that value grow on us adults." Sure, we all want to do kindness acts as much as we can, but let's also be honest -- how many times have we acted on it in reality? How many times have we ... Read Full Story >>

Taking Grandmother To The Temple

  As you probably know Nepal a small country full of diverse religions and populations.    As the daughter of a Hindu family there are many aspects of my religion that I have to bear in mind. But, even while keeping such strictures in mind, I want to be ale to live a life of kindness to others.    When I was sixteen my friends and I were going to watch a movie. We sat waiting for the bus but it was very late. While we were waiting another bus came by and a old lady of about seventy got off. She had bags full of her possessions in one hand and a walking stick in the other.    After a few minutes I noticed that she seemed to be looking for something. She approached a shopkeeper for help - but it wasn't forthcoming. So, I went over and asked, "What's the matter grandmother?"   She told me she ... Read Full Story >>

The Kindness Chain

When I was studying, I used to work part time after school. We were actually poor. In the office where I used to work one person gave me money to attend classes so that I could learn and make myself a better person!

He didn't want anything in return and he always treated that money as a gift. When I tried to return the money to him later he said, "Keep it as a loan with you; when you come across a needy person help him like I helped you!"

I used that money and added some of my own and managed to help two people.  Those two people managed to help four people! I do not know how long the chain is now but that is how it works! It is multiplying and imagine all this is done without any fuss or clamouring for credit!

You help only those whom you want to.  There is no force. You may decide not to help also, but I have not met anybody who has received favours and has not done an act of kindness.

Start a chain today! Education is the best gift you can give!

A Question to A Four Year Old

During dinner, we had a 'small talk conversation' when we asked our 4-year-old Lola:  "Lola, who do you love the most?  Mum, Dad, or someone else?"

She promptly replied, "I don't want to make a choice.   I love everybody! Sometimes people do things I do not like, but I like them still."

I'm usually the one to respond very quickly, but I was speechless after this major lesson.

Sometimes there is a great teacher, an avatar, very near me but when I'm not really paying attention, I miss the opportunity for a very precious lesson.

Faith renewed by a stranger's kindness

I was on my way home when a man came up to me excited, yelling: "Gil! Gil Gadson!" I said "yes," to which he grabbed me in a bear hug. He stepped back and saw the look of confusion on my face. He proceeded to explain how he knew me. You see, I work in the field of mental health and substance abuse and often speak at different venues. He said that at one such venue, I had given a speech about the power of gratitude and that it had changed his life. He said we had even talked for awhile after my speech and that my words had made him re-evaluate everything in his life. He continued by sharing that he started appreciating the things he had, stopped feeling sorry for himself and had become pro-active in his life and for others. He expressed that he had made amends to those ... Read Full Story >>

Good Bye North Face!

This is an unfolding story. I once came across bedding all folded up behind the swimming pools where I walk my dog Roux. I wondered at the time who was sleeping there and why, what had happened in their life that this is how they had to live.  I then saw a young woman walking away from the area when I was walking. I was surprised and wondered if she was the person sleeping rough. I saw her again the next day, walking towards that area of the park. Roux the ice breaker, ran up to her for a pat, and she smiled and she is young, mid teens? I asked her if she was sleeping there and she looked embarrassed and said "no" and I didn't believe her. It was winter at the time. She had a T-shirt on and a small rucksack and looked cold. I thought of Mindy (A KindSpring Member)  Oh well ... Read Full Story >>

A Neighborhood Pulls Together To Be 'Kind People'

Two weeks ago while my daughter and I were eating dinner I saw a police officer walking past my backyard with a worried looking woman. I opened my door and asked if everything was okay. Apparently the woman was the grandmother of an eight year old boy who had gone missing an hour earlier.  I said we hadn't seen the boy, but we would help look. I asked my two year old daughter if she understood why we had to go looking for this boy and couldn't finish dinner right then.  She replied, "Be kind people, Daddy." (That still makes me want to hug her!) We hopped into our truck and went searching all over town for about an hour and a half.  Along the way, as we asked various strangers on the street if they had seen this little boy. A group of kids said they would help too. They hopped on ... Read Full Story >>

Pumping Gas For An Old Lady

Not a really stupendous story, but I was really jazzed after this small act.

I'd stopped to fill up the gas tank on my pickup and noticed an older lady (in her 80s) in the next lane. She was walking with one of the canes with outriggers and seemed to be having a problem getting around.

I watched for a bit, not wanting to insult her if she was making it. I finally asked her if I could help. Got a look like, "I don't know you." Then I asked if I could carry something in to the attendant for her. She considered this for a moment and handed me $30.00 to take in.

I did, and then pumped the gas for her.

It turns out that this woman, with the prettiest brown eyes, had hurt her knee, and was trying to get to her doctor.   I'm glad I was able to lend a hand.

Finding Happiness Through Helping Others

I have just found that a small article I wrote about this site, and my own experience of it, has been published on the letters page of a UK magazine.  The magazine is called 'Natural Health'.  I was so shocked when I saw it there. If it interests just one person, then that would be fantastic! Here is the article: Finding Happiness I want to share how my life has changed for the better: I thought happiness came from buying a new dress or lipstick, but no sooner had I bought one thing than I wanted something else.  Life felt like I was forever seeking something, but never finding it.  Then, one afternoon, I was at my computer and I remembered a postcard called 'Random Acts of Kindness'.  I typed 'acts of kindness' into the search engine and found a site called 'helpothers.org'.  This was the beginning of my journey into happiness. The site is ... Read Full Story >>

Just With A Hug

There is a young girl that works in my office who has had a lot of tragedy in her life lately.  While I have a hard time relating to her life style, it hasn't been hard for me to detect her sadness lately.  Today, I offered her a hug and she accepted with open arms...I think I needed it to, because we stood there and embraced for a while.  She cried and I listened...it's amazing how much tears can release from ones body and how much another can learn from those tears.  She thanked me and walked away.  About an 1/2 hour later, she stood up from her desk and looked at me and asked for another hug, and I most definitely was happy to provide it.    Don't ever underestimate the effects that a hug or smile can have on another person. I will hold her deep in thoughts tonight, ... Read Full Story >>

Candy bars, smile cards and still smiling

Even as I write this story, I am still smiling. The past few weeks have been rather tough, but when a huge set of Smile Cards arrived in my mailbox the other day, having traveled all the way from the United States to my home in the Netherlands, I knew things were about to turn around. I found myself plotting where to leave the cards as I went to bed that night: the train, benches at the station, at work, libraries, mailboxes, the gym - the possibilities felt endless. I woke up, went to work, and afterwards, I went straight to the shop to buy some candy bars, planning to leave them as anonymous gifts for people on the train. However, unlike my early morning commute, my train home was extremely crowded. An elderly man must have seen me searching for a place to leave a Smile Card, because he asked me ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness Doesn't Stop Even At Age 80!

I'm part of a social action group of eight inspiring women (men didn't want to join our group!) and we are looking at a response to homeless women in our city. At present men are catered for in a very small way. We met with an 86 yr old woman, who was asked by the Police to accommodate a single homeless woman, and there was nothing suitable for her.

We have Women's Refuge, but they only accept women with children. This 86 yr old woman now runs a home with 6 beds for single women in need. How amazing is that? Her message to us was "One person CAN make a difference"

The Long Life of a Short Friendship

My son's day care provider experienced a tragic sudden death of a friend. She had just met this fellow and had sensed a deep connection before dropping him off at his car. He had a car accident that night, and was killed. Deeply moved by the sadness that my friend was experiencing, I was compelled to write her some comforting words about being able to see the positives of how her friend had influenced her life and suggested that he possibly came to her as an angel of change for her life. This trajedy, impacted her deeply and encouraged her to reevaluate her life, as tragedy often does. I encouraged her to look past the normal conditionings that would have us concentrate on the drama of a trajedy and suggested she instead reflect on the positive message this friend's life gave her and the people around her. This approach would ... Read Full Story >>