Search Results for 'popular' (3614 matches)

An Extra Special Candlelight Christmas Eve

I am a geriatric care manager and many of my clients families live out of state. This year, a sweet old lady that I care for, Alice, had gone through a particularly rough time. She had been in the hospital twice and then to a rehab nursing facility. In November I was finally able to get her back to her "home" in to an 'assisted living facility'. Alice has dementia and thought her daughter was coming to visit on Christmas day and that they were going to have the whole family together like the old days. When she finally realized that was not going to happen she was so sad and tearful. Knowing that her daughter was coming after Christmas was not enough to cheer her. I hated the idea of her being alone on the holiday! On Christmas Eve, I surprised her by asking if she would like to go to a candlelight service at church that night. Instead ... Read Full Story >>

Community Compassion

Last Sunday, I walked into the house in the afternoon to find my brother scurrying around in a hurry.  As soon I had taken my coat off, he placed a bunch of papers in my hands and asked if I could start folding them up (so they could fit into an envelope) as quickly as possible.  He said it needed to get done quickly before it turned dark.  I assumed it was probably something for his business and just got right to it, although I was a little surprised that something could be so urgent on a Sunday.  It wasn’t until I was halfway through that I actually looked at what I was folding – and when I did – it put the biggest smile on my face!  It was a lovely letter to all the residents of my street and the nearby streets in my neighbourhood. My brother was asking everyone to ... Read Full Story >>

Sandcastles At The Beach

I went to the beach nearby for some quality time with myself. After a rough week, all I wanted was a book, some solitude, and a good snack. It was a lovely, reflective time watching families come and go for a last warm weekend here in California. Kids joyfully playing in the water, paddle boating, building sandcastles and sharing meals with their families. After a few hours, I decided to walk along the waves to get to my car on the other side as I was leaving. As I was near the end and about to head off the beach, I noticed a girl playing by herself, maybe around 8 or 9. It looks like she built a little sandcastle with a moat around it and was now trying to fill the canal with water. Unfortunately, there was no container around to carry water or the usual sand toys. She was playing ... 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 >>

Post it Note Kindness at the Mall

December kindness for today.  I visited the mall, went into ladies' fitting rooms and bathroom, left positive messages on heart post-its. One of my favorite RAKS (random acts of kindness) to do! Our words matter. They can encourage and build people up, or shame and tear them down. 

When I was putting the hearts on the bathroom mirror a little girl saw me and kept saying, "hearts, hearts, I love hearts!" :)

I left a stack of blank post-its and a pen behind in the bathroom for others to add messages if they'd like. ♡ 

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.

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 >>

Carrying a Load With A Big Smile

It is a terribly rainy wet winters day here in Tauranga. While I was walking from the library after getting together my University applications for next year at the end of my lunch break, a man was walking towards me with two HUGE boxes of pamphlets. I thought, "What on earth is that man trying to do? Carry all that stuff?"  Then all of a sudden he dropped it all!!!!!!  It was a terrible mess with hundreds of brochures all over the path in front of me! "Oh no," I thought. The man sat down and started trying to pick all of the brochures up. I couldn’t believe how many people walked on by without even caring in the least. I thought, "I’m not going to be one of those people who don’t care about this man. I’m going to help him."  So, even though it was the end of my lunch break ... Read Full Story >>

The Big Smile at Panera Bread

I was eating lunch with my mom yesterday at one of our favorite places called Panera Bread. Before we left  I found $4.00 in my purse. There was no one wating in line so I went up to the cashier and asked if there was a minimum dollar amount for a gift card. He told me no so I asked him to put the $4.00 on a gift card. I then handed him a smile card and asked that he give the gift card and the smile card to the next customer that comes in. He looked at me and with a BIG smile on his face he said "really?" and I told him yes. 

Although I did not get to see the reaction of the next customer, the smile on the cashier's face alone was worth it! Hopefully it will inspire him to do the same for someone else.

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.

Strangers In The Airport

I was in a large US airport and being taken by one of those passenger/luggage transports to a Waiting Room. On my cart was a very anxious woman about my age from somewhere in Africa who didn't speak English.

She was obviously frightened. She couldn't get her cell phone to work. I loaned her mine to make her call. When we got to the waiting room I went out to get some lunch - a pizza and two plates. I took it back and cut it in half putting half on each plate.

As we ate, she calmed down and we managed to understand each other.. . . and I managed to find out where she was going. So I went out to the airline counter and found her gate and plane number and departure time.

It was amazing with a little kindness how she calmed down and we communicated without a common language. We departed in different directions with a big hug!

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!

Turning $100 Into An Unforgettable Day

When I was a young girl, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, who lived in a community especially for the elderly and near to an old people's home. I remember when my sister and I played our instruments for them, which was something my grandparents had encouraged. They used to tell me that if someone elderly engages you in conversation, to make time for them, as you might be the only person they got to talk to that day. I've never forgotten this and still spare time to chat with an elderly person if they do engage me in conversation. So, when I saw the "make a suggestion for how your community would benefit from a $100" idea on this website, I immediately thought of the elderly! As one of the lucky people to win the $100 dollar kindness contest for my community (it converted to £56 in the UK), I then contacted my local community centre, and ... 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 >>

Even Small Kindness Is Never Forgotten

I came across HelpOthers few days ago and I can`t stop reading the stories. I want to thank you all for sharing joy around the world and writing about it. Ever since I was a kid I've believed that a smile is a cure and that kindness spreads around like a (wonderful) virus. I`m glad to see how many stories of miraculous acts you all have written. I shared some of my favorite to my mom an hour ago. She was a bit down and I wanted to put a smile on her beautiful face and remind her that people can surprise you in a very pleasant way. After hearing some of the stories from HelpOthers she told me one herself that happened 30 years ago. She was just a teenager on a vacation on the Adriatic coast with her two best friends (they are still her best friends).  They were having coffee ... Read Full Story >>

Paying-it-foward at Physiotherapy

I've recently been going to a physiotherapist to help recover full range of motion in an arm that has been in a cast for a month. As I was waiting to register for my second appointment, I couldn't help overhear the conversation with the patient checking out before me. She was on disability, so most of the cost of her sessions were covered, except for $15 co-pays. The woman at the checkout desk asked if she would like to make her next appointment, but the patient said she couldn't do so until she had found a way to get the money. "I'll have to ask my daughter," she said, before walking away. After my session, I paid for the woman's next appointment.

He Refused Her Offer to Play the Harp For Three Weeks But Softened When He Accidantly Heard It

Monday I went to a nursing home where hospice has a number of people and yesterday I went to the hospital's oncology wing and played my harp at the bedside. I go both places each week. There was one man at the nursing home who has refused my offer for the last 3 weeks. His roommate always asks if I will play for him. As he is not part of the hospice I volunteer for, I move on to find those who are first.

This week my schedule wasn't so rushed so after the refusal, I did sit down and play for the roommate. My back was to the hospice patient. After 1/2 hour, I got up and saw the hospice patient with his mouth open in awe. He couldn't thank me enough.

The nurse caught me in the hall and told me he was a terribly tough nut to crack, that it was so good for him to experience this. She had been in there too, and I didn't know it. I am so glad I had the time and even more grateful for the persistence of the roommate, who I believe was a bit of an angel, unintentional or not.

Broken Laundry Cart and a Ride Home

I was on my merry way when I saw this old lady trying to go back home after going to the laundromat.  She was pushing her little cart with 2 wheels on the front but it didn't budge because of a steep bump.   She pushed so hard one of the wheels came off. I stopped and got the wheel and put it back on the lady's laundry cart. I asked her that if she would like me to take her home after I finished my shopping and she replied "yes."  She was so happy. I didn't know how far she was going and my son and his girl friend were waiting for me in the car. I rushed to get my things and when I was at the register I let her know that it would not take much longer and she waited patiently for me.  When I finished  I told her I was ready ... Read Full Story >>

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 >>

A Daily Reminder

I was stopped at a red light when I noticed a homeless guy walking towards me. This man had a sign that read "not much needed just hungry".

I didn't have any cash, all I had was my own lunch I had packed for myself. I rolled my window and said I have a banana, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a bottled water- it's yours if you want it. He smiled and said Thank You.

I was scared at first that maybe he was looking for something different than what I had to offer, but he walked over to his crate, sat down and ate the food. I pass him every day and everyday he smiles and mimes "Thank You".