Stories by Butterkind (28 matches)

Rani's Gift.

I was at the cafeteria on the ground floor of Sakra world hospital in India, with my mother. We had come over to eat our lunch. Since we had waited for quite some time, we decided to get it packed to go. We then headed back to the private room on the 5th floor where my father was admitted. In the evening when my mom and myself were preparing to leave, I took my bag and found that the money purse in it was missing. I had carried 40 thousand rupees cash in it since I had to pay some bills. I started to look around in panic, and then recalled my visit to the cafeteria a few hours ago! So, as I was heading to the cafeteria, I was quite disappointed at my irresponsibility and hoped that no one would’ve stolen the purse. When I entered the cafeteria it was quiet, ... Read Full Story >>

Making a New Friend

As my husband and I were watering some plants in the front yard an elderly man walking by stopped to talk with us. He asked us to guess his age and the best answer I could think of was 75 years. That was obviously wrong because he was 93 years old and turning 94 on February 1st! He mentioned often to me about the problem he is facing which is that he cannot find people to talk to. I welcomed him to sit on our bench and offered to be his friend. I asked him the secret to his longevity and here’s what he replied. His father was a very rich lawyer but it seems he had no peace of mind. He then met someone who gave this advice. “If you want peace of mind, then be of service to others.” This new friend of mine, Mr. V. had a high position with ... Read Full Story >>

Let it Snow, Let is Snow!

My family was at a resort in Bass Lake to enjoy the snow. After the first night’s stay, when we got to the parking lot the next morning, we noticed that all the cars were covered in snow due to snowfall the previous night. We took off the snow from the front and rear sides and windows of our car.

As my family was getting in the car, I started removing the snow from the neighboring car. I cleared their front view glass and stuck a Smile card under the viper. Felt gratitude and joy for doing this, no matter how small the act seemed. :))

Dismay is Followed by Unexpected Connection

My daughter with her two friends drove to SFO for a hike. On returning to the parking lot after the hike they noticed to their dismay, that their car windows were broken. Shattered glass was strewn everywhere and their purses and iPad were stolen from the car. The police weren’t very helpful even when given the device locations via Find My app. That evening my daughter got a text from a lady on Facebook.  She said she had found a purse and a backpack on the street with ID card and credit cards in it. We were mulling over the intentions of this caller. She had called from Oakland. My daughter decided to call her the next day and learn more about her instead of doubting. It tuned out that lady was an elementary school teacher and agreed to meet my daughter near a police station in Oakland. The office was closed but the kind ... Read Full Story >>

A 25th Anniversary Celebration

My husband and I recently had our 25th wedding anniversary. We marked the occasion with gratitude and took the opportunity to do sewa (selfless service) at the Gurudwara (a sikh temple). Free food is served there to everyone who comes and it is called “langhar”.

My son, husband and I, were happily given the opportunity to stand and serve at the food stand. It was a fun experience to spend the evening in this way. Our fellow server was very friendly and encouraged us to come more often saying that it is a very good way to spend time and engage in good habits.

We also did some other chores and as we were leaving the friend gave a big hug to my son and appreciated him for doing very good work. He asked my son to come anytime when he felt like it. He gave me his business card too. We will be going there more often for sure, to serve and purify ourselves.


 

Sharing with Neighbors and Caring for the Earth

I plucked a bag full of ripe oranges today from the orange tree in our backyard and gave them to my neighbors. They are two brothers living together with their families and both have young kids. They are always grateful and accepting of my little gestures.

I also have a few pieces of camping gear including bedding that my kids have outgrown. I am glad to pass this on as it might be useful to them.

A few years ago, another neighbor gave me one her sleds which my family uses every year when we go to snowy places.

Circulation and reuse of resources is good for us and also good for Mother Earth.

Who Got the Bigger Surprise!

Some of my friends went as a group to cheer up a senior friend of mine who was feeling very depressed due to her inability to travel, a disability of the hand and a few other things. We went to cheer her up and give her flowers, cards (she adores Rumi so we made Rumi posters as seen in the picture) and food, but her kind grateful  spirit touched us all far more! She was warm and open and expressed how she had been feeling lately. She was in tears to see us all. All of us were filled with gratitude for everyone’s presence and for a shared understanding and love. We played a couple of uplifting songs on a portable music player (Carey Pearce - It won't always be like this.)  One of our friends had woke up at 5 am to make cheesecake bread loaves and chex mix for all ... Read Full Story >>

From picking fruits to top notch-cooking

One act of kindness is leading to another. And as it is continuing new friendships are forming and existing ones are strengthening. My elderly neighbor called me and my daughter to pluck fruits from her tree as the fruits were high and it was required to step on a huge ladder to get them. After an hour spent chatting and picking the fruits, she treated us with refreshing lemonade with ice and soda. She also gave us plenty of fruits to distribute to our friends. I then distributed them to three other senior friends of mine. One of them (75+ years) gave me a piping hot tomato rasam (curry) in a container to take home. It was so authentic and so yum that I had to ask her about it. She told me that her mom and grand mom were both top-notch cooks and she learned it from them, when she was helping them ... Read Full Story >>

Slowing Down to Spread a Little Kindness at the Airport in India

I walked into a restroom at the airport and the janitor asked me to “wait” and went inside the toilet room first to ensure it was flushed clean and dry. She then gestured me to go in.

I was very moved by her kind act and gave her some money and an origami peace dove as I left. She resisted accepting the money at first,  but eventually, she took it.

She asked me to give her an online review for her service instead, based on which they get points it seems. I took a selfie (attached here) together.

Next, I also had an opportunity for the classic pay it forward game when I stood in line to get filter coffee. I paid for the person behind me in line.
I also let people go ahead of me in line when I saw that they were eager to go ahead of me.

The assistants at the airport have been very helpful whenever I’ve asked them any questions. We are all the same people trying to do our best.

Birthday Gift

Today I gave a surprise visit to my music teacher at his house for his birthday. And I gave him a bouquet of flowers, a card, and a pothos plant (money plant).

But the treat that I received was beyond my expectations! His wife and he shared a full lunch with me of a delicious sweet dish, curry, and vegetables alongside watermelon juice. They even packed food for me for my family along with figs from their tree.

I feel so grateful for their company as they are very peaceful, simple, and kind people to be with. I started to feel like it was my birthday. :)

Birthday Sharing

On my daughter’s birthday I packed several cake slices in bowls and drove around, distributing them to those experiencing homelessness. One person asked how old my daughter was, which led us to engage in a small conversation. It was more about an exchange and acknowledgment of the Light within each and every one of us.

Appreciation Of Friendship

 A senior friend of mine has several good sewing materials which she wants to give to me. She cannot sew anymore due to a dysfunctional nerve in one of her hands

I mentioned to her that I don’t sew but she is encouraging me to learn and tells me it can be fun. She did some research on the internet and sent me several links for sewing classes nearby.

I really appreciate her friendship. She is very encouraging and generous too.

A One Of A Kind Pizza

I received this homemade delicious pizza for our family dinner by a senior couple. I had gone to give some groceries and they handed me this pizza with veggie toppings.

I am touched by their act and I hope to pay it forward in a similar way so that our joy be shared!

 

Birthday Care Day

When we go on walks my husband often talks about the litter he sees on the sidewalk. So on his birthday, he decided to do some clean-up. I took a picker and he held a big trash bag. Together we did litter pickup on the sidewalk near the high school. I was surprised that the bag filled up so quickly and we dumped it in the roadside trash bin and repeated the process two more times.

It gave a sense of satisfaction to know that we did what we could for our Mother Earth. We thought of doing this on a regular basis; maybe once a month.

Afterward, we had a nice cup of tea and enjoyed his cake. :)

Every day after waking up is a birthday in some sense, and it would be so nice to practice starting with a fresh beginning and a kinder heart every day. :)

Sharing Nature's Gifts

As I was watering the geranium plants in front of my house, my neighbor was passing by for her walk. She appreciated the blooms and so I told her how I had propagated and increased the number of plants, and that I would be able to offer her a few.

The picture shows a couple of plants grown in an empty yogurt container with holes drilled at the bottom. I mixed some potting soil and sand and put them in the container, and after dipping the open cut of the cuttings into rooting powder, I put it in the soil mix with little watering.

It takes 4-6 weeks for the roots to form and then they are ready for repotting and or gifting. My connection with dirt and understanding of plants is also growing in the process. I am grateful for having these plants and the soil as my teachers and for being able to share the fruits with others...thank you!

Kind Neighbor after gusty winds

I experienced the kindness of my neighbors and feel blessed to be their neighbor.

We usually just wave and say 'hi' occasionally and nothing more. This week there has been a downpour of rain in our area and also flash flood warnings have been issued. As gusty winds blew throughout the day, part of our wooden fence, about 6 feet of it, came down and the wooden planks had fallen down.
 
I had been thinking of getting it repaired for the last 2 days, and was wondering who to call.To my big surprise, I saw today through my window that it was fixed, and the wooden planks were all stacked and were standing sturdy and strong, well-connected and nailed up all the way to our small entry door.

This was a very kind act by my neighbor and my family is moved by their kindness. I will soon send them a thank you note.
 

Sharing Fruits

I shared another bag of sweet oranges from our tree to my neighbor. She was delighted and accepted with gratitude and mentioned how important it is to have citrus fruits to stay healthy and develop immunity. It is also detoxifying.
I am also giving away a few bags to a friend and to my husband's colleague.
We're so blessed to have such abundant fruits in one single tree and sincerely grateful to Mother Nature for taking care of us so naturally and generously.

Enjoy The Ride

I offered to give a ride to a friend to a get-together at another friend's place. He gratefully accepted it since he doesn't have a car.

Coincidentally, my daughter found out that a new younger friend in her college had booked a flight to come to the bay area from Southern California. My daughter was driving to the bay area with her friend on the same day. So, she asked if the new friend wanted to join them in her car.

The new friend happily canceled her flight and they all drove together and enjoy each other's company and reached home safely.

What a fun way to return home after the stressful exams, filled with kindness and joy!

Distributed Strawberries And Love

Yesterday in the parking lot of Homedepot (a hardware and nursery store) there was a fruit truck selling fruits. The seller was walking car to car trying to sell his strawberries box.. i took a big box for 15$. It had 6 mini baskets of strawberries in it. One of them is shown in the picture. I knew I could not finish them all before they went bad. So, today I asked my teenaged son to give some to our neighbors. He initially resisted but he did eventu ally go to three of our neighbors and knocked on their doors to give each one a basket. On returning back home, he told me that this is what he said to them, which surprised me! “Hi I am your neighbor and my family and I are going around spreading love to the neighborhood by giving out baskets of strawberries .. would you like any?” They gratefully ... Read Full Story >>

Birthday Celebration By Serving

On my birthday, I visited the Gurudwara with my husband and son and spent some time sitting quietly and listening to the uplifting kirtan sung by the musicians. We then did sewa (service) by serving food to the visitors. Finally, we enjoyed the langar (food) and gave some donations, and then returned home. I am grateful that this serving opportunity is so close to my house as I enjoy serving and so does my family. It is really a blessing.

Being Able to Help Brings Joy

Returning packages A friend of mine cannot drive anymore so she kindly requested me to return a few items to the UPS store, which she had purchased online. 

They were big boxes. My husband and I were happy to help her with that. It is a joyous opportunity for me to help her.

I feel glad that she texts me whenever she needs help and I appreciate how she openly asks for help and how she expresses her gratitude and blesses me always.

Peace Loving Hearts

I cut out a few heart shapes and put 'peace' and 'love all' messages on them, and stuck straws on the back for support as shown in the picture. Ever since I saw this in one of Nimo's videos I have wanted to do this<3. I am putting them near mail boxes in the neighborhood so that passers by may enjoy the fresh air of positivity as they walk past them:).


 

Counseling At A Restaurant

Counseling At A Restaurant Yesterday my high-school going son, husband and myself were at a restaurant for lunch. At another table was a very old couple having lunch too. Halfway into our eating, the man glanced at me and asked about my son’s school and grade. He briefly talked about how he wants to gather knowledge of what are some personal challenges and good things the families are having. Those are his questions to people anywhere he goes. After lunch, we invited them to sit around our table and he was very glad and said jovially that people usually avoid him. He has lived in the area for 50 years and told us about colleges and gave some great rips to my son for college applications such as getting a good letter of recommendation and saturating oneself with knowledge even if its a simple assignment do it with good understanding. He also spoke ... Read Full Story >>

Peaceful Thoughts

I distributed the Origami peace doves to the participants of a yoga retreat I was in. They were very moved to know that these attractive handmade doves were made with positive thoughts of peace and love and that they were its recipients. At least 2 of them were in tears and held it close and said they could feel it. It was a nice generation of peaceful thoughts in many hearts.
Thank you to the peace dove maker Mindy for sending me the package in a timely manner as usual.
 

Unexpected Kindness

I was at a postal office to send a package for a relative of mine. When the manager asked me to pay the bill, I didn’t have the exact change. I needed a change of 500 Rs. and the manager was saying that it is very difficult to get change these days.

Meanwhile, a rickshaw driver who was standing behind me, overheard our conversation and asked me if he could get change from outside. So I gave him the money. He soon returned with the change.

In appreciation for his eagerness and timely help, I gave him a origami peace dove and he thanked me. The manager looking curiously at this unexpected gift by me, told him to hang it in his auto rickshaw. I then gave a peace dove to the manager as well.

I could tell, it filled our hearts even if we were total strangers and met only briefly.

 

Holiday Lights Warming The Hearts 💕

I went to the dental office today with my son for his routine brace treatment. As we entered the office we saw a beautiful Christmas tree lit up and there was lighting around the tables and the walls were decorated with wreaths.

I complimented the members at the front desk for creating a welcoming environment for the patients. They were very happy to hear it and gave me permission to take video too!
I gave them 5-star review because they are always very courteous to everyone and they kindly wish every person happy holidays and other greetings.

Grateful for such people who make our days lighter and joyful.

Happy holiday season to you!

Timely Gratitude

I took an uber to my work today. I was glad that I could give both a smile card and peace dove as well as the tip to the driver. Most important of all I remebered to thank them for driving me safely and helping me arrive on time!

Surrounded by Beauty

My friend who has traveled and driven to so many places when she was young cannot drive anymore due to some nerve problem in the hand. She wanted to go and see the Iris garden with full blooms.

So we drove and spent the day together. The garden is on the mountain and after seeing the most amazing colors of Irises we had tea and snacks together on the benches overlooking the wide mountain and sky landscape.

It was lovely to learn about her place where she grew in Malaysia and how the school had subjects for life skills such as cooking, baking, arranging tables and beds, crafting and exhibitions of their work. She was delighted to talk and me delighted to hear about her resourceful ways and craftswork back then.

I kept Mindy’s peace dove and Rajni’s quote card on the table with donation to the lovely garden owner before leaving their garden.
 

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