Stories by 4abetterworld (21 matches)

Now I See You

Today I went out for a nice stroll with my husband to tank up on some sunshine and glorious fresh air under trees ablaze with gorgeous autumnal colours. It seems many others had the same idea. Some people greeted us nicely as we passed them by and I gave them a cheery hello and a warm smile, but some passers-by just looked away grumpily. Of course, it is our choice to do the one or the other but wouldn't the world be a much better place, if people did NOT choose to look away in certain situations? For example, when injustices are done? When people are unfairly treated? When somebody is judged for their appearance, creed, religion, actions or beliefs? When crimes are committed? When somebody is involved in an accident and people just drive past and stare rather than administer first-aid or just hold that person's hand as they wait for ... Read Full Story >>

329 Reads

Out And About.

Yesterday was pretty nice in so many respects. I went to the animal shelter to do some cat-cuddling for a couple of hours and was rewarded with lots of kitty kisses and snuggles. I also left a little blanket which I had knitted myself for a very sweet stray cat there that I was sure would appreciate it on a cold night. Also had a proper catch-up with a very good friend over a cuppa tea and her sandwiches and my tangerine and chocolate. She gave me a little bunch of flowers with a get well card which was so thoughtful and kind. Oh yes, I also found a lucky stone from the Universe which made me smile. So many beautiful gifts.  After that I bought a few more hygiene articles for women and babies for my care package for the earthquake survivors in Turkey and put them into the box I ... Read Full Story >>

301 Reads

Sharing Gratitude

I am still on holiday here in beautiful Iceland. I have practiced some teensy-weensy acts of kindness such as smiling at people or making some smalltalk. Yesterday, I went a step further. Went into the local church and sat for about an hour thinking about every every single person who I am grateful for - even the ones who have given me a hard time over the years. Bad experiences are teachers too. It was hard to concentrate as it was rather loud due to maintenance work. I found myself thinking about people I have known, encountered over the decades, the ones that especially made a lasting impression on me and tried to visualise their faces in my mind's eye. Wished them all the very best as I did so. I also thought of our beautiful planet and silently expressed my gratitude for the stars, the sun, the moon, the water, all flora ... Read Full Story >>

300 Reads

Two Real Gems At The Petrol Station.

Found a valuable amber ring in the restroom of the petrol / gas station and handed it over to the cashier. Here's hoping the owner of the ring will remember where she left it! 

The cashier was a lovely cheerful soul despite the long queue / line behind me and even went out her way to operate the self-service coffee machine for me. A real gem of a woman. 

Don't you just love seeing beautiful little " kindness ripples" in everyday life?

220 Reads

Looking After Wild Birds

Jack Frost was out last night leaving a trail of glitter behind him. So pretty to look at! Remembered we still have some suet fatballs and put them into the bird feeders and on top of a little table in the garden. A blue jay was the first to discover the goodies and word has spread. So much so that the birds are literally queuing up at the feeding stations and patiently waiting their turn! Will now put out some fresh lukewarm water for them all. My feeder is attached to the arch for roses. (See bottom of my picture.) Please be sure to look after the wild birds during the cold weather. You can get suet fatballs without the plastic net casing nowadays which are perfect for sparrows and tits. Just ensure you have the right sort of feeder to put them into. Blackbirds and robins love picking at apples, ... Read Full Story >>

206 Reads

Free Parking

There was half an hour left on the parking ticket I bought. So, rather than just throw it away, I pushed it into the coin section of the parking ticket machine, in the hope that somebody might get it in time and be able to use it.

205 Reads

Give And Take.

Today a very old acquaintance I have not seen in absolute donkey's years - an IT specialist - popped by to help me fix a computer issue which I have had for quite a while now. It was lovely to catch up over a few coffees, reminisce and have a laugh as he shared his expertise and plastered my devices with safe and up-to-date software. He gave me a decent price for his good work and I gifted him one of my lucky clovers which I am lucky to find out in nature.

I tend to laminate and give away these little treasures - actually well over 200 so far have put a smile on people's faces. He was thrilled with his five-leaf clover. Hope it brings him an abundance of good luck in whichever way he needs it. We promised each other to make a much better effort of keeping in touch.

202 Reads

Earth Angels Who Were There For Me When I Needed Some Help.

Yesterday I had the chance to get out of my comfort zone and approach two strangers for help. And they did!

A young boy on a bike gave me some directions for a shortcut to the next village. Though pushed for time, he even accompanied me part of the way to show me the start of the path. We had a laugh when I said I was going to steal his bike. I would have taken the car but have fractured my hand, so had to use my feet to get from the doctor's surgery to another important appointment yesterday.

Got there in the end - thanks to a kind man who was leaving his driveway and about to dry the windscreen of his car. I asked him for a lift down the road, seeing as I only had 5 minutes left. It would have taken me 10 to 15 minutes on foot but only a few minutes by car. Fortunately he was happy to oblige.

Glad I trusted my instinct - he was a very kind decent person and thanks to him - and the boy - I got to my appointment a minute early. GRATEFUL to the help from kind strangers who gave me hope and strength. Wishing them all the very best. 💗

177 Reads

Looking After The Wild Birds.

Jack Frost has been out and about at my neck of the woods over the last few nights. A perfect opportunity to hang up lots of fatballs for the wild birds which happily devoured them today.

I also cleaned the birdbaths thoroughly and filled them up with fresh water. Kipped out the water before the frost came in the late afternoon. Will fill them up again tomorrow morning.That is easier than hacking away at the ice which forms during the night. 

I noticed a sparrow with some cotton wool in its beak optimising the wooden bird house as his little family observed him. A sure sign winter is on its way! Please look after the birds that visit your garden this winter even if it is merely by providing some clean water in a small birdbath.

173 Reads

Love, Kindness, and Trust

Today I spontaneously gave my husband my most precious pebble - a love-heart-shaped one (that rolled right into my hand after a special moment standing in the sea). This was a gift to emphasize how much I love him. I also asked a family member how I could avoid potential conflicts with her partner over Christmas. The advice that she offered me worked like a charm - not a single argument with him.  Also, as part of a gift to a special young person, I included something that is special to me, and I made an effort to talk to her in-depth, which was special.  People from different generations can learn so much from each other. We had a magical moment observing a wild beaver-like animal eating dandelion leaves on a river bank. She told me what she knew about this wild animal that I was seeing for the first time.  I managed to coax it to eat from my hand and then told her how I did so (remain calm and respectful, approach it slowly, crouch down and hold out my hand).  Grateful for that experience and also to the wild animal that gave me its trust. Kindness all around. Use the chance to be kind. Not only this Christmas but at every opportunity you can 💓

165 Reads

Ripples and Ripples

Spent some quality time chatting to the friendly vendor who sells copies of a magazine which supports the homeless. Have known this vendor for a few years. Come rain or shine, he always has a lovely smile and is a kind and decent person. Yesterday he looked a bit dejected as he still had not sold all the March issues and he pointed to a large pile of magazines and April is around the corner. "N" stands in front of the supermarket for 10 hours a few days a week and he has a fairly large family to support. I felt for him 🙁... The magazine always contains interesting thought-provoking articles and only costs a couple of euros - not exactly a huge sum of money for the majority of people, although I do understand people are free to do with their money whatever they want and may have to watch ... Read Full Story >>

164 Reads

Today...

So, I have been indulging in a spot of therapy over the last 2 weeks in an effort to try to get over a life bump, so that I can feel good within myself and find more strength for my steps ahead. The first day here I just could not stop crying at the breakfast table and another woman was very kind to me. Most people - even the younger ones tend to be there for each other when needed which is highly admirable.  Today one of the older women had a bit of a breakdown during lunch and rushed out of the room with her plate in hand. I asked her if she was OK as she went past me but she could not answer. So, I signalled to a young girl to go after her to check and see if she was OK. Glad she did and I really hope it ... Read Full Story >>

163 Reads

Love For Our Elders.

Wrote 3 cheery cards to elders who would appreciate some mail from around the world. Was pleased to have the opportunity to use pretty handmade cards an artistic lady gifted me and also pop in some lucky clover.

Thanks to Kindspringer Helen for the tip. If you want to spread some cheer too, check out "letter requests" on the website "Love for our elders". Here is the link. https://loveforourelders.org/letter-requests

115 Reads

Damsel In Distress.

I saw a woman in her 30's crying on the street and asked if everything was OK. She tearfully nodded and put her hand to her back and headed towards the surgical clinic which was close by. It looked like she was in severe pain. Since she wasn`t looking for any help, I silently wished her well.

I had my appendix removed when i was in my 20's. The pain was so bad it was hard to walk and I got a bit tearful and dizzy, but the passers-by just ignored me or gave me strange looks and quickly walked on. Since then, if I see another woman crying in a public place (and I have actually seen a few over the years!) I make a point of asking them if they are OK and need help. Usually they will say " No thanks,  it`s OK" but I think it is important to at least ask. May we all look out for our sisters in need! 

115 Reads

Flowers From The Garden.

Went along to my summer patchworking course today (Learning to make a nice cushion cover with a small group of nice women ).

Took along some flowers from the garden for the lovely shop owner / course instructor. Just because! She was thrilled. 🌺🌸🏵

115 Reads

Bits And Bobs.

Yesterday I managed to practice a few acts of kindness. 1) Was friendly to everybody at the hotel breakfast table and reception by saying good morning and smiling at them. Got beautiful smiles from most of them in return, especially from a young foreign girl who was playing with her food and had hardly eaten anything. (Maybe worried about her weight? But she was just lovely as she is!) We joked about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. 🌞 2) Noticed a young man had tears in his eyes and asked if he was OK. He said he was just about to start work. I had the impression he was having a bit of a bad day and maybe even did not like his employer or the working conditions? Told him to do his very best at work on that shift, then go home and think carefully about what ... Read Full Story >>

105 Reads

For The Love Of Cats 🐈❤️🐈‍⬛

So, I have been volunteering at the local animal shelter as a "cat-cuddler" for just over five and a half years now. Time certainly flies! 😻

Chatted to one of the staff yesterday about some of the cats that I remembered from back then. She is in charge of the cats and remembered them well too. Back then, during my first year especially, I took lots of photos of my fav kitties and hoped to make up a photo album for myself.

Today I located those old pics on my laptop as I thought the lovely lady in charge of the cats will appreciate them. Initially considered getting a few printed out as good old-fashioned photos but then figured that is not exactly environmentally-friendly.

So I transferred them (about 150) onto a USB stick instead and will give it to the lady. Maybe the animal shelter might want to use some of the better photos for their website.
 

70 Reads

Green alternative with Soap Nuts

Today I tried out soap nuts (aka soap berries) instead of conventional laundry detergent. Only 5 for a full washload and my clothes came out sparkling clean and smelling lovely. Really pleased with the results and will continue to buy and use these. No way back now for me!

Keen to do more for Mother Earth by reducing some more plastic / cutting out chemicals where I can. Seemingly you can even use soap nuts to clean your home, wash your dishes and even wash your hair. So I boiled up the soap nuts which came out nice and soft from the washing machine and let them simmer for about half an hour. Totally looking forward to trying out a new green cleaning detergent and a washing-up liquid. Next plan is to replace plastic water bottles for glass ones as these will def get recycled.

59 Reads

Litter By The Lake.

Today I went for a lovely walk around a lake and enjoyed an apple on a bench where the views were fantastic. It must be a popular spot as there was quite a bit of litter at my feet. Picked it all up using a clean hanky and deposited it in the bin right behind the bench! All it took was 20 seconds of my time. A tiny act of kindness which demonstrated my appreciation and respect to nature and other walkers who will enjoy the view all the more. Maybe my post will encourage you to do the same.

58 Reads

Counting Those Blessings.

In one and a half days I fly the "Nest" here and had fun buying and wrapping up a couple of gifts for some lovely people: Choccies for the 2 cleaning ladies. I will especially miss the little blonde lady with the husky voice who is a real sunshine - just like her name - Sonja. And I will miss the man in the wheelchair who has piercings and sometimes feathers as piercings. We had a lovely deep conversation today. He is very kind, genuine and clever. I think I will gift him a painting I made. Hope to catch him tomorrow when he is having a cigarette outside his building. I also made a gift for myself - a lovely homemade bracelet made of glass beads. I realised that there are many other gifts: recognising the light in the darkness, self-care, hope, faith and gratitude. And the chance to get out of my comfort zone and achieve little goals. Things are getting better. 💓

56 Reads

Spreading The Love.

Thoroughly enjoying the lucky clover-picking time. Got a new batch finally dried and waiting to be laminated.

Bought 2 paper punches yesterday so I can add paper love hearts and clovers to my little treasures. Looking forward to gifting them.

Let me know if you want any. I'll be glad to send for free. 🍀❤️

49 Reads



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