Stories Matching 'Small Acts Of Kindness' Tag (363 matches)



Something Priceless At The Dollar Store

I stopped at the local dollar store the other day after a fitness class to buy a candy bar.  So I get the candy and get in line behind a woman who looked about twenty years old. She had two small children with her and quite a lot of items in her shopping cart.     She handed her credit card to the clerk but the clerk told her it had been declined. The young woman insisted she had paid it off the day before. The clerk replied, "Maybe it hasn't got through the system yet. Do you want to call someone?"     The young girl got out her cell phone and was looking through it. Meanwhile, they open another counter to check me out.      I was walking out to my car when I thought, "Okay! You're always wishing you could help someone. Time for you to do it!"     I got back out of ... Read Full Story >>

7583 Reads

Something To Sit On

We have five fantastic children.  As they've grown older, from high school to college and so on, we found ourselves cleaning out our home of furniture only to replace it with something new. We had this one living room set consisting of a sofa, loveseat and chair. It went through a couple of the kids, hauling it up the stairs to their third floor apartments and back down again to the next apartment. Our son was the last to have the set when he finally asked for a place to store it because he was going out of town for a semester.  We told him we would hold it for him in our garage.  So we picked the furniture up and brought it back to the house. One day, while at work, I heard a couple of people talking in the hallway.  A mother and her two children were kicked out of their ... Read Full Story >>

5523 Reads
  • Posted by momoffive
  • Apr 30, 2013
  • 17 Comments
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From Suicidal To Motivational

A very wonderful thing happened on my radio show! A young man who had called the show a week before was sitting across from me in the studio telling listeners not to give up!    This was particularly moving since he had call me on air to say he was about to kill himself.   The very day he called my wife and I went to see him after he had promised me on air not to commit suicide. We invited him into the car and offered him some donuts which he took with trembling hands. He was hungry, penniless, frustrated and hurt. Just last November his mother had been gunned down in a drive-by shooting. He had just finished talking with her on the phone when it happened.   On the day he called the show he had turned the radio down so it would not distract him from cutting his wrists. As he was about ... Read Full Story >>

4327 Reads

Quiet Dignity at a Truck Stop

A few years ago, I had a long commute to get home from work. One morning I was on my way home and was very tired after working a 12 hour night shift. I stopped at a local restaurant to have breakfast. It was really a truck stop and I was the only customer. Right after I placed my order I saw a man come in. He was carrying a small backpack and looked like he had seen better times. He reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. He asked the waitress if 38 cents was enough to buy a cup of coffee. She looked at his hand and said, "Of course. Have a seat." (Coffee was 50 cents a cup at the time.) It really struck me how she had tried to preserve his pride and how he had not asked for any charity. Shortly before my food came. I ... Read Full Story >>

6358 Reads

Blue-Eyed Blessing

It has always been hard for me to give homeless people money, even when it tugs at my heart strings. Maybe I've heard too many times that they would use it to buy drugs or alcohol.

Yesterday, on my way home, I made a stop at a shopping center. On the way into the store, I notice a man standing with a sign. On my way out, I decided to exit from the other side.

When I got back into my car, without thinking, I went back the way I had come in. I took some money out of my purse and pulled up to the man. I looked straight into his beautiful blue eyes and handed him the money.

"Bless you," he said, and he took the money.

I said a prayer for him as I drove away, for I was deeply touched by those eyes. There was so much human grace in them.

I don't know what he will do with the money. His sign said something about being homeless and I truly hope he was placed in my path because his need was real and I was able to help in some small way.

Those eyes touched my soul and I was deeply moved.

978 Reads

Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #3 - Girl Gets Up At 5AM To Decorate Her Entire Street

As part of her personal mission to try to bring some unexpected cheer to her neighbors, UK-based Zoe Green—who goes by the moniker Pea Green Girl—got up at 5 one April morning, or what she calls “Happy Street Day”, to decorate her entire street.  Along Shelbourne Road, she hung balloons at a bus shelter, post-box and telephone booth; stuck Post-Its with encouraging messages on a telephone pole; and pasted a “Good Morning!” sign along the bridge so that people who drove under it could see the greeting.  Green’s little project aimed to inspire people, and it must’ve brightened up someone else’s day—and it was her tiny step to changing the world, one smile at a time.  “I don’t intend to change the world, but I know that if you brighten one person’s day, they are highly likely to brighten someone else’s day,” she wrote on her blog.  If you left your house one morning and walked down the street to ... Read Full Story >>

13.5K Reads
  • Posted by Anthea Quay
  • Dec 30, 2013
  • 19 Comments
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Found on the NYC Subway

Pay It Forward Day has come and gone, but one New York City metro rider is keeping its spirit alive. The anonymous do-gooder left a sweet note along with a prepaid unlimited metro card for another rider to find, use and pass on. New Yorker Michelle Attardo spotted the card on 2nd Avenue between 88th and 89th and took a photo, which she shared on Instagram. The note reads: Unlimited - good 'til midnight. Use, if you can; leave for someone else when you're done. We love everything about this note, right down to its impeccable semicolon and apostrophe usage. Whoever you are, thanks for making our day -- and someone's night! ... Read Full Story >>

5087 Reads
  • Posted by HP
  • May 11, 2013
  • 1 Comments
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Top 10 Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #6 - "I feel good doing this!"

"But I feel good doing this!" The little boy´s answer rang in my ears as I walked into the mall. He stood right outside the entrance, in the bitter spring wind, collecting donations for cancer research. Nose red, hat deep over his ears, he warmed one hand in his pocket and held a list with his other hand. I noticed he had no gloves. I checked my purse, but had no coins. It is a principle of mine to always give money to cancer research - I have lost dear friends and family members to the disease, and want to do my little part to help find a cure. "I´ll bring you some money when I come back," I promised the young boy.  "Thank you!" he smiled and sneezed into a big tissue. A very worn tissue, I might add. I looked at him. If you have ever seen little children who refuse to come out of ... Read Full Story >>

14.4K Reads

Love Lasts for an Eternity

I drove to a local supermarket the other day. My shopping list was long and my wallet was light. Still, I needed to get a week's worth of groceries for my family. I parked my car, looked down at my list, and hoped I could afford it all.  As I approached the door, I saw a man with kind eyes and a gentle smile. He said he was collecting for a local food bank that helped to feed the hungry in my area. He handed me a second shopping list of things they could use and asked me to help if I could. I smiled back, took the list and walked into the store. I really wanted to help, but wasn't sure if I could this time.  I walked through the store, picking up vegetables, soup, spaghetti, bread, milk, cereal, macaroni, bananas, and a dozen other things. I slowly marked each item ... Read Full Story >>

7307 Reads
  • Posted by brownowlster
  • Jun 20, 2013
  • 22 Comments
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Top Ten Kindness Stories of 2012, Story #10 - 8 Things To Do Every Day That Will Make You Happier

1) Thank someone First thing in the morning, send an email thanking or praising someone. Research shows this can brighten your day.   2) Spend money — on someone else Harvard professor Michael Norton, author of Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending, explains how spending money on other people can generate more happiness than spending on yourself: 3) Give 5 hugs People assigned to give or receive hugs 5 times a day ended up happier than the control group. From Sonja Lyubomirsky’s very interesting book, The How of Happiness: In a one-of-a-kind study, students at Pennsylvania State University were assigned to two groups. The first group was instructed to give or receive a minimum of five hugs per day over the course of four weeks and to record the details. The hugs had to be front-to-front (nonsexual) hugs, using both arms of both participants; however, the length and strength of hug, as well as the placement of hands, were left ... Read Full Story >>

22.4K Reads
  • Posted by anonymous
  • Dec 23, 2013
  • 6 Comments
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Spreading Smiles On a Father-Daughter Date Night!

At least once a month one of my little kindness kids Rachel and I try to have a father/daughter date night. Last night we were out for dinner together after doing some fun things. We talked about some of her kindness activities she did at school for their 100 Acts of Kindness challenge her class had. It was great to listen to the little things she and her classmates did to spread kindness. Many times on our date nights we try to do an act of kindness of our own, as she is often my sidekick on our kindness adventures. My latest Smile Deck card is one about anonymously buying a stranger's meal so I asked Rachel if we should find someone in the restaurant and buy their dinner. She loved the idea so we chose an older couple sitting behind us. I had a few Smile Cards on me (as always!) ... Read Full Story >>

6879 Reads

A Party and an Opportunity to be Generous

We usually have a Christmas get together right before the holidays for our friends, family and neighbors.  Instead of folks bringing gifts or food for us we usually ask for some item for someone in need.  Usually something like hats/gloves/scarves for senior citizens, food donations for a family in hard times, toys/stuffed animals for local charity.  It always is fun and everyone has a good time sharing.  This past Christmas, on the day of my party I was very sick and ended up in the hospital so sadly I had to cancel the party.  Since everyone was disappointed I decided to have it around Valentine's day instead.  We asked for adult socks for a non-profit which helps families in need, they said they have lots of children's socks but people forget the teenagers and adults.  I also asked for reading glasses for our local library so those who need glasses or forget ... Read Full Story >>

3646 Reads

How To Make Someone's Day

I like to anonymously pay the restaurant tabs for strangers who catch my interest.    The last one, for instance, was an elderly lady who came into the restaurant where I was having lunch with my daughter. She was alone and I heard her tell the waitress that it was her birthday and she would like a piece of pie and some coffee.    As I left I told the waitress that I wanted to pay that lady's tab and I asked the waitress to wish the her a very happy birthday but not to tell her who it was.    I try to do this once a month.    When I was a young mother I was at a restaurant with my husband and two little boys and we were surprised to learn that someone had paid our bill because he thought we "looked like a nice family." I felt such a warm feeling and never forgot ... Read Full Story >>

4101 Reads
  • Posted by nlmccoy
  • Aug 24, 2013
  • 22 Comments
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Chocolate bars, flowers, and a morning I'll always remember

This morning, I arrived at my office a bit earlier to catch up on some emails. It was relatively empty, with people trickling in here and there. On the way to work today, I had also stopped by the grocery store to pick up some fruits to share with my colleagues during our morning meeting. I couldn't help it when I passed a fresh stack of yellow flowers on my way to the cash register... I had to pick some up, along with a few chocolate bars, to gift in some way. With the office so empty, I decided to take the opportunity to pick a few random desks to plop the chocolate bars on. :) My heart raced a bit as I scurried through the office, headed towards cubicles and areas where no one had come in yet. :) I placed one on the CEO's desk, and snuggled a smile card ... Read Full Story >>

5353 Reads

Before My Head Gets In Front Of My Heart

I do a lot of kind things on an impulse, mostly because I know that if I think about them I will probably will let my head get in front of my heart and then regret not having acted.

Today I woke up with the clear idea that I had to send a certain amount of cash to someone I know who is indirectly related to me. The amount  was exactly half of what I had in my already very slim bank account. 

As you can imagine all sorts of thoughts went through my head but - I can't explain - I just knew I have to do it and do it anonymously. 

All I know is that this person has three children around the same age as my daughter and her husband is an alcoholic with an autistic personality, which makes her life very difficult.

Why I had to do this now and not another time I might never know. But I feel it was the right thing to do.

3242 Reads

Push It Forward

Many years ago, while returning from visiting my mother at the nursing home, our car died in the intersection of two very busy roads. 

Since neither my brother, sister, or I were old enough to steer our car my father suggested that we got out and pushed while he steered the car. Our efforts were fruitless and the car sat in the intersection. 

Suddenly, from every direction, strangers seemed to appear. They came from the golf course across the street, the gas station at the corner, the sandwich shop in the other direction, and they pushed beside us, helping to help move the car out of the road. 

Twenty-five years later I was driving and saw a mother and her children in the same predicament. 

We pulled over, walked to the car, and helped move them out the road and waited until the tow-truck arrived.

1612 Reads
  • Posted by bert.secreti
  • Sep 14, 2013
  • 5 Comments
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Paying forward $20 and making a beautiful connection

My son is currently in law school in a large city, and therefore he's basically broke.  Recently, I sent him a card with a twenty dollar bill so that he would go eat. He was so excited to receive the card and money. 

Upon leaving the post office, he saw a homeless woman standing on the sidewalk next to him.  She asked him a question about a sports team listed on his shirt, which led to a lengthy discussion about sports in general.

When he left, he gave her the twenty dollars. 

I'm so proud of my son. Not just for passing on the money, but for "seeing" the woman on the street and talking to her, not as a homeless woman, but as someone with an opinion and ideas.  Since then, he's gotten to know many people that he randomly meets on the streets and on the bus. 

He makes this mom proud.  :)

1355 Reads

Allowing others the opportunity to go first

I live in Bangalore, India, where the traffic is heavy for most of the day, and drivers can be pretty relentless. When I was in Singapore about seven years ago, I stepped off the curb and quickly jumped back upon seeing a car. To my amazement, the car stopped. I waited. So did the car. Then, the driver waved at me to cross. That was a defining moment for me. That a pedestrian was more important than the car-- something we are just not used to in India. Now, I try to slow down as often as possible and allow pedestrians to cross, or even to invite another car to go ahead of me. And I always wave when someone gives me space to go ahead. These are small courtesies, but something that makes me feel good about creating a small moment of 'feeling good' for the other person. In fact, another way of creating goodwill is ... Read Full Story >>

1822 Reads
  • Posted by gvish59
  • Sep 13, 2013
  • 6 Comments
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24 Photos of Acts Of Kindness

Sometimes its the small gestures that count.   1. When Reddit users got together to send this dying man hundreds of letters and packages. imgur.com / Via reddit.com 2. Sophia’s letter to the president about her dads. lettersofnote.com …and his response. lettersofnote.com 3. When this older couple paid for a younger couple’s Valentine’s Day dinner. reddit.com 4. This small gift. smilesmakemyday.tumblr.com 5. The driver captured on dash cam. youtube.com 6. The family who got a complimentary meal after their 3-year-old blurted out that their house had recently burned down. reddit.com 7. This guy. faithinhumanityrestored.com 8. The couple who does what they can for each other. amazonintl.in / Via buzzfeed.com 9. A shared umbrella. reddit.com 10. These men protesting domestic violence by “walking in her shoes.” Flickr: walkamileinhershoesinternational Flickr: walkamileinhershoesinternational 11. A sign. Twitter: @ThatEricAlper 12. This man who loves going to work every day. reddit.com 13. Wendell, the brave 10-year-old who saved a cat from being tortured by a group of boys. buzzfeed.com 14. The man whose final wish was that his family give someone a $500 tip. youtube.com 15. The softball players on the opposing team who carried Sara Tucholsky to each base after she injured her knee touching first on ... Read Full Story >>

24.5K Reads
  • Posted by Summer Anne Burton
  • Sep 2, 2013
  • 12 Comments
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"Extra Extra" - Passing on the Good News

Today in western New York, The Buffalo News teamed up with The Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo to raise funds for the medical care of children. People took to the street to sell newspapers for a dollar each, with the proceeds all going to benefit the hospital. As I was driving along, I came to a stop and was approached by a woman who asked if I would be interested in a paper. I felt awful - I had no cash or change on me and told her sadly, "I don't have a dollar!" She smiled and replied kindly, "Don't worry about it! The car ahead of you just gave me $5.00. That's five papers paid for, so enjoy!" At first I told her I couldn't accept, but she insisted. I thanked her and gave what I could: my blessings, for her as well as for the person in front of me who had ... Read Full Story >>

1403 Reads

Family with Epileptic Son Touched After Stranger Pays For Dinner

A North Carolina family with an epileptic child was given a touching gift on Friday when an anonymous stranger paid for their dinner at a restaurant, leaving them a note that is, not surprisingly, going viral online. The note read: "God only gives special children to special people." The message was delivered to Ashley England and her family, including her 8-year-old son, Riley, at the Stag-N-Doe pizza restaurant in China Grove, N.C., on Friday by a waitress. "I'll try to do this without crying," the waitress told the family, according to WBTV.com. "But another customer has paid for your bill tonight and wanted me to give you this note." England said Riley, who is nonverbal, gets frustrated because he can't speak, and he had been especially rowdy during the meal. "He threw the phone and started screaming," England told WBTV. "The past few weeks have been very hard and trying for us, especially with public ... Read Full Story >>

3096 Reads
  • Posted by Good News
  • Sep 5, 2013
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Blessings By A Compassionate Touch

Today is my usual day to volunteer at the hospital. 

What I do is called Compassionate Touch and I really like it because I get to interact with the patients.

Today I had two patients who needed someone to just spend a few extra minutes with them and to listen to their stories. I felt blessed to be able to spend some time with them. 

I really like what I do as a volunteer and feel privileged to share these moments together.

I am so glad to have found the KindSpring site. It inspires me to be a better person and to be more aware of how to spread kindness. Thank you!

1163 Reads

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted

Yesterday, I was at the grocery store buying myself supper.  I actually borrowed money from my boss/friend because I was totally broke.  On my way out, there was a lady there who looked to be in her thirties with a little girl about nine or ten years old.  They had a ridiculous amount of bags filled with empty cans.  We get a five cent refund for each can returned.  Although they had  a lot of cans, their refund most likely only added up to a few dollars.  Maybe they were just doing some spring cleaning, but when I bring that many cans or bottles for refunds, it's generally because I really need money for something.  (Sometimes I'll spend all a lot of time collecting my cans and counting it all out so that I can afford a loaf of bread to eat.) Seeing the two of them there really struck me. I walked by ... Read Full Story >>

6821 Reads

Storytime in the Check-Out Line

Today the check-out line at the supermarket seemed to stretch on forever. In the midst of the Sunday rush at the market, there was only one line available to shoppers, which meant a serious back up in traffic.
 
The people stuck in line began to fidget and mumble. It wasn't long before those mumbles grew into complaints, which soon after sprouted into negativity and a palpable tension. Things might have bubbled over if a superhero hadn't appeared to save the day.
 
She was about 5 years old, standing next to her mommy, watching everyone with her very big eyes. She smiled shyly, took a book out of her tiny backpack, and in her halting, sweet, 5 year old voice began to read us all a story.

Those frowns turned to smiles as we all disappeared into the wonder of a tiny child’s magical world. Thank you to our young superhero!

 

951 Reads
  • Posted by oldladiesdance
  • Sep 14, 2013
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Mission Of Mercy At The Bingo

As a  retired person I go to Bingo a couple times a week. 

One Sunday afternoon I noticed an elderly woman at my table who seemed quite nervous. I asked her if she was all right and she said she was scared because she had left home without taking her medicine. She had tried to get in touch with her family, to get one of them to come and collect her but no one was answering. 

I offered to give her a ride home so she could take take her medication. Her face just lit up. 

I took her home and, she took her medication, then I brought her back to the Bingo. She offered me money for gas and was surprised when I refused. It just made me feel good to know she was all right. Just seeing her enjoying her day out was enough to make me smile all day!

1192 Reads
  • Posted by patjohn12
  • Sep 16, 2013
  • 6 Comments
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$15 and a moment of beauty

I work at a financial institution and know that there are few experiences more frustrating and difficult than not being able to withdraw the money you need from an account, especially in dire circumstances.  On this particular day, a member of our credit union came in needing to withdraw $15. Unfortunately, a transaction had just cleared that prevented access to her account and she didn't have the funds necessary to make a withdrawal. The tellers who were assisting her signed her in to speak with me, and she explained that the money she needed was to purchase medication for someone in her family. She had an adorable little boy with her, and wanting to do what I could, I told her to stay in my office while I went and looked into the matter. Outside, I went to the teller she had seen and gave her a withdrawal slip from my own account ... Read Full Story >>

2214 Reads
  • Posted by Lperez
  • Sep 15, 2013
  • 7 Comments
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Giving treats away at McDonalds

I was at McDonalds the other day and was trying to decide what snack to get to tide me till I rode the 2 bus home.

There was a young lady looking at the menu but just got a small soda. I decided to help and got 2 breakfast burritos for one dollar each and 2 apple pies which are 2 for a dollar. I shared a burrito and pie with her and you would have thought it was the best meal of all time.

She was happy and I was too. I was able to share a meal with someone . I told her I never like to eat alone and was happy for the company. Who knows maybe I will see her there again some day.

Found out she had lost her job and didn't have much money for food . I told her to go to my church and they would help her with some groceries to help out. So I know she will have something else to eat later on that day too. Its a blessing to help someone in need.

1946 Reads

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. 

2337 Reads

The Road To Acts Of Kindness

More than a week ago I decided to do something that I called "A Smile Card a Day Makes the World a Better Place".  I've been doing an act of kindness every single day and giving away Smile Cards with it. Yesterday on my way back home from school I stopped at a restaurant that I always go to. It was almost 10pm and that's when the close. I ordered some takeway food and sat and waited for it to be ready. The girl that took my order was mopping the floor and singing and I have to say she had a very beautiful voice. I started talking to her and told her how beautiful her voice was and I gave her a Smile Card. She loved how the card says 'Smile' on it because another customer calls her "Smiley". I then told her the rules of the Smile Card and she ... Read Full Story >>

4309 Reads

Bubble Gum Tag-Back

I am a mom of two young children whom we home-school. This means that they are with me almost constantly.   Whenever possible I will perform random acts of kindness; simple things like paying for the order behind me in the drive-thru lane, holding doors, etc. So, they are very familiar with the concept and are, of course, encouraged to also do "nice" things for others. Just a few days ago we stopped by our local grocery store to pick up a few things which quickly turned into an entire cart load of stuff. We got into one of the two open checkout lanes and waited our turn. While waiting a young man came up behind us with only a few items in his basket. I told him to go ahead of us as we were in no hurry.   He seemed very pleasantly surprised and graciously accepted. As he began putting his ... Read Full Story >>

4811 Reads




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