Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I’ve been doing it for a while and it’s quite interesting because when you get to the end of the day, you think to yourself, “I gave this or I gave that today”.
 
Sometimes it’s easier and sometimes it’s more difficult.  I tend to try to give something significant. I don't mean significant in terms of monetary value but more in terms of making a difference to someone.
 
One of my gifts this weekend was the gift of patience.  My brother-in-law brought his two little ones aged 2 and 4 to spend the weekend with us.  As you can imagine my home was no longer mine - it was theirs. My home was turned completely up side down with clothes, toys and mess everywhere!
 
I could have chosen to get cross and feel miserable (wishing that Sunday goes by fast) and just wait for them to go so I could have my home back or I could practice the art of patience and ignore the whole thing. I chose the art of detachment and the art of patience towards the whole situation.
 
Additionally, I was even able to practice my RAOKs on the Saturday.  My brother-in-law asked for a football for the children.  I didn't have one so I had to go looking for one - to three stores - which did strech my patience a little bit more.  Along the way, however, I saw some street musicians so I gave them my change and a smile card ;-).
 
On Sunday, the weather was miserable but we wanted to take the children out.  We visited a city very close to ours, it was a good idea and the children had fun. On the way back we had to visit the toilets, (if you have small children you are probably familiar with the toilets ritual…) ;-).  This one was in a basement with no natural light and had an assistant working there. I thought about how sad it must be being stuck in a place like that on a Sunday afternoon, so on our way out, I gave him an envelope with enough cash for a coffee and a smile card. I hope I made him smile.