Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Be Open. Be Ready. Look for Opportunities to be Kind.


--by Gilgenbach, posted Jan 28, 2012

Today I prayed for ideas on ways to be kind.

My first opportunity came at a restaurant. A little girl dropped a dollar and walked off. I picked up the dollar and ran after her, giving it to her mother. "She dropped this," I said.

Then at the store, there was an elderly man looking at firewood. He had a cane, and I couldn't see him carrying the firewood by himself, so I approached him and asked if he needed help. He said that he was just looking, but he seemed grateful that I asked.

Inside the store, I found a bouquet of beautiful flowers. Uncertain who to give them to, I got into the check-out line. I only had two items, but a man came behind me with one, so I let him go first.

I bought my mother her favorite candy bar, and I had the flowers but no one to give them to. Before I could reach my car, I spied a woman maybe in her mid thirties coming in my direction. With a big smile on my face, I skipped up to her and said "Ma'am, these are for you!"

She looked around and back at me and said, "Me?"

I said, "Yes, they're for you. God bless you, and have a wonderful day!"

I then turned and walked away. My mom, who was waiting in the car, said the lady had a big smile on her face... and she (Mom) enjoyed her chocolate bar.

Be open. Be ready. Look for opportunities.

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Readers Comments

moral12 wrote: You made that lady's day with the flowers, i'm sure!
bookworm58 wrote: Your so sweet and i apprecate your story very much. I will look for ways to do the same in the future.
Nowelle Kristine Gregory wrote: Once in awhile, i pay for the person behind me in the drive through.
josietn wrote: Wonderful story! Thank you so much for sharing this with the rest of us. :)
Nitty wrote: Giving produced the joy in us and this is wonderful. Praying for more grace to enable do his work
Lady Dena wrote: I find that having a generous heart helps keep your heart happy! After going through many hard losses and while feeling very alone one holiday, i was on a road trip so i decided to buy a couple dozen flowers to take on the trip with me to share with others who looked lonely while on the trip! It boosted my spirits so much to think that maybe i made another lonely soul feel loved that day!
whitby98 wrote: Having a stranger come up to me with flowers would be awesome!
MettaKarunaUpekk wrote: That is so great!
Gayla wrote: To me it was not the small gifts and kindness you did that was important, it was looking at the people around you with a generous heart. Even those who have no money or the physical ability to offer help could make the world kinder by the simple internal act of looking at others with a generous heart. When we encounter with love, it radiates outward and it can be felt by others. Ometimes you encounter a person who may seem ordinary but you sense "there is something about him or her i can't put my finger one. " often that is a generous heart.
thaata wrote: For a loving and compassionate heart there is no dearth of opportunities. Thanks for reminding small acts bring great happiness.

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