Search Results for 'popular' (3007 matches)

An Anonymous Wedding Gift

When my sister got married some time back, we were all excited.  After her honeymoon she invited me over to her house to help her unwrap the gifts and send some thank you notes to all the people that came to the wedding party.  As a side note, my sister works at Standard Bank in Malawi. Going through the gifts, we came across this precious exotic ice bucket in silver and gold.  I had never seen such a beautiful ice bucket.  Inside it was a note that read, "When I heard you were getting married, I asked around for the details and somehow managed to get here.  You might not know me but I know you.  I am a regular customer at Standard Bank and you helped me a lot when I was applying for a loan.  I will never forget what you did, God bless you.  -- Anonymous" When I showed my sister the note, she couldn't remember who the person ... Read Full Story >>

An Extra Hug

    This morning when I dropped off my daughter in her day care class, I had the chance to make a difference for her best friend, if only for a bit. Her friend comes to our house and I play with them both, giving them “horsy rides” and chasing them around. Her dad is not around very much so I know it means a lot to her.      My daily ritual is that I always give my daughter a big hug and kiss, tell her I love her and wish her a great day.  While I was hugging her today, I noticed that her best friend who, was sitting at her table, had gotten up and was right behind us watching closely. I could tell by her face that she really wished she could do what we were doing. I quickly pulled her in for the “hugfest” and squeezed them both. ... Read Full Story >>

A Kind Bomb!

At my previous work-place we had a really dreadful boss. It made for a united staff! One of the things one of the teachers used to organize was a 'kind bomb' and if a teacher was unwell and away for a period of time, or who was struggling with difficult times, this teacher would send out a message and keep a box in her room. All the staff members would contribute something - a magazine, chocolates, food items, write cheer up messages of encouragement, bathroom products, and vouchers, items as big or small as people could afford. It was funny that sometimes the teacher who it was meant to be for would find out there was a kind bomb going down, and contribute to not knowing it was for them! Lol. There was a presentation, hugs, tears, and it was a beautiful and easy thing to do. When the teacher who organized it ... Read Full Story >>

Paying it Behind At a Coffee Shop

A couple of times a month I play a game in the Starbucks drive-through lane. When I get to the cashier I pay for my coffee and the coffee of the person in the car behind me. The configuration of the drive-through makes it easy to hear the car behind me call their order into the speaker phone so I don't risk paying for a dozen caramel macchiatos and a pound of Sumatra. You may be saying that it's not technically a "game"; it's more like a "stunt". Well the game part of it comes as I try to get away from the store and into traffic before the person with the free coffee can catch up to me and get a look at me. I want to stay anonymous and leave them guessing; I think it gives them a longer lasting impression. One time it was friend of mine but ... Read Full Story >>

Growing From A Rescue Opportunity

We had a marvelous 10 days in Idaho and were driving home a day earlier than we'd planned. We just wanted to have a day to rest and prepare for our work weeks ahead. Little did we know the impact our leaving early would have on someone else. We left Caldwell, Idaho at around 1pm and went through a small town called Marsing, population 790. They have a volunteer fire department, a couple of gas stations and a small market. About 10 miles on the other side of Marsing, we saw thick black plumes of smoke miles down the road to where we were driving. It didn't look good at all. We got to where the smoke was, and discovered a Big Rig (18-wheel truck) on fire and the driver was sitting on the side of the road. Another car pulled over to see if everything was okay too. We pulled up to assist ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness Runners

I used to live next door to a wonderful old couple, Mr Mitchell and Mrs Mitchell.  They used to love gardening and had planted a beautiful garden.  Sadly, Mrs Mitchell died and Mr Mitchell's health began to deteriorate and he wasn't able to garden much anymore. Over the years their carefully tended garden became a jungle. One day, Mr Mitchell's health took a sudden downturn and he was taken into hospital.  I wanted to do something for him so I decided to tend his garden.   I wanted to get it nice again for him so that when he came back home he would have somewhere to sit in the sun while he was recuperating.  So I went into the garden armed with saws, a spade and clippers.  Over time my gardening trips became a regular thing and Mr Mitchell's garden begun to take shape again. Mr Mitchell never came back home.  He ... Read Full Story >>

15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor

I recently came across 15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor, by Joanne Brokaw.  Wonderful ideas! Loving your neighbor doesn't require a huge bank account or selling your possessions and moving to the desert (unless, of course, God is calling you to do that). Here are practical ways you can love your neighbors: 1. Write a note. In these days of electronic communication, receiving a handwritten note is a rare treat. Today, ask God to bring to mind someone who could use a little encouragement. Then take a few minutes to jot a quick note or postcard and drop it in the mail, just letting that person know you're thinking about them. 2. Recycle. If we love God, then we love his creation, and taking care of the earth is one way you can be a good neighbor. You don't have to hug a tree or buy a hybrid, but you should follow your ... Read Full Story >>

The Hidden Gems My Grandmother Gifted Me

I was having trouble with a bully at school once when I was younger. One day I eventually confided in my grandmother. I told her that I was being bullied at school.    She surprised me a little bit when she asked me what it was about? I said that I really didn't know.  She said she knew what it was about. She said it was because I hadn't done anything wrong and was simply being me. I really didn’t understand her? Why would I be bullied for not doing anything wrong?   She said that the other person was jealous of me because of something they lacked.  I was sure that couldn’t be right.   We weren’t very well off so I had second hand clothes, simple shoes, etc. whilst the other person was always in the latest fashion and had new things.    Then my grandmother explained that the jealously was not ... Read Full Story >>

The Real Gift That the House Cleaner Appreciated

This past Christmas, I wanted to give the woman who cleans my apartment a nice gift in appreciation. Since I know she doesn't have much money, I decided to write her a generous check so she could use it however she wanted, and enclosed it in an attractive large size card with a photo of a cat and dog on the cover (she loves animals). The card came with a nice message, but I also added a personal message in which I thanked her for all the good services she's provided me, wished her the best for the coming year, and for her dreams coming true. When I gave her the card with the check inside, tears of gratitude rolled down her face when she saw my message, before she even saw the check! She said, "You took the time to write me a personal message; now I feel really loved". I'm ... Read Full Story >>

Thankful for a Mother-In-Law's Advice 9 Years Later

When my husband and I became engaged some nine years ago, I felt slightly perplexed when my mother-in-law  offered us the following advice: "Be kind to each other."

I thought that was so obvious at the time, but over the years it has stuck with me and I have realised that it is one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received.

It is all too easy to take our nearest and dearest for granted and not show them the appreciation that they deserve.

I recently thanked my mother-in-law (mummy 2, as she prefers to be called) for those words.  It was nine years late, but I always think: better late than never. I told her just how much I still appreciate her words of wisdom that she shared with us all those years ago. I could see that I made her day too! :)

Kindness - Just Do It!

I drove into the supermarket parking lot and there were 2 homeless young people at the entrance with the standard "homeless and hungry" sign.  I felt the usual hopeless feeling and irritation.  I decided that I would drive out the other exit so I wouldn't have to see them when I left.  While shopping in the store I choose some really great cherries and proceeded to purchase freely.  When I was leaving the store, heading to my car, I saw the young homeless woman going around the parking lot asking for help.  No one seemed to being offering help and for a moment I could feel her hopelessness.  I was still set on driving out the other entrance believing that I shouldn't helpout and continue the homeless cycle.  As I was leaving the parking lot I thought of a talk I had listened to the night before - about kindness and how even a small ... Read Full Story >>

Live As Though Everything Is A Miracle

The following passage is a healthy prescription of how we can approach life. It is not about being famous or being wealthy or about our good looks. Truly, it is all about love. There are times when we feel as if we are separated from the rest. This illusion creates a mental prison. Hence, we should strive to internally liberate ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living things. "Open your heart to others and try to understand, When someone reaches for you, hold out to them your hand, Follow your heart, no matter what other people say, Do things that make you able to smile throughout your day, Treat other people, the way you would like them to treat you, Do what you know is right and to your heart and self stay true, Remember what life is all about, it is how you make people feel, What you do, where you go, and making dreams become real, Helping people through, in hard times of ... Read Full Story >>

A Pretty Mission

I make it a point, if I see them, to go up and compliment teenage girls or young women. I might tell her how pretty her hair is, or how much I like her dress, or just how pretty she is. I'm usually old enough to be their grandmother so I'm never misunderstood when I do this.   I remember how insecure I was when I was their age and how much it would have meant to me to have an older woman tell me something like that and know it was said with no ulterior motive. And I see this same insecurity in young girls today. It's so hard for us to believe that we're pretty for any number of reasons.   I was looking through an old photo album with my husband and he said how pretty I was back then and I could see it now, looking back, but I couldn't ... Read Full Story >>

Chasing The Brighton Bus

This is a simple story. I was driving along one day when I saw a young couple running, frantically, for a bus. The bus pulled away from the stop just as they arrived!  I slowed down and noticed how upset they looked. So, I stopped and said, "Jump in! I'll overtake the bus and you can catch it at the next stop."    They looked amazed at the offer, but got into my car. We followed the bus but we just couldn't overtake far enough to ensure they would get on. It's surprising how difficult it is to overtake a bus that doesn't stop often!    After a while and some chat with my new passengers it became clear that they were new to the area. They were visiting friends and had to get another bus to the house they were going to. That's when I asked, "Where are you going, exactly," and decided to ... Read Full Story >>

Tuning 'Possessions' Into Inventory to Share

Ever since my new laptop arrived, I held on to my older one thinking it would serve me some day. In the last few months, every time I opened the closet and saw it, I felt depressed. Here was a perfectly good laptop gathering dust, and I had turned it into inventory. Cutting-edge inventory control systems encourage us to shed our inventory because it  takes up space without creating any value. :)  I got the chance to change that a few days back, when we had a visitor who was having a crummy time in life. After helping this friend with ideas on how to start a massage business and spread the word,  I suggested, "You need to get out there on the Internet and set up your homepage." My friend replied, "For that, I need a good machine. My machine is so slow that I can't really do anything on it." ... Read Full Story >>

A Reminder of the Kindness in the World

I stopped at a huge yard sale and was looking for that hidden treasure.  A blouse caught my eye, and as I approached the "cashier" I heard her say, "Well, can't you get some more money from someone?"  I looked over and saw that her comment was directed at a child holding a nice looking pair of shoes in one hand, his other outstretched palm displaying a few coins.  I was instantly annoyed that the lady was witholding a pair of unwanted shoes for a few more cents.  I remembered my smile cards, and asked  "how much are they?" .  "Two dollars" she replied.  "Oh, here ya go," I said, handing the boy two dollars and a smile card.   As I walked away I heard her say to the boy,   "Can I see your card?"  I decided to buy the blouse and when I went to pay the lady was clearly chagrinned.  "Where did you ... Read Full Story >>

Loving Today's Challenge!

My 13-year old son and I had quite the adventure this morning! We frequently walk by a beautifully landscaped yard with a cute little flower garden. I wanted to acknowledge the time and effort put in by the gardener, but I've never seen him or her, so we went to a local nursery and bought a gift card that I will leave with a note and a smile card the next time that I pass by. We also ran to Target and bought a few $10 gift cards along with some notecards and our other groceries. While we were putting our things away in the car, my son observed that a lady that had just parked next to us looked a little grumpy. As soon as she entered the store, we grabbed a notecard, dashed off a quick note, and added a gift card and a Smile card for her to find ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness During Half Term

This last week we had half term holidays and my niece stayed with us for the week because my nephew ( her brother) was going to have a delicate spine surgery and it was easy for the parents to concentrate on looking after him. My daughter, my neice, and I went out for some last minute shopping and while I was on the line waiting to  pay the girls asked if they could wait for me at the door. Some minutes later they return to ask if they could give the sweets  they had just bought to a man in the street, so there they go and give their sweets away, another 2 minutes and they return to ask me if there was anything else they could give the man, I told them that I only had the 3 ginger bread men they had bought for dessert, so they took the biscuits to ... Read Full Story >>

An Extra Special Holiday Gift

Many years ago, I was a struggling single mom starting up a new business. It was the holiday season, and my boyfriend and I had decided that we would splurge for just one evening, and go out to dinner. We went to the Red Lobster and it got me thinking about my college waitressing days and how much I enjoyed working during that time: people shopping, feeling joyful, and tipping big. I was in the holiday spirit and wanted to give the waitress a big tip, though I knew it wasn't going to be a big Christmas for us that year.  When we had picked what we wanted, I did a quick calculation in my head to make sure that I had enough money before we placed the order. At the end of the meal, when we asked for the check, the waitress replied "It's already taken care of." I didn't understand? She ... Read Full Story >>

Helping the Elderly to Feel They Are Not Alone

I teach exercise classes to seniors  and I try to find ways to encourage them, not to just exercise, but to have fun in class and to make friends. Loneliness is one of the greatest complaints of the elderly.  I love encouraging our group to go out for breakfasts or lunches together.  On occasion I want to  pay for the meals of individuals that cannot pay for themselves.   I want to bring homemade coffee to our morning classes.

Standing around after a class and talking and smiling and CONNECTING with each other is so important.. I don't want anyone to be lonely!  This is my passion in life: to make others feel as if they are NOT ALONE.