Search Results for 'popular' (2975 matches)

A Nursing Home "Gardener"

My daughter reminded me yesterday of a story that happened several years ago. I worked in a nursing home for several years and had kind of adopted one wing, where the residents had few guests/visitors, and stayed manily in their rooms or in the hallway outside there rooms. I went down on my breaks just to check in, to see if anyone needed or wanted a bit of extra TLC.  I gave them "flower" nicknames so I could share some of there stories with my kids without revealing there identities. The residents all knew I had nicknames for them. I called them my own private garden. One day I happened to overhear one of them say,  "I wonder if dandelion is coming today?"  "Of course, she always comes answered another."  I admit I wondered why they named me after a weed.  A few months after overhearing this one of my special ... Read Full Story >>

The Long Life of a Short Friendship

My son's day care provider experienced a tragic sudden death of a friend. She had just met this fellow and had sensed a deep connection before dropping him off at his car. He had a car accident that night, and was killed. Deeply moved by the sadness that my friend was experiencing, I was compelled to write her some comforting words about being able to see the positives of how her friend had influenced her life and suggested that he possibly came to her as an angel of change for her life. This trajedy, impacted her deeply and encouraged her to reevaluate her life, as tragedy often does. I encouraged her to look past the normal conditionings that would have us concentrate on the drama of a trajedy and suggested she instead reflect on the positive message this friend's life gave her and the people around her. This approach would ... Read Full Story >>

A Paralyzed Body But A Powerful Heart

Last weekend, I was traveling home from Bangalore. There was a distinct lack of buses, so I thought I would escape the crowd and go for a refreshment. I decided to go to a hotel near the bus stand. I met a man there who was paralyzed and I thought to offer him some food. He spoke to me in English and started explaining his past life when he was healthy.   He had worked in Dubai for five years. Then an accident left him paralyzed. Now his family was taken care of by his sister.   While listening to his past I realized that he had experienced much in his life and learnt many lessons.   Eventually I told him that he may have been physically paralyzed but his heart and spirit were wonderful and he could always depend on them.   His eyes filled in with tears, I offered him some money and then I took him ... Read Full Story >>

World Kindness Week Day 3- A 100 Days Of Kindness

Yesterday I made a decision to do an act of kindness every day for 100 days and write it on a chart.  It can be something really small.  No sooner had I made my decision than an opportunity came along.

I saw a little girl lose the ribbon from her hair.  He mum didn't notice.  I ran over, picked it up and went running after them.  I gave the mum the ribbon and she gave me something - a lovely smile.

I think it will be fun looking for opportunities to be kind.

Candy bars, smile cards and still smiling

Even as I write this story, I am still smiling. The past few weeks have been rather tough, but when a huge set of Smile Cards arrived in my mailbox the other day, having traveled all the way from the United States to my home in the Netherlands, I knew things were about to turn around. I found myself plotting where to leave the cards as I went to bed that night: the train, benches at the station, at work, libraries, mailboxes, the gym - the possibilities felt endless. I woke up, went to work, and afterwards, I went straight to the shop to buy some candy bars, planning to leave them as anonymous gifts for people on the train. However, unlike my early morning commute, my train home was extremely crowded. An elderly man must have seen me searching for a place to leave a Smile Card, because he asked me ... Read Full Story >>

Biscuits On A Cold February Night

I was sitting on the front steps of a small bakery near where I live and eating some noodles. I was enjoying my meal in peace with no one around. There is a burned out house right opposite the bakery and I know a group of people live there. The house has no electricity and has very poor ventilation.    I happened to glance up from my noodles and I saw a group of women gathered outside the house. They were sitting on the ground sharing a meal of some sort.    Seeing them there, a thought occurred to me. I am grateful for the food I receive every day but there are also folks who may be getting one square meal a day, or less. I felt that I needed to go visit with the women who were sitting there.   I bought a large packet of biscuits from the bakery and went over. The women looked slightly ... Read Full Story >>

The Madrone Seedlings!

I have a strong affinity for madrone trees. Though they grow along most of the west coast, their abundance at sea level and especially on islands in the Pacific Northwest is such that I feel they reflect the soul of this place. Their nonconforming and sensual nature has a way of attracting artists to their midst. In my immediate area, they grow in a few coastal places on the mainland and especially on the nearby islands. My dream is to live among them, but the real estate prices on the mainland where they grow is astronomical and living on an island cuts you off from your family. So instead I have been studying their very specific growing conditions and learning how to propagate them myself to plant them where I live. Last year I purchased 150 seedlings from a native plant sale at the community college in Bellingham. About 25 of these trees ... Read Full Story >>

Kindness Begets Kindness Even on Social Media

During my years of depression, I used to be very much "against" everything I disliked, especially on Facebook. Then after discovering KindSpring and learning new things, I realized that being "for" things I supported is much better for me. And so since then, I've been trying to only post/share/like/comment on positive things.

Over the past several months I have noticed that some friends started also liking pages and posts about kindness and positive quotes. One relative who I know is very hurt and angry - even she now has posts about being kind every once in a while!

It makes me understand that every little thing truly does matter, every little thing does make a difference - we are creating ripples worldwide!

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Even Small Kindness Is Never Forgotten

I came across HelpOthers few days ago and I can`t stop reading the stories. I want to thank you all for sharing joy around the world and writing about it. Ever since I was a kid I've believed that a smile is a cure and that kindness spreads around like a (wonderful) virus. I`m glad to see how many stories of miraculous acts you all have written. I shared some of my favorite to my mom an hour ago. She was a bit down and I wanted to put a smile on her beautiful face and remind her that people can surprise you in a very pleasant way. After hearing some of the stories from HelpOthers she told me one herself that happened 30 years ago. She was just a teenager on a vacation on the Adriatic coast with her two best friends (they are still her best friends).  They were having coffee ... Read Full Story >>

It All Started With Her Young Son's Bicycle Tire

When you are kind, the world becomes kind. This was my son's experience last week. He went out biking but as soon as he was out on the track, the tire gave way. While he was struggling, a stranger stopped by to help him carry the bike home and while they were doing so, a lady in a car saw them and offered to give them a ride home. These two encounters left my son in awe for the world. He was beaming and couldn't stop saying: "People are really good!"

He in turn wanted to do something nice the next evening. On our return home from the temple, we picked up two boxes of doughnuts, one for our friend's daughter and the other for my son. As soon as my husband and I handed him the doughnuts, he went around the car park offering one to each cleaner and helper.

That spontaneous act of kindness made us parents very happy. :)

A Daily Reminder

I was stopped at a red light when I noticed a homeless guy walking towards me. This man had a sign that read "not much needed just hungry".

I didn't have any cash, all I had was my own lunch I had packed for myself. I rolled my window and said I have a banana, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a bottled water- it's yours if you want it. He smiled and said Thank You.

I was scared at first that maybe he was looking for something different than what I had to offer, but he walked over to his crate, sat down and ate the food. I pass him every day and everyday he smiles and mimes "Thank You".
 

Mel's Going Away Gift

Several years ago, I was promoted to supervisor.  I was so excited  about being promoted, but little did I know, more importantly, how many valuable life lessons I would learn while in this position.  Early on, I was short-handed and needed another staff member.  Management  and my senior staff joined me in interviewing the candidates and after much deliberation and voting, we hired a guy called Melvin -- or Mel as he liked to be called.  He was a character of sorts -- a retired cop, thick skinned, street smart, tough and rough around the edges.  Mel had much experience in the real world, but I wasn't sure he would be a good fit for the group or the company.  When Mel first joined our team, he teased us relentlessly, cussed up a storm and was loud and aggressive, but after some time we all got used to him and realized that he actually added ... Read Full Story >>

Keep Smiling!

I wanted to share how I received kindness today. I moved to a high- density urban setting from a small community a couple of years ago.

Initially, I attempted to smile and wave at the people in my neighborhood. But this was met with indifference and often dismissive-ness.

So, after a while I gave up, kept my head down. I became increasingly dissatisfied with my living conditions and considered moving. But then I realized that I was becoming someone I didn't want to be.

So, I started waving and smiling again. Well, this morning while walking my dogs, two neighbors passedme without a glance. I noticed that this didn't feel very nice and I felt discouraged. But a third person passed in their car with a big smile on his face.
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It made my day! I smiled back and kept smiling all the way home. I guess the moral of the story for me was, never underestimate the power of a smile! So keep smiling everyone!

A Lottery Ticket On The Train

My friend introduced me to random acts of kindness and encouraged me to share my stories. So here goes!

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. 

Good Bye North Face!

This is an unfolding story. I once came across bedding all folded up behind the swimming pools where I walk my dog Roux. I wondered at the time who was sleeping there and why, what had happened in their life that this is how they had to live.  I then saw a young woman walking away from the area when I was walking. I was surprised and wondered if she was the person sleeping rough. I saw her again the next day, walking towards that area of the park. Roux the ice breaker, ran up to her for a pat, and she smiled and she is young, mid teens? I asked her if she was sleeping there and she looked embarrassed and said "no" and I didn't believe her. It was winter at the time. She had a T-shirt on and a small rucksack and looked cold. I thought of Mindy (A KindSpring Member)  Oh well ... Read Full Story >>

Smile Cards in Action at School

I've mainly been using my smile cards in paying for the person behind me at the Burger King and McDonald's drive-thrus that I go to.  However, sometimes I find myself yearning to be more creative with them.  I have over 250 of them to distribute since I "made" my own and ordered them through a website that prints and ships out custom cards.  I have decided to bring kindness to the staff and students at the school where I work.  I will keep my eyes and ears open to see whose day could use a smile.  I'm sure I'll get to everyone sooner or later or better yet, everyone who receives smile cards will eventually be able to help out and spread the smiles with me.  Today, I enlisted another co-worker to anonymously deliver a smile to my first recipient.  She was more than happy to be included and said she just loved things like ... Read Full Story >>

Lessons Learned from Lavender Lilacs

I  was strolling by some lavender colored lilacs which were clustered alongside the sidewalk yesterday on the way to catch a ride with my neighbor who was joining me for a community dinner gathering. The quiet and soft movement of the little flowers as they danced in the breeze just made me pause for a moment. I looked at them swaying in the breeze as if they were alive and happy. I thought about how it would feel to make another human being alive and happy like those lilacs...  It was Mother's Day and although I was many continents away from my mother, I thought about my neighbor, who is a mother too. In fact, a mother of two. In addition to wanting to express my thanks to her for giving me a ride to the upcoming evening gathering, I scrambled back home with my new idea unfolding in my ... Read Full Story >>

Transformation of death to life

March 22, 2016 my husband received word that his brother passed away. It was his only sibling and my husband was the oldest. This was sad, however what emerged from his death was so inspiring for me. For the first time my husband and I met our nieces. They are both adults and my husband had never seen them (his brother divorced their mother many years ago). His oldest daughter shared with me that she had only seen her father 3 times in her entire life and she is 45 years old. That was also sad.  Through all the sadness I began to see kindness like I had never seen before. This daughter, who she also shared that he denied was his child when she was born, was the person who cleaned his home, who made all the arrangements for his cremation, who made sure that everything he left behind was taken ... Read Full Story >>

Flowers and Wheel Chairs

I am the Director of a little non profit Youth Centre and we do at least one act of kindness a month with the youth who attend. Just this month the youth handed out flowers to random community members. There was great energy among the kids that day, after we exchange stories on how we felt about the act of kindness we did. A 14 year old male stood up and said "Id like to say something." I was a bit surprised as he is a shy and quite boy but I said go ahead. "Today I gave a lady who was in a wheel chair a flower. She was putting her two kids in the back seat of her car. When I went up to her and said, hello, she was suprised when I handed her a flower. I quickly said Happy Valentines day and started to walk away. She ... Read Full Story >>