Stories by nflowers1228 (7 matches)

Losing My Fear of Having Enough

I was moved after reading a story on this site about Adam's day in New York. I commented how it's so easy for me to spend $1.50 on soda every day (or more!), but when I walk by homeless people, somehow I fear that if I start to give them money, I won't have enough. Well today, somehow that fear was lifted. This was not planned, but I had put $3 in my pocket this morning for sodas (it's Friday after all :-) and never got to the place where I buy them. Then, as I was walking to the train, I saw a homeless man ahead and remembered that I had money I could give. So, I took out one of the dollar bills and gave it to him. I continued walking and came across another one of the regulars who hangs around at the same time and gave him ... Read Full Story >>

Small Acts Of Kindness Add Up

I always think I need to write about some grandiose act of kindness I performed each week, but I realized that there are lots of little acts that I'm just starting to notice.

Like one day it was a chilly 10 degrees outside and I was in the ATM (heated) cubicle. There were 2 people outside patiently waiting and I let them in so they could be warm.

Then there was the delivery man who was coming towards the door with way too many packages to carry let alone open the door.  So, I held the door open for him and it was amazing to see the big smile that resulted in that small act, from both of us.

Often times I let someone go ahead of me in line (or in traffic) because they are in a bigger hurry. Sure beats road rage :-)

I smile at people on my walk to the train station. It's amazing how many people smile back. I think it brightens both our days.

I'm noticing these small acts more and more as I read and contribute to this site. It's amazing, but it really does improve my outlook on a daily basis.

A New Christmas Tradition For My Kids

This year rather than provide a contribution for the local holiday toy charity, I decided to give my kids (10 and 12 years old) some money and go to the local store to buy the toys to donate.

At the store there was a Christmas tree with tags that included the ages of kids in need and the types of toys they wanted. We quickly grabbed 4 of the tags and went out through the store to find the items listed.

My kids and I had a great time finding the toys and knowing that it was a special gift for kids who were less fortunate than ourselves. It was also a great way to teach the kids to do random acts of kindness at a young age.

I think we have started a new family tradition that will continue throughout the years.

A Sure Hand on Slippery Stairs

   This is a very small act of kindness that I wanted to share.    We went to a Bach concert on Saturday night and a bus full of elderly people were entering the building the same time as we were. The building was an old church and it was a cold, rainy night, so the steps to the door were slippery. One of the elderly men was clearly having trouble and we waited patiently as he tried to navigate the steps, with no success. He appeared to be a proud man, not wanting help, and determined to find his own way. There was a lot of confusion and the line behind us was increasing.    My first thought was to try to go around him just to get out of his way. Just as I was next to him, he reached his hand out to try to find the ... Read Full Story >>

Memories of a Special Construction Worker at the Hospital

I would like to share a random act of kindness by a stranger whose name I don’t know and don’t think I will ever see again. Six years ago when my son was 3 years old, he was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia. He was hospitalized for much of his treatment and as you can imagine, keeping a 3 year old entertained in a hospital room can be quite a challenge.    He was seriously into trucks and tractors at the time, wearing his yellow construction hat and boots every day, even during treatment. Conveniently, there was some construction going on at the hospital that involved a huge crane. To alleviate my son’s boredom, I would wheel him down the hall (IV pump and all) to the big picture window where we could watch the construction work. It was one of the crane operators that really made a difference for my son. It started as ... Read Full Story >>

Children Practice What They See

Last week I was in the store paying for a purchase with my kids. The cashier handed me back the change, which I started to put back in my purse. My son stopped me and asked if he could have the change. I gave it to him, with some suspicion thinking that he just wanted to fill his piggy bank a little more. But to my delight, he took it all and put it in the little bank to help those families who can't afford to heat their houses this winter. This is something I usually do, but didn't see the bank. I gave him lots of praise for his generosity of thought, especially since he thought if it himself :-)

It's good to know that the example is being passed on and that the small acts of kindness are working in many ways, beyond those who directly experience them.

Small Act Of Kindness at the Recycling Center

This is a small act of kindness but significant, as it’s important for me to remember that these acts don’t have to be grandiose to make a difference. My daughter and I took on the task of redeeming the soda cans and bottles for deposit money, something we avoid and I usually end up doing alone. We had 6 garbage bags full so we knew we’d be spending a bit of time at the redemption center. When we got there, a man and his kids were also spending the morning recycling and were using 2 of the 4 machines to recycle their plastic and cans. Luckily, we were able to use the 2 remaining machines to do our work. Of course, there were others that came, but when they saw the two families with multiple garbage bags full of recyclables, they quickly left. However, one woman came in with just 5 cans ... Read Full Story >>

Offering My Job to A Friend in Need

An Unexpected Thank You from 3 Years Ago

An Interesting Ride to the Airport

The Security Guard's Idea!

A Sweet Afternoon

Driveway Turns Into A Beach

The Crying Baby

Two Signs, Different Results

Twelve Minute Cab Ride To Penn Station

Bullying Incident on the Sidewalk

Smiling In The Rain

Seeing the Same Stranger Twice

Cereal For the Soul

My Hour On the Streets of New York

Contagious Kindness Everywhere?

Two Women Who Taught Me Kindness

Contagious Kindness Everywhere?

The Bouncy Ball That Changed Me

Lost and Found: A Ten Dollar Bill

Changing the world one snack at a time