Stories by dgrav (4 matches)

Sometimes One Act of Kindness Goes A Long Way

My husband works for a company that provides 24/7 care and housing for people with mental, physical and developmental disabilities.  Here in Arizona, brutal budget cuts have slashed funds for those most in need.  My husband loves his job and knows he is serving an important purpose, but sometimes the cuts affect morale.  I decided to start sending a basket of goodies to work with my husband every Wednesday, which is the day that all staff members come in to pick up their checks.  I figured it might give them a little extra reason to smile.  On the first Wednesday, I sent these delicious maple leaf cookies I found that are made Canada.  I wrapped them individually in cellophane (because there are lots of employees and I wanted everyone to get at little something).  When my husband arrived home from work, he brought me the following note from one of his ... Read Full Story >>

A Bag of Chips Changes My Son

Performing acts of kindness seems to have been a theme in my life for a long time.  I started when I was a little girl, when I wrote a poem about friendship to a neighborhood lady who always seemed to be in a sour mood and was especially unfriendly to the neighbhorhood children. When I had children of my own, I continued to do acts of kindness in their presence, so that they might learn by example.  Sometimes they participated, and sometimes they just observed.  Afterwards, each time we would talk about it and it always brightened my day immensely. One day not too long ago, my son and I were in line at the Dollar store buying an assortment of products.  In a line next to ours, a woman was waiting to make her purchases.  She had a few necessities and one bag of chips.   She stepped up to register to make ... Read Full Story >>

The Baby Birds in our Backyard

We have lived in this house in Arizona for a few years now. We have several pets including two cats and a dog.  In our backyard there is a pool and two huge trees that are taller than the house.   The first spring we were here we noticed what was to become a yearly phenomenon. There is a period of several weeks where baby birds end up in our backyard.  Most of the time they are strong and healthy and just need a few days to learn to fly.  If left in peace their moms come down and feed them until they fly away.  At first we had some close calls as the cats and dog thought these little birds were toys.  We quickly learned that our backyard is no place for bigger animals during this precious time. So, every spring our dog and cats take a break from the backyard.  We ... Read Full Story >>

Recycling With A Little Extra Kindness

Most of us live in neighborhoods with regular recycle pickups and my family is very dilligent about our household recycling.  However, there is one item we do not place in the regular pick-up bin. 

We set aside our aluminum cans in a separate box.  When the box is full, we take the cans to the parking lot of a local grocery store where there is a self-service aluminum can recycling machine that pays for aluminum cans by weight.

We leave the box of aluminum cans for someone to find when they go to recycle their own cans.  It is a small gesture, but it is free to us.  For someone who has taken the time to recycle their cans, every dime is probably precious, so I imagine that they feel a small thrill when they see an extra box of cans to add to their totals.

Stepping In to Make Up a $3 Shortfall

Sometimes One Act of Kindness Goes A Long Way

A Young Boy's Angel Gift

An Answer To A Prayer

A Profound Urge To Do Something Outrageously Kind

My Mother: My Kindness Champion

A Simple Outdoor Thank You

Investing Love In Young Children

A Profound Sense of Joy in Giving

Power Of Acknowledging and Sharing Gratitude

A Birthday Lunch With An Extra Smile

Rescued By A Cluster Of Goodness