HelpOthers.org: Anonymous Acts of Kindness

Highlights from a Week of Kindness

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Hello my kind friends! Earlier in February, there was a Random Act of Kindness Week. All that week, I tried to do something each day.
On one of the days that week, I bought some extra boxes of heart chocolates and left them along with a Smile Card on six random people's desks at work. I purposely picked the desks of those I know haven't been tagged in the past to spread a few new smiles.
Later that day, I was just about to pull into a front row parking place at the store, but then I saw a mom pull around who could use it more. I motioned her to take it. Little things here and there make a wonderful difference!...

Surprise Breakfast Treat

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Last night around 2 am, my brother and I felt a little hungry. He asked me if I could go to a store by our house and pick up a snack. As I decided to go, a thought came to my mind to not spend all the money on food. Instead, I'll save some money for a person in need. On my way, as I walked towards the shop on the main street, I came across a homeless person sleeping on the footpath.

As I passed him, I knew exactly what I was going to spend that money on. I said to myself, “This person is sleeping outside on the road in this cold weather. He needs care and good treatment.” I wanted to put a smile on his face, first thing in morning. I wanted to help him. But how? There was no way I was going to wake him up in the middle of the night. A lot of unanswered questions kept coming in my mind, mostly related to ways to help him.
I walked in the shop and, from my share of money, I bought one less packet of chips for myself so I could get biscuits for the homeless man. I paid money for my things and left for home.

As I walked back, I passed him. I was a little scared because I had to put the biscuits right next to his pillow and not disturb his sleep. The closer I got, the faster my heart started to beat. I felt like I was on some mission, because I had to keep my identity a secret and at the same time help him. With slow and calculated steps, I managed to put the biscuits right next to him without making any sound. Then, I turned and walked away.

When I got home, I replayed the whole scenario in my head. I was overwhelmed by the act I did. Though it was nothing big, the element of surprise for him and the fact that he may not have to spend money or search for food when he wakes up in morning made me happy.

I pray that he may be blessed with a better life and that I can find ways to help others in the future. I’m happy that a small decision of mine was of some use for a person in need. I really hope that he smiled when he woke, and that he had his breakfast without any worry or effort. :-)...

Meredith's Letter From the Post Office

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:22:44 -0700

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month.

The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.

She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

I told her that I thought that we could, so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog?

Abbey died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much.

I'm happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls.

I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog.

I really miss her.

Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith,
addressed it to God/Heaven.

We put our return address on it.

Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.

That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet.
I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand.

Meredith opened it.

Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God
in its opened envelope.

On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart.

Abbey loved being your dog.

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in so I'm sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me.

What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find.
I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God ...

A Week of First Grade Kindness

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0700

I teach first graders and want to share about a big kindness activity we did earlier this year. From Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday (Jan. 16) until the 100th day of school two weeks later, students performed and recorded 100 acts of kindness. These acts were collected on small hearts and organized in the shape of a huge 100. The kids worked SO hard to share kindness with each other both at home and at school and parent feedback and support was incredible!

That was also the start of my HUGE kindness project. Random Acts of Kindness Week started February 11th, but our preparations started weeks before: We wrote letters, decorating cards and planning for a great week of sharing kindness within and outside of the school. For many of these items, I printed and attached cards that read, “Please enjoy this random act of kindness.” As I’ve said before, I consider these more ‘deliberate’ acts of kindness, but 'random' sounds nicer. :)

I started off the week by mailing kindness postcards to all the students on Saturday, to arrive at their homes on Monday and Tuesday. I received several emails from parents saying how excited the kids were to get a postcard from their TEACHER!
Here is a list of all the things we did throughout the week. It’s been a long week and my classroom is much cleaner now that all the materials have been finished and delivered, but it was a nice week of showing others we care.

Monday

The week before we had decorated 46 door hangers with stickers. Each door hanger said, “Make it a Wonderful Day!” We secretly went through the school in the morning and hung these on each door, from the principal to the office, the library to the classrooms. These have remained on the doors all week. :)
Students made woven paper hearts with ‘I Love You’ messages to give to parents.
The children delivered a ‘Thank You’ book of letters to the P.E. teacher.

Tuesday

We arranged to come to the library when there were no classes and secretly hid 150 smile/kindness cards in library books. Students had colored these and decorated them with stickers. They had SO much fun choosing books and scattering them throughout the library.
We gave Starbucks gift cards to the four lunch/recess monitors who brave the lunchroom and cold outside each day.
I attached RAK cards to two new pencils with new eraser tops. We secretly went to our 3rd Grade Reading Buddy’s room during their recess time and left pencils at their seats.
The children delivered a ‘Thank You’ book of letters to the art teacher and librarians.

Wednesday

The children took small smile/kindness cards with chocolate kisses attached and secretly put them in every teacher mailbox in the office.
We visited the office at the end of the day and gave RAK cards with lottery tickets to principal, assistant principal, clinic aide, and secretaries.
The children delivered a ‘Thank You’ book of letters to the computer lab teachers.
During the previous two weeks I had been collecting new books from my Scholastic Book orders and parent donations. I took a basket of 100 new books and delivered it to our hospital Foundation. These books will be used as part of the VIPeds program and put into backpacks for sick children to use while in the hospital.

Thursday

We took water bottles with mini bags of Lindor chocolate and RAK cards and delivered them to the six cafeteria workers.
We gave bags with RAK cards, granola bars, hot chocolate packets and Hershey kisses to the four custodians.
The children delivered a ‘Thank You’ book of letters to the music teacher.

Friday

We delivered boxes of new crayons to the six preschool students.
With the help of volunteers, we made 17 no-sew fleece blankets for sick children at the Ronald McDonald House. I will wrap these with ribbons and enclose a large heart with a kindness note and deliver them next weekend.

It’s been a long week, but I think we managed to recognize all those groups that keep our school running smoothly and we thanked those teachers who work with our class each week. I took pictures every day of our kindness deeds and will be making a special edition newsletter for the families this weekend.

Perhaps there will be a ripple effect by those who received kindness or by those families who hear about it! ;)
...

One Candle at a Time

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0700

I've got this friend, Rachel. She's a bit older than me, with a sort of shy, but radiant smile. She's usually tan, as she loves the outdoors and spends as much time outside as possible. No matter the weather. In the winter, she'll often go for walks outside. In the summer, she'll sit in public parks strumming her guitar, reading, or napping on the grass. She has the leisure to do these things because, suffering from multiple psychological traumas, she is unable to work. Well, unable to work in a "normal" workplace, that is. Because she does work. Her vocation is 'making' candles.

She buys ready-made candles, usually the slightly translucent kind where the body of the candle will radiate the light, too. Then she puts designs on them by hand, working for hours at a time in her kitchen. She literally makes hundreds--if not a thousand--of these in a year. And then, she gives most of them away. She gifts them to visitors, but she also donates them in whole batches to places or people who will gift them to others.

She loves hearing stories of how one of her candles ended up some place far away, or in a church, or a spiritual center. But really, it's mainly her way of spreading love in the world. Did I mention she lives off welfare? I stopped buying tea candles two years ago when I learned that being able to buy them by the hundreds at really low rates was only possible through deforestation. But my home never lacks candle light, as every few months, Rachel will invite me to take my pick among her candles.

"Are you sure you don't want another one?" She always asks, prodding me to take a bigger batch than my modesty would have allowed me. As a person and friend, Rachel is nearly always willing to listen to me. She'll find the positive side to whatever I tell her, without being naive or clumsy about it. I'm really happy she and I got to be friends. I wish actions like hers-- done with such gentle, deliberate, and kind intentions-- were more valued in society.

I'm sure there are many people out there like her. Many people bringing light to this world, the way she does: One candle at a time....

Taxes, A Plant, A Hug

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Yesterday, while I was having my taxes done, my tax preparer told me her father had passed away two days ago. She went on to tell me that she would not be able to attend his funeral, as he was in another country and, with this being tax season, she could not leave. My heart went out to her. "Is there anything I can do?" I asked. "No, but just you asking made me feel better," she replied, tears welling up in her eyes. I told her to call me if she wanted someone to share stories with about her father. After my taxes were done, I immediately went out and bought her a lovely yellow tulip potted plant. I enclosed a card that read, "Thank you, You make my world a better place." Then, I added a note to express how I deeply understood how losing her father felt.
With my heart soaring, I gave her the plant. And she gave me the most wonderful hug. ...

Birthday Gift of a Compliment

Sun, 12 May 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Recently, I switched to a different cell phone service provider.

We visited the new service provider's store and one of the sales managers assisted us with our request. He was a very efficient and charming person. He was very good at what he was doing, gave us some honest opinions, and got us involved in some interesting conversations while we were waiting for our order to get processed.

When we were about to leave, he politely told us that we could leave our feedback about today's service through a phone survey, which we'd receive soon. I asked him whether there was another way to leave feedback because I am not very good at attending phone calls. He replied that the phone call would be the only way. Before leaving, I quickly registered the name of the sales manager in my mind.

The next day was my birthday.

I really wanted to do something special for it (like everyone else obviously :)). I hadn't received any survey calls yet. So, I started exploring options on the cell phone company's website to leave compliments or comments. Failing to find any, I started a chat session with the online customer representative. I told her my situation and asked her what the best way to leave a compliment might be. She suggested that I call up the store and ask for the manager.

So, the next thing I did was call the store and ask whether the sales person with whom I had interacted worked there. The person who answered the call confirmed that he did. I requested her to connect me to his manager. I explained to his manager my situation and asked her for the best way to leave a compliment. I decided that a compliment in writing would be better because it can really benefit the recipient. So, the sales manager's manager suggested that I write an email to her. That way, she could forward it to her senior management.

Finally, I had found something special to do for my birthday!

I wrote a nice appreciation letter for the sales manager and emailed it to his manager. Though I don't know if or when he received it, or whether it brought a smile to his face, it certainly brought one to my husband, who was very happy with all my efforts to get the appreciation across.

That made my day :) !!

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