Giving to others allows us to show our gratitude to the universe. When we have been blessed with more than we need, we might sometimes feel that by saving what we have, we will be more secure. True certainty, however, comes from using our resources to help create a world in which everyone has what they need to live—a place where there is no fear caused by a lack of food, shelter, and love. We will find that the more we give to others, the more we will receive because we are working toward ensuring not only our own security but creating a thriving community for everyone. By sharing with others today, your actions will reflect and honor the abundance the universe has given you.

About this Article
Reprinted with permission from DailyOM.com – Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Register for free @www.dailyom.com © 2004-2011 DailyOM – All Rights Reserved.

In the quest to create a gentler, more loving world, kindness is the easiest tool we can use. Though it is easy to overlook opportunities to be kind, our lives are replete with situations in which we can be helpful, considerate, thoughtful, and friendly to loved ones and associates, as well as strangers. The touching, selfless acts of kindness that have the most profoundly uplifting effects are often the simplest: a word of praise, a gentle touch, a helping hand, a gesture of courtesy, or a smile. Such small kindnesses represent an unconditional, unrestricted form of love that we are free to give or withhold at will. When you give the gift of kindness, whether in the form of assistance, concern, or friendliness, your actions create a beacon of happiness and hope that warms people’s hearts.

The components of kindness are compassion, respect, and generosity. Put simply, kindness is the conscious act of engaging others in a positive way without asking whether those individuals deserve to be treated kindly. All living beings thrive on kindness. A single, sincere compliment can turn a person’s entire world around. Holding a door or thanking someone who has held a door for you can inspire others to practice politeness and make already kind individuals feel good about their efforts. Smiling at people you meet-even those who make you feel like frowning-can turn a dreary encounter into a delightful one, for both of you. Every kind act has a positive influence on the individual who has performed said act as well as on the recipient, regardless of whether the act is acknowledged. Kindness brings about more kindness and slowly but surely takes a positive toll on humanity.

Weaving the thread of kindness into your everyday life can be as easy as choosing to offer a hearty “Good morning” and “Good night” to your coworkers or neighbors, a stranger on the street, or the grocery store clerk. When you commit a kind act, you are momentarily disconnected from your ego and bonded with the individual who has benefited from your kindness. Being fully present in each moment of your life facilitates kindness as it increases your awareness of the people around you. You’ll discover that each act of kindness you engage in makes the world, in some small way, a better place.

About this Article
Reprinted with permission from DailyOM.com – Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Register for free @www.dailyom.com © 2004-2011 DailyOM – All Rights Reserved.

In the quest to create a gentler, more loving world, kindness is the easiest tool we can use. Though it is easy to overlook opportunities to be kind, our lives are replete with situations in which we can be helpful, considerate, thoughtful, and friendly to loved ones and associates, as well as strangers. The touching, selfless acts of kindness that have the most profoundly uplifting effects are often the simplest: a word of praise, a gentle touch, a helping hand, a gesture of courtesy, or a smile. Such small kindnesses represent an unconditional, unrestricted form of love that we are free to give or withhold at will. When you give the gift of kindness, whether in the form of assistance, concern, or friendliness, your actions create a beacon of happiness and hope that warms people’s hearts.

The components of kindness are compassion, respect, and generosity. Put simply, kindness is the conscious act of engaging others in a positive way without asking whether those individuals deserve to be treated kindly. All living beings thrive on kindness. A single, sincere compliment can turn a person’s entire world around. Holding a door or thanking someone who has held a door for you can inspire others to practice politeness and make already kind individuals feel good about their efforts. Smiling at people you meet-even those who make you feel like frowning-can turn a dreary encounter into a delightful one, for both of you. Every kind act has a positive influence on the individual who has performed said act as well as on the recipient, regardless of whether the act is acknowledged. Kindness brings about more kindness and slowly but surely takes a positive toll on humanity.

Weaving the thread of kindness into your everyday life can be as easy as choosing to offer a hearty “Good morning” and “Good night” to your coworkers or neighbors, a stranger on the street, or the grocery store clerk. When you commit a kind act, you are momentarily disconnected from your ego and bonded with the individual who has benefited from your kindness. Being fully present in each moment of your life facilitates kindness as it increases your awareness of the people around you. You’ll discover that each act of kindness you engage in makes the world, in some small way, a better place.

The most difficult time to be generous is when we ourselves are feeling poor. While some of us have experienced actually being in the red financially, there are those of us who would feel broke even if we had a million dollars in the bank. Either way, as the old adage goes, it is always in giving that we receive. Meaning that when we are living in a state of lack, the very gesture we may least want to give is the very act that could help us create the abundance that we seek. One way to practice generosity is to give energy where it is needed. Giving money to a cause or person in need is one way to give energy. Giving attention, love, or a smile to another person are other acts of giving that we can offer. After all, there are people all over the world that are hungry for love.

Sometimes when we practice generosity, we practice it conditionally. We might be expecting to “receive back” from the person to whom we gave. We might even become angry or resentful if that person doesn’t reciprocate. However, trust in the natural flow of energy, and you will find yourself practicing generosity with no strings attached. This is the purest form of giving. Remember that what you send out will always come back you. Selflessly help a friend in need without expecting them to return the same favor in the same way, and know that you, too, will receive that support from the universe when you need it. Besides, while giving conditionally creates stress (because we are waiting with an invisible balance sheet to receive our due), giving unconditionally creates and generates abundance. We give freely, because we trust that there is always an unlimited supply.

Being aware of how much we are always supported by the universe is one of the keys to abundance and generosity. Consciously remember the times you’ve received support from expected and unexpected sources. Remember anyone who has helped you when you’ve needed it most, and bless all situations that come into your life for the lessons and gifts they bring you. Remember that all things given and received emanate from generosity. Giving is an act of gratitude. Plant the seeds of generosity through your acts of giving, and you will grow the fruits of abundance for yourself and those around you.

When my youngest son was growing up, he went through this phase when he was about 9 years old or so, where he would do these Random Acts of Kindness and then he would say “I got you with a Random Act of Kindness” and he would run off laughing.  This was a game he loved to play.

My youngest son, always had a very generous nature.  We are Native American Indian and generosity is a prized virtue among our tribe and many tribes across the United States.  Our ancestors would save their best/most valuable items so that they could give it to someone else that needed it.   To horde stuff and not pass it along when someone else can use it, was something we didn’t understand.  Our belief is that life is a circle and when we give something away, something we need will come to us, and we’ll have room for it.  We’ll be ready to receive it.  It is the way the circle of life flows.

Perhaps, part of my son’s generous nature came from our culture beliefs, and family beliefs.  I think these beliefs just help to amplify his true generous spirit.

Four years ago I lost my son.  He was killed in a car accident.  This was one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with in my life.  But like many difficult things in life, there are hidden gifts that emerge when we are ready for them and open to them.  I had several gifts emerge through the loss of my son, that I never dreamed would happened.  One of the gifts that emerge for me occurred close to the time of my son’s first birthday after his death.  I was struggling with the fact that he would not be here in physical form to celebrate his birthday with his family.  I thought to myself that this was going to be a really hard day and how would I get through the day.

As I struggled with my son not being here for his birthday, I started to explore the various memories I had of my son.  When the memory of him playing this game of Random Act of Kindness emerged, the memory was so vivid and joyful, that I couldn’t let it go.  I could see my son performing some Random Act of Kindness (RAK) for someone and then saying to them “I got you with a Random Act of Kindness” and then he would run off laughing with great joy and pride at his accomplishment.  I was sudden filled with great joy as this memory played out in my mind.

Then, an idea popped in my mind (or perhaps was placed there – smile).  I thought it would be a good idea to perform a Random Act of Kindness for someone on my son’s birthday.  This would honor the memory of my son and help me to focus on something else besides grief and loss.  Maybe, I could even celebrate his life.

The more I thought about it, the more I was pulled to do a RAK.  I thought I should let my family and friends know about my idea and invite them to participate in the Random Act of Kindness day (my son’s birthday) as a way of honoring him and helping them to deal with their own grief and sense of loss him.

After letting my family and friends know about the RAK day, it was amazing to me how many of them embraced the idea and decided they would participate.  The guidelines that we use were these:

• Perform an unexpected Random Act of Kindness – it could be someone you know or a total stranger – your choice.
• It had to be an act that the person receiving it, would perceived as an act of kindness.  Something that holds meaning for them, not just you.  So, this also means not to give something that is mean less and useless to the person.  If you do this, you haven’t really given anything.  This is a hollow gesture.
• No strings attached to the RAK.  The RAK had to be given freely.  No expectation of receiving something in return.  The  RAK had to be given and done for sole purpose of freely performing/giving a kind act to someone.
• The RAK could be something small or something large.  It could be as simple as being loving and kind to someone who was in need of this (who couldn’t  use more of this).  It could be money that someone really needed.  It could a gift you made or bought.  It could be a phone call.  You might cook dinner for someone.  Go visit someone who needed their spirits lifted.  Clean someone’s house.  Go swimming, or hiking or a walk or a bike ride. The idea was for you to look around in your life/world and see what RAK you could do/give to someone.

I have done a variety of things for my RAK, but one year, I had bought a book on the internet and when the book arrived, it wasn’t what I was looking for.  When I contacted the seller, they gave me instructions on how to go about returning the book and how I would receive a refund.  I informed them that I didn’t want a refund, that I what I wanted instead, was for them to do a kind deed for someone else.  They couldn’t believe what I was saying and what I was doing, but in the end, they agreed not to give me my refund and to do a RAK for someone.

A few weeks later, I heard from the book seller.  They told me what kind deed they had chosen to do for a total stranger and they just wanted me to know they had done a kindness for someone and they seemed really happy about the whole RAK interaction they had experience.  I was glad and I wonder how far their RAK would rippled out to creation and I wonder if it is still moving today.  Hmmmmm.

I believe in doing service work and being generous.  What we do in life, ripples through out this great life.  It is like throwing a pebble in a pond and watching the waves from it ripple out.  The pebble is the act (hopefully a good and kind one) and the waves are the effects it has on life.  So, remember to be mindful of the pebbles you are throwing into your part of the pond.

I would like to invite anyone who is interested to participate this September 4th for a Random Act of Kindness day. You may have a loved one you have lost.  This would be a good way to honor their memory and to celebrate their life or you may want to do this for the pure joy of doing a Random Act Kindness.  I have always felt great joy and pleasure when performing a RAK.  I think you will to.

A simple play on words, a negative turned positive and a movement is sparked. “Today I will commit one random act of senseless kindness.” This simple phrase has launched an international movement inspiring people to practice kindness and to “pass it on” to others. It spawned bumper stickers, T-shirts, books, a foundation. There are now even designated Random Acts of Kindness Weeks and World Kindness Days.

While pondering an assignment for his human relations class at Bakersfield College, Chuck Wall overheard the radio news, “We have another random act of senseless violence to report.” He took out the “violence” and stuck in “kindness” and gave his class their assignment. Revolutions come from just such flashes of inspiration and Wall’s students became kindness revolutionaries.

Kindness is contagious. A smile begets a smile, simple courtesies encourage politeness, and a thoughtful gesture lingers in the heart. It feels good to do good and doing good deeds make others feel good. And so it goes, one good turn deserves another, and kindness becomes a way of life. Kindness is fundamental to life and it is essential in creating healthy, happy human relationships. We all need to be shown kindness and we all need to express it. Acts of kindness connect us to one another. It gives us hope in humanity.

Whether random or well planned out and articulated, acts of kindness have a domino affect in creating a better world. Generosity of spirit is just as important as monetary contributions. Sincere acts of kindness are almost always appreciated, even if there is no acknowledgment. For true kindness is unconditional with no thought of reciprocation.

Kindness lingers. We may forget the words, or even the person, but we seldom forget the act, a door held open, a cookie from a neighbor, a word of encouragement when we are feeling blue. Try it today. Commit one random act of senseless kindness. Mow a neighbor’s lawn, let someone cut in line in front of you, hand out balloons for no reason, say something nice to everyone you meet. Chances are those that you touch today will “pass it on” to others. We can change the world, one smile at a time.

For more information visit Actsofkindness.org

Reprinted with permission from DailyOM.com – Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Register for free at www.dailyom.com © 2004-2010 DailyOM -All Rights Reserved.

In the quest to create a gentler, more loving world, kindness is the easiest tool we can use. Though it is easy to overlook opportunities to be kind, our lives are replete with situations in which we can be helpful, considerate, thoughtful, and friendly to loved ones and associates, as well as strangers. The touching, selfless acts of kindness that have the most profoundly uplifting effects are often the simplest: a word of praise, a gentle touch, a helping hand, a gesture of courtesy, or a smile. Such small kindnesses represent an unconditional, unrestricted form of love that we are free to give or withhold at will. When you give the gift of kindness, whether in the form of assistance, concern, or friendliness, your actions create a beacon of happiness and hope that warms people’s hearts.

The components of kindness are compassion, respect, and generosity. Put simply, kindness is the conscious act of engaging others in a positive way without asking whether those individuals deserve to be treated kindly. All living beings thrive on kindness. A single, sincere compliment can turn a person’s entire world around. Holding a door or thanking someone who has held a door for you can inspire others to practice politeness and make already kind individuals feel good about their efforts. Smiling at people you meet—even those who make you feel like frowning—can turn a dreary encounter into a delightful one, for both of you. Every kind act has a positive influence on the individual who has performed said act as well as on the recipient, regardless of whether the act is acknowledged. Kindness brings about more kindness and slowly but surely takes a positive toll on humanity.

Weaving the thread of kindness into your everyday life can be as easy as choosing to offer a hearty “Good morning” and “Good night” to your coworkers or neighbors, a stranger on the street, or the grocery store clerk. When you commit a kind act, you are momentarily disconnected from your ego and bonded with the individual who has benefited from your kindness. Being fully present in each moment of your life facilitates kindness as it increases your awareness of the people around you. You’ll discover that each act of kindness you engage in makes the world, in some small way, a better place.

Reprinted with permission from DailyOM.com – Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Register for free at www.dailyom.com © 2004-2010 DailyOM -All Rights Reserved.

We love stories of both givers and recipients of Kind Acts. They may be with strangers, family members, or friends in private or professional settings. Don’t think your story isn’t what we’re looking for. If a Kind Act popped into your head, send it to us. And tell your friends. The more diverse, the merrier.

Also, we are compiling an anthology of stories to inspire and motivate others. So, if you share a story, it just might make it into our book!

Thank you,

Your Friends at One Kind Act.com

Please submit your stories electronically as an attachment (.word or .pdf format) or in the body of your email to stories@onekindact.com. Subject line: “Anthology.”

Acts of kindness and generosity come in many different forms: Giving food to a hungry stranger, donating one’s time to aid homeless people or helping a fellow tenant make the rent. But it’s their ability to touch us and stick in our memories that makes sometimes even small gestures a powerful and lasting force in our lives.

Couple years ago, NPR invited listeners to share stories about “good deeds” they had witnessed or heard about. The original audio program highlighted some of the stories, but there were many more that couldn’t be fit into the short time slot. Below are some of those gems:

After the Storm
Beverly Jordan witnessed an extraordinary act of generosity after Hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida in 1992, leaving a wide path of destruction in its path. Jordan, a nurse, volunteered to go door to door in Miami delivering emergency relief.

Her relief van pulled up to a house that was nothing but a shell. She asked the young owners if they needed anything. “They said, ‘No, but can you wait a minute here?’ They came back out with a case of diapers and four or five bags of food and said, ‘Would you please give this to somebody who needs it worse than we do?’”

Jordan says she never got the couple’s name and wishes that she could thank them for their generosity.

The Most Memorable Christmas
Amy Scharman of Mapleton, Utah, remembered the Christmas after her parents divorced. Her mother was raising 13 kids with no child support. The holiday was looking pretty grim.

“It was about dusk on Christmas Eve and we heard a knock on the back door,” Scharman says. When they opened it, no one was there. But someone had left 10 big bags filled with presents for the children, including clothes and toys.

“It was such an overwhelming feeling to see such generosity from I don’t even know who it was,” she says. Ten years later, Scharman and her family still don’t know who did that good deed. Amy Scharman ends her note, “If you’re out there, thank you for making that Christmas the most memorable of all.”

A Mother’s Good Example
Sometimes witnessing a good deed leaves a lasting impression. Donna Delfino Dugay of Harper Woods, Mich., remembers a day in California when she was 11 years old, and her parents took their six children for a special day at the beach. Donna’s mother brought a picnic lunch — fried chicken and her famous potato salad — and prepared a plate for each of them.

“When I looked up from my plate, my mother was fixing one more plate… She turned away from us and walked over maybe 20 or 30 feet to where there was a man by himself. And he was picking his way through the trashcan. And my mother — I don’t know whether she just put the plate there or whether she touched him gently or whether she said a few words — but I remember him turning to her in a gesture of thankfulness.”

Dugay’s mother came back and sat down at the table. “Years later, Dugay asked her mother if she remembered the incident. “She laughed and said, ‘Not at all.’ But for me, I remember it very well because for me, it was the touchstone for what good deeds became in my life.”

Never Too Young to Help
Many listeners wrote of the generosity of very young people, Stamberg reports. Four-year-old Justin Dingman took the hand of a frightened fellow pre-schooler, serving as the welcoming committee on the boy’s first day at school. Liadan Susoeff, 7, took books to a shelter in Pittsburgh at holiday time and read to the children there. Eight-year-old Luke O’Neill took one of his own coats to school so a less fortunate classmate could go outside at recess.

‘A King’s Ransom’
Peter Strupp of Boston remembers being “flat broke” his senior year at the University of Wisconsin. When he could no longer afford the rent at his fraternity, he found refuge in a campus Christian fellowship house.

Strupp would sneak into the kitchen to take food bought by his fellow tenants. “Inevitably the month came that I couldn’t make the rent…

“The night before I was going to tell my housemates I was leaving, one of them stopped me in the kitchen. We were alone… He reached into his pocket and handed me a month’s rent, in cash. Before I could say anything, he said, ‘Don’t pay me back.’ Though the rent was less than $100, Strupp writes, “in a dark hour, it was a king’s ransom.”

Kindness in Passing
A simple act of kindness on a hot day nearly 50 years ago left a lasting memory for Dan Sullivan.

“There is hardly anything more boring than traveling in a military convoy,” Sullivan writes. “In late 1955, a deuce-and-a-half truck filled with a dozen GIs and I were crawling across northern Iowa. It was hot, even with the canvas sides rolled up. There were no stops for sodas, and the 30 thirsty miles per hour took us nowhere forever. One of the few entertainments was watching an occasional car pass, so when a convertible pulled in behind, we took notice — even more notice when the beautiful woman in the passenger seat waved and smiled. And oh, miracle, she reached back into a cooler and pulled out two bottles of ice-cold Royal Crown Cola, which she passed up to us as they went by. Wherever that woman is, I hope she sleeps well tonight.”

Giving at Work
David Hutmacher of Marietta, Ga., wrote of the generosity he received from co-workers when he became seriously ill three years ago. After three hospital stays, including two surgeries, he had used up all of his vacation and sick leave.

“It was the end of the year and my last paycheck at the first of December was for approximately 10 percent of its usual amount. I was worried it was fast approaching Christmas and I wouldn’t be going back to work until mid-January at the earliest. I am married and have two daughters who at that time were 8 and 5, respectively. My wife, who is a schoolteacher, was just barely keeping things together. I really didn’t think there would be much if any Christmas that year. So I was very surprised when on the 15th of December I received a paycheck. When I opened it there was not only a full pay period but also the pay I was missing from the previous check. I immediately called our comptroller for an explanation. It seems that all the employees had gotten together and donated any vacation that they had left for the year so I could get paid. I cried. It was truly a Good Deed.”

About The Post
This post has been re-printed from HelpOthers.org a fantastic website dedicated to helping others. You can read many more stories by visiting their website @ www.helpothers.org. Copyright 2009 – HelpOthers.org, All Rights Reserved

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~ Ettiene De Grellet

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