The Kindness Box

[FineLinen]

"In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with." -Brian Tracy

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Teresa

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." ~Leo Buscaglia

 

[FineLinen]

 

[Geoff-Allen]

From the Tink Buddha site -

Your Kindness

11. You have good intentions. You might think you sometimes do the wrong things, but your heart’s generally in the right place.

12. You’ve made someone feel appreciated, and maybe many someones, by acknowledging their efforts and thanking them for what they’ve done.

13. You’ve made someone’s day, probably without even realizing it, by listening, understanding, or simply being thoughtful and kind.

14. You make people laugh—maybe even at your laugh, because you cackle or snort or sound like Beavis. (Too young for the reference? Google it!)

15. You look out for the people you love. When you say you care, you mean it, and you back it up with actions.

16. You smile at people. It might seem insignificant, but your smile has likely been someone’s lighthouse on a dark, scary day.

17. You remember the important things—or at least some of them. That “Happy birthday” card or call or text? It was a simple acknowledgement that helped someone feel valued and loved.

18. You ask people how they’re doing. You might not always get an honest response, but you’re willing to receive it.

19. You treat people how you’d like to be treated more often than not. Sometimes you slip up—you’re only human, after all! But you do
your best to be a decent human being who treats other people with respect.

20. You’ve given second chances when you knew someone really needed it.

Comes from this list -

40 Reasons You're Amazing and Worth Appreciating - Tiny Buddha

Enjoy your day!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

TOP 25 QUOTES BY GEORGE ELIOT (of 1014) | A-Z Quotes

 

[FineLinen]

 

[FineLinen]

7-year-old uses birthday money to help homeless on Thanksgiving

A 7-year-old boy from Houston Texas used his birthday money to help feed the homeless on Thanksgiving.

Dylan Virtudazo's birthday party was canceled in August due to the coronavirus pandemic, so he received some cash instead. Initially unsure how to spend it, he came up with the idea when his teachers asked students about their plans for Thanksgiving.

His selfless attitude is what led Dylan to use his birthday money to create "blessing bags" for the homeless.

The "blessing bags" had face masks, hand sanitizer, bar soap, razors, water, lotion, a snack and a note that read,

"You matter, God Bless!"

 

[FineLinen]

An intensive care unit (ICU) doctor in Houston Texas who has treated coronavirus patients for more than 250 consecutive days is going viral for a simple act of compassion.

Dr. Joseph Varon, chief of staff at United Memorial Medical Center, was captured embracing a man with COVID-19 while working in the ICU on Thanksgiving Day.

Dressed in full personal protective equipment (PEE), the photo, taken by a photographer hugging the man, whose face is hidden from the camera, his head nestled in the crook of Varon’s arm. One of the patient’s arms is seemingly wrapped around Varon, hugging him back.

"He was very sad because he's in a room where he knows nobody."

 

[FineLinen]

An Illinois couple who canceled their original wedding plans amid the pandemic donated their catering deposit to help provide meals for those in need this Thanksgiving.

Emily Bugg, 33, and Billy Lewis, 34, used their $5,000 nonrefundable deposit to purchase 200 Thanksgiving dinners for clients of Thresholds, a nonprofit mental health provider dedicated to helping people with serious mental illnesses and substance use conditions.

"In the grand scheme of things, canceling a big wedding isn't the worst thing that could happen," Bugg, an outreach worker at Thresholds said, we're happy to be married, and we're so happy that we could help Thresholds' clients feel the connection of a Thanksgiving meal as a result of the wedding cancellation."

Bugg and Lewis were married Oct. 1st at City Hall in Chicago. The couple met on the dating app Bumble in 2017

 

[FineLinen]

 

[Wu Wei]

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

 

[Geoff-Allen]

However, as much as kindness is heralded as a thoughtful, caring, and generous behavior, it also tends to get a bad rap: Some people think it’s a sign of weakness. There seems to be a perception that a kind person is soft and emotionally frail, while an individual who is rude and curt — even one who disparages kind efforts — more often than not is someone who is tough, socially intriguing, and even admirable.

Read more at this blog -

Why Is Kindness Sometimes Associated with Weakness?

Enjoy your day!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

On that theme ... over at the Tiny Buddha site -

I went on a solo trek to the Himalayas to clear my mind and spent a month meditating at a small monastery near Kathmandu. I then journeyed to India for a healing purification retreat.

Months later at a Buddhist initiation, I heard the Boddhisattva vows. They were about putting others before self, being kind, keeping’s one’s word, and more. I breathed a sigh of relief. I felt like I’d come home.

I wanted to put those vows into practice in a practical way. At first I thought I would return to Hong Kong as an entrepreneur and send my earnings to Tibetans to start refugee schools. I learned, however, that it would be more beneficial to help refugees create opportunities for work. So I did.

Being Kind When It’s Seen as a Weakness

Loads more at that site - if you have the time & the inclination

 

[Geoff-Allen]

More from that site -

I am forever amazed at the capacity of those who live difficult lives to treat others with kindness and compassion. I was welcomed into many homes, treated with great respect, and graciously thanked for my time in the community.

It is humbling to think that I have so much to give, when the truth is I have so much more to learn.

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that each and every one of us can change the world!

Too many of us believe we have no power to make a difference. I have entertained the thought many times.

Read the full-article -

Choose to Be Kind and Change the World

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

l also found a book review there -

As someone who’s ever on the lookout for new kindness stories for inspiration, I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of Brad Aronson’s new book HumanKind.

Now, more than ever, we need to focus on the good—and do good, in our own way.

HumanKind can help with both. With uplifting stories and practical tips throughout, HumanKind will touch your heart, remind you of what is truly important, and give you the tools to make a huge difference in the world through tiny acts of kindness. And all the author’s royalties go to Big Brothers Big Sisters—so just buying a copy does some good!

HumanKind: A Book That Will Inspire You and Help Change the World - Tiny Buddha

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Being involved in philanthropic activities at a young age can pay dividends in personal growth, social responsibility and well‑being throughout life, points out Tara Jones, chief revenue officer for Girl Scouts of Western Washington. “Former Girl Scouts are more active in community service and volunteer work than non-Girl Scouts,” she notes. But don’t worry if you missed out on the merit badges. Studies show volunteering at an older age has a significant positive effect on self-worth and purpose, which can help prolong a happier, healthier life.

Unlocking the Hidden Benefits of Helping Others

Loads more at that site!

Enjoy!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

We all know we’re supposed to treat people with kindness, but sometimes, in our stressful day-to-day lives, we can forget to treat people with respect and compassion. In fact, according to a survey, 76 percent of respondents say the world is a less kind place than it was 10 to 20 years ago. The good news is that humans are naturally wired to be kind—sometimes it just takes a little thought. So, if you want to spread good vibes and compassion to the people in your life, here are 10 simple ways to practice kindness every day.

10 Simple Ways to Practice Kindness Every Day

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

From - Tiny Buddha change the world -

I have always wanted to change the world.

I remember being four years old, sitting glued to the television on Sunday mornings, not watching cartoons, but utterly captivated by World Vision. I cried about the injustices in the world, and begged my mother to let me sponsor Maria, the girl with the large, sad eyes who was around my age.

My mom patiently tried to explain to me that we couldn’t afford to send her money. I couldn’t understand, since we seemed to live in luxury compared to Maria.

Having been raised in a middle-class community of about 800 people in rural Newfoundland, I had never seen a stark divide between the rich and the poor. We all seemed to be the same to my four-year-old eyes.

My heart broke for Maria, and all of the other children on the show. I vowed to myself that someday, I was going to help people like her.

10 Simple Ways to Make the World a Better Place

 

[FineLinen]

Nurses fill in for family during chemo treatments.

After Wendy Goodine was recently diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, she moved in with her mother and stepfather to receive treatment at the Levine Cancer Institute in Albemarle, North Carolina.

When she arrived at her first appointment, Goodine was nervous, frightened, and understandably, emotional.

Due to the coronavirus, she is not allowed to bring anyone with her to her weekly chemo sessions. Filling in for her family, the nurses provide an understanding ear and continuous support throughout her sessions.

When Goodine couldn’t leave her home, RN social worker, Heather Keith, delivered three boxes of food to her every week.

Goodine considers these caring nurses her heroes.

Thank you front line workers for your tireless ministry.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

From the Greater Good site -

Fortunately, happiness tends to follow meaning. Meaningful activities generate positive emotions and deepen social connections, both of which increase our satisfaction with life. Indeed, much research shows an undeniable connection between happiness and generosity; the happiest people also tend to be the most altruistic.

When we help others in a meaningful way, for example, we are likely to feel compassion and love. We also often feel gratitude for our own situation, and maybe even pride in our ability to help. Perhaps most importantly, our connections to those we help get stronger, and strong social ties are the best predictor of happiness that we have.

Why Happiness is the Wrong Pursuit

Enjoy your day!

 

[FineLinen]