Little Things Mean A Lot

Posted on March 22, 2023 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Good people doing good things, Random, Social commentary

I was struggling last night for a topic for my Wednesday good people post, and just as I had about decided that I would have to skip it this week, I noticed an email from Axios, the subject line read “Kindness Continued.” Turns out that Axios has been doing a series that I somehow missed about the power of small acts of kindness. All of these acts are very small things, often costing the giver nothing at all, but they mean so much to the recipient. It just goes to show you don’t have to build houses for the homeless or donate thousands of dollars to feed the poor in order to be a ‘good people’. Little things mean a lot! Here are a few …

“The first time I was traveling alone with my daughter — who was 11 months old at the time — a stranger on a plane offered to hold her after we landed so I was able to gather our things and have a moment to breathe. It meant the most to a young mom with her hands full.” —Abby D., Des Moines, Iowa
“A fellow lawyer, a total stranger, put money in a parking meter for me when he realized that I would get stuck in court beyond the time I had left.” —Avraham M., West Hempstead, New York
“Just the other day I was trying to navigate a stroller through a coffee shop … not a glamorous task. When I went to leave, a man came darting from across the entire coffee shop to open the door for me. … It truly set the tone for my entire day.” —Lily M., Atlanta, Georgia
“My wife and I, both in our 70s, were loading heavy bags of rock for a landscaping project into our car. A woman approached and loaded the rest. As she finished and turned away, I shouted, ‘You have restored my faith in humanity.’ She responded, ‘We all need that.'” —Roger R., Ballwin, Missouri
“I left my backpack, complete with my work laptop and files, on the busy NYC subway one evening. I was certain it was lost forever. I made a claim, panicked, and worried and worried again. … Then came an email and a text: ‘I have your red backpack.’ This amazing and kind medical student brought my backpack to me.” —Jane C., NYC
“Several years ago I was struggling to lace up my very large and cumbersome — but totally awesome — dress in the Maryland Renaissance Faire parking lot. The girl getting dressed at the car next to mine offered to help me do up my laces.” —Caroline M., Walnut Creek, California

“My first day working in a new city, I exited my office building and couldn’t remember how to find the train station. A stranger walked by, noticed I looked lost, and doubled back to see if I needed directions. I fell in love with Chicago that day.” —Spencer W., Chicago, Illinois

It just goes to show that all of us have the ability to be a good people, and sometimes it seems to me that those who have the least in life, are the ones who give the most!

Christmas is coming……….

Posted on November 17, 2022 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Economic issues, Good people doing good things, Holidays, Re-blogs, Social commentary

I don’t know of another person who is as caring and giving as our dear friend David Prosser. His posts these days are rare, but this morning he reminds us to think of people who are far less fortunate than most of us in the upcoming holiday season, and suggests some simple ways in which we might help just a little. Thank you, David, for being who you are. Cwtch

The BUTHIDARS

Here we go again, it seems like about a month since the last one. But the shops are full of Christmas items and people are bustling around with determination on their faces.. We all want Christmas to be special for our families and our friends. Good, that’s how it’s meant to be.

But, let’s extend the range of our friends to encompass all those currently at war, who aren’t at war against us. All those who have lost their homes and their possessions and some, almost their lives. For a moment though let’s start closer to home. Almost every Supermarket these days has a basket for donations to food banks. These are not handouts to the bone idle but possibly the only food source for the homeless or those who have no work through no fault of their own, Being homeless is not a choice most people make, especially when…

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💥 Saturday And Wednesday Collided 💥

Posted on May 12, 2021 by jilldennison under Good people doing good things, Saturday Surprise, Social commentary

I have to confess, last night I completely lost track of the day of the week, and thus did not realize that today would be Wednesday, hence I did not prepare a ‘good people’ post! Now, another feature such as ‘Jolly Monday’ or ‘Saturday Surprise’, I would just move on, not worry about it, and try to do better next week, but I know how you all count on Good People on Wednesday. As it is late at night and I am not quite up to par tonight, I dug back through the archives and found this post that was actually posted on a Saturday back in 2018, but I always thought it qualified as a ‘good people’ post, too. And so, without further ado …

Is it Saturday? Or is it Wednesday? There seems to have been a collision on this blog of Saturday and Wednesday … what shall we call it? Satnesday? Wedurday? Friday evening, I was pondering whether to even do a Saturday Surprise post, as my heart truly wasn’t into it. The blue light began flashing on my phone, indicating a private message from a Facebook friend who sent me a link that he ‘thought I might find interesting’. I did, and my initial reaction was to flag it for Wednesday’s ‘Good People’ post, but as I was trolling news and pondering deep things like whether to have another cup of coffee or not, the article kept popping back into my head. And then a thought hit me … this is such a heartwarming story about such a beautiful person … and we are all in need of something happy after this past week … so … who says I can’t feature a ‘good person’ for Saturday Surprise? After all, it’s my blog and I can do what I want with it, yes? The only rule about Saturday Surprise is no politics! And so … without rambling any longer, please allow me to introduce you to a great man, Mr. Todd Kirnan!

Todd was born in 1972, and shortly thereafter was diagnosed with autism. His mother was abusive, frequently tying him to his crib for hours at a time. Eventually the law intervened and Todd spent time in foster care before his father, then separated from his mother, assumed custody. Now Todd lives in the town of Gresham, Oregon, population 111,523, where he is known to all as Mr. Gresham. For twenty-plus years, Todd has dedicated his life to doing little things in the town to help out small business owners and others. He delivers coffee and food, makes trips to the post office, empties trash cans, and other odd jobs, but most of all what he gives is smiles and hugs. He spends some twelve hours a day meandering the downtown streets of Gresham, seeing if there is anything he can do to help merchants.

Todd now lives with his younger sister, Suzette Rackley, who says of her brother, “Todd is really miraculous. He is the love of everyone’s life.”Todd attended special education classes at Gresham High School, where he became best friends with Shane Bemis, who was serving as a student-aide to the special ed classes. Bemis became a mentor for Todd, who says, “Shane would always stick up for me against bullies.” Today, Shane Bemis is the mayor of Gresham and he and Todd remain friends.The reason this story is in the news today is that last week, the town of Gresham threw a parade in Todd’s honour, culminating in the unveiling of a Todd Kirnan statue! Right on main street! Hundreds of people turned out …

Just look at the crowd that turned out to honour Todd!!!

Well, y’know what? I am going to let you see for yourself … this is a short clip, and it is so very heartwarming … Gronda, get your tissues!

I think that Todd Kirnan is the antidote to the week we’ve just had, and I also think the townspeople of Gresham deserve a round of applause, for they are some pretty special people. This, my friends, is what ‘community’ is all about. I hope you all enjoyed meeting Todd and the good people of Gresham, Oregon! Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Search for the Hero.

Posted on April 23, 2020 by jilldennison under Environmental Issues, Global Issues, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Yesterday our friend David wrote a short post about staying connected to people, even in this era of fear and isolation. He reminds us to not lose our humanity, and that hugs are still important, whether from a distance of 6 feet or 4,000 miles. Thank you, David, for reminding us that we are not, cannot be, insular beings.

The BUTHIDARS

Like many others these days I guess you’re bored with your very limited view of the world through just a TV screen. I wonder if you’ve given any thought to taking a walk. It probably feels foolish just walking round your garden. Maybe you can take a longer walk if you have somewhere you’re unlikely to meet another person or where you have at least the 6 feet clearance between them and you.

Probably you’re quite an observant person. In the houses round about you there’s probably some indication of whether there’s a single occupant or a family. If you know there’s a single person maybe you could knock on a window and back away. This could easily be a person who hasn’t spoken to another human for days or even weeks. Maybe it’s a person in need of a chat or maybe even foodstuffs that you could get for…

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Filosofa Reflects …

Posted on November 14, 2019 by jilldennison under Bits 'n Pieces, Personal, Random, Social commentary

You all remember Snap, Crackle and Pop of Rice Krispies fame? Last night, after working for a few hours on emails, posts, comments, etc., I stood to refill my coffee cup, and I distinctly heard those three characters … in my knees. And hips. And feet. What the …??? It’s likely not the first time I had heard this cacophony of sounds, but … perhaps the first time it penetrated the fog that surround my brain and allowed me to realize that sound was coming, not from a box of cereal, but from ME! Yes, those were my body parts crackling, snapping, and popping! What can this possibly mean??? OH NO!!!

I’m OLD!!!

Seriously, though … there comes a point in our lives where we look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “who is that?” Or, “how did I get to this point, and where have the years gone?”

At this point, once we accept that we are no longer 30 years old, and no longer have the world on a string, we reflect. We look back on the years and ask ourselves some tough questions. Was I a good person? If there is a scorecard, did I give more than I took? Did my life have purpose, in the grand scheme of things? What was my single greatest achievement in life? What was my worst mistake, and did I atone for it in some way? And the real kicker … if I had it to do over again, what would I do differently?

Thing is, though, that the answers on Tuesday might be entirely different from the answers on Friday. Take that first question, for example. “Was I a good person?” Well, first of all, define “good”. There was the time that I threatened to beat a lady with a shovel for taking too long checking out at a local market. I wasn’t very good that day. But then, there was the time that I gave a family $1,000 that was most of my own bank account at Christmas to buy gifts for their children. Does one outweigh or offset the other?

And, about that “single greatest achievement in life” … is it my children? Well, one child now. That one child is making a difference in the world every day. She is a nurse, and one who entered the field because she wanted to help people, to dedicate her life to others. I gave birth to her, taught her all of life’s important lessons, taught her to think for herself. Do I get a brownie point for that? No, I think that point belongs on her scorecard.

I spent some 30 years as an accountant … more than once, I compared the field of accounting to a career in prostitution, reckoning that the most successful accountants sold their souls upriver. Twice during my career, I quit jobs rather than break the law or sacrifice my integrity. Does that make me a good person? Doubtful, as somebody else simply stepped in to do the dirty work.

On to another question, then. Did I give more than I took? This one is easy … or is it? I think that yes, I did, but then … did I really? I first thought the answer was a resounding “yes”, but then … I look around. I have given small amounts from time to time to a variety of humanitarian organizations, but … I have also lived a life of convenience. It is snowing outside, and my heat is set at a comfortable 72°. I have a refrigerator and freezer full of food, a chicken is simmering in the crock pot, and quite literally, I want for nothing. Or at least nothing that money can buy. I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but neither am I suffering. I spent $89 at the grocery today, $10 of which was for a bottle of wine to help me relax enough to sleep at night, and $5 of which was to purchase the aforementioned chicken. Some people are living on $25 or less for a week. More to the point, perhaps, some people would not see a chicken killed for their own pleasure, so here again, I fail.

So, at the end of the day, I could compare myself to some and be seen as a good person, or to others and be seen as a total dud, a failure. So, the question really is, I think, whether we, each and every one of us, believe we did our best, gave our all. For me, I am not proud of all the times I have put self ahead of the greater good, but neither will I kick myself for the times I have failed, for through failure I have learned.

As we get older, as we come to realized that our lives are on the downhill side, we ask ourselves the questions, we contemplate whether we might have done more … and I think that we will, if we are honest with ourselves, come up lacking. But you know what? I think that just the fact we take the time to ask the questions, to look back, to assess and analyze, says something about our character. I hope that at the end of the day, more people will remember me with a smile than with a scowl.

We Are All One

Posted on June 28, 2019 by jilldennison under Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Good friend and blogging buddy John Fioravanti has been on hiatus from blogging for a while, took some time off to do a bit of soul-searching. Yesterday he made a comeback with a beautiful post based on the words and wisdom of Maya Angelou. The world is so divided today, filled with hatred and intolerance more than at any time in our lifetimes, but Maya’s words should serve as an inspiration to all of us – a message that love and caring for others can overcome the hatred. A reminder that we are all the same – human beings – and that what we have in common is far greater than the superficial differences. Please take a moment to read John’s beautiful post, and to welcome him back to ‘blogger-dom’! Thanks John, for this lovely post and we’re happy to have you back!

Good People Doing Good Things — Acts of Kindness

Posted on January 2, 2019 by jilldennison under Good people doing good things

A friend and reader, Ellen, pointed me in the direction of a new source of ‘good news’ stories, and one of the first things I saw last evening when I visited the site in search of ‘good people’, was this headline:

The Most Inspiring Everyday People of 2018 Showered the World With Kindness: Our Top 10 Favorites

I visited and found some awesome stories of everyday people doing small kindnesses for others. Two of the ten turned out to be stories I had previously included in my ‘good people’ posts, but I want to share a few of the others with you today.

The first one is just a small thing, really, but I found it touching. It happened at LAX airport last February. A young mom, pregnant and with a toddler in tow, was trying to board her flight, but the toddler apparently had other ideas and was having a meltdown, running from the mother, crying uncontrollably. Been there, done that, and I could feel that mother’s frustration as I read this story.

Finally, the young mother simply sat down on the floor of the airport, placed her hands over her face and joined her son in having a good cry. As if by some unseen, unheard signal, suddenly 6 or 7 women came to the pair and worked their magic. One sang The Itsy Bitsy Spider to the young boy, another peeled an orange for mother and son, another pulled a toy from her bag, while yet another offered the mom a bottle of water and words of comfort. Within a few short minutes, both mother and son were calm and able to board their flight. It is said that the women did not speak of what was being done or what needed to be done, and yet acted as a team, as if it were a well-coordinated effort. According to one of the women …

“After they went through the door we all went back to our separate seats and didn’t talk about it… we were strangers, gathering to solve something. It occurred to me that a circle of women, with a mission, can save the world. I will never forget that moment.”

Solidarity. Empathy. Compassion. Kindness.

Adarsh Shrivastava was on a train that was traveling through Uttar Pradesh in northern India in July when he noticed something strange about his fellow passengers. His train cabin was filled with girls between the ages of 10 and 14 – and almost all of them were visibly distressed. Some of the youngsters were even crying.

Sensing that something was afoot, Shrivastava pulled out his phone, created a new Twitter account, and sent several messages detailing the situation to railway and law enforcement authorities, saying that he suspected the girls to be victims of human trafficking.Upon writing out his cabin and train number, the Good Samaritan only had to wait thirty minutes before the Ministry of Railways Twitter account responded to the message. A few stops later, several police officers boarded the train and arrested two men who had been transporting the girls for a human trafficking scheme.

“Their parents have been informed and the men have been taken into custody,” a statement from the Railway Protection Force said.

Many social media users are calling Shrivastava a hero and asking the Prime Minister of India to honor him for his actions – however, Shrivastava has simply responded by saying: “Thanks, but as a citizen of India, it’s our responsibility to help people.”

Humility. Courage. Responsibility. Empathy.

It was on a routine flight to Jamaica that an elderly woman suddenly went into cardiac arrest. Luckily there was a nurse onboard, but she was unable to relieve the woman’s breathing distress. However, there were two very inventive anesthesiologists aboard the flight, Matthew Stevenson and John Flanagan. After determining that the plane was not equipped with a hand-operated, manual resuscitator, the two men leapt into action. Dr. Stevenson performed CPR on the woman while Dr. Flanagan concocted a makeshift ventilator using tubing and an airbag from one of the plane’s emergency masks and connecting the device to the onboard oxygen tank.The two doctors worked to keep oxygen flowing to the woman’s lungs with the makeshift device for 45 minutes, until the plane was able to make an emergency landing in Fort Lauderdale. Passengers pitched in, too, holding the doctors steady during the bumpy landing. When medics rushed onto the plane to take over, the passengers gave a cheering round of applause to the two doctors.In this, the day of frivolous lawsuits, many doctors will not step into such a situation, for their malpractice carriers caution them against touching a person in distress without a liability waiver. These two men put a human being first.

Caring. Humanity. Courage. Responsibility.

Randy Heiss had been out on a walk with his dog in Patagonia, Arizona when he saw a deflated red balloon trapped in some shrubs. More peculiarly, there was a little note attached to the string. The note, which was written in Spanish, was a Christmas list that was addressed to Santa from a little girl named Dayami. The sweet youngster simply said that she wanted some paints and new clothes for Christmas.Heiss was moved by the letter, not just because of its innocence, but also because he used to send letters to Santa the very same way – so he became dedicated to fulfilling the child’s Christmas wish. But … how to find the child?

“It really touched my heart to find it and I said well how in the heck am I going to be able to figure out how to make contact with this little girl and make her wishes come true.”

He took to social media, hoping to find someone who could put him in contact with the family. With Christmas looming ever closer, Heiss eventually approached a Mexican radio station for help, and within one hour of them broadcasting his story, he was connected with Dayami’s family in Nogales, Sonora.

Delighted for an opportunity to bring some holiday magic to the family, Heiss ditched work to go shopping for Dayami’s gifts at Walmart and bring them down to Nogales.Dayami’s family was extremely grateful for the gesture, and Heiss and his wife were careful about telling the kids that the gifts were from Santa. Heiss gained even more joy from his gesture, though …

“We lost our son nine years ago. So, we don’t have grandchildren in our future and so really getting to share Christmas with kids was something that’s been missing in our lives.”

Heiss has stayed in touch with Dayami’s parents through social media, and they are quickly becoming extensions of each other’s families – all thanks to his act of Christmas compassion.

Generosity. Sharing. Kindness. Love.

I end this post with a quote from English writer John Bunyan:

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

Let’s all try to be ‘good people’ this year, shall we? Remember, it isn’t the size of what you do, but the spirit with which you do it.

Good People Doing Good Things — Scott Macauley

Posted on November 21, 2018 by jilldennison under Good people doing good things, Holidays

Today I am focusing solely on one good person, for his deeds deserve the spotlight.It began 33 years ago in 1985, when Scott Macaulay’s parents divorced, and he found himself all alone for the Thanksgiving holiday. He was divorced also, and he really didn’t want to spend the day alone watching football with a tv dinner, or grab a burger from McDonald’s for his Thanksgiving dinner, so he placed an ad in the local paper, asking 12 strangers to join him for Thanksgiving dinner.Well, he got twelve strangers to join him that year, and he enjoyed it so much that he has continued the tradition of a free Thanksgiving feast every year since. He has hosted widows, the homeless, and college kids who can’t go home for the holiday. Today, he estimates that he has about 70 people each year, and sometimes as many as 100, and he has no intention of stopping. About a week before the day, he goes grocery shopping, and while he won’t say exactly how much he spends on the food to feed the crowd, he did say that it’s over $1,000! And apart from an occasional small donation from someone who has attended one of his dinners, Macauley fully funds this all himself. He says he begins saving for next year right after the meal is finished.

Macauley lived just north of Boston in the town of Melrose, Massachusetts. Obviously, he cannot do all that cooking, nor fit all those people, in his house, so he prepares and serves the meal at a local church that donates the space each year. The menu includes: Four large turkeys, five kinds of pie (pumpkin, apple, mince, cherry and the ever-popular Hershey’s frozen sundae pie), sweet potatoes, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, butternut squash, cranberries, fruit cups and rolls with butter. I typically cook for 8-10 people on Thanksgiving, and that is exhausting! I cannot imagine how many hours this man must spend on his feet, in the kitchen, and all to do something good for others.He goes all out, too … no skimping here! A few days before, he hauls in sofas, recliners, oriental rugs, even a couple of fake fireplaces, and decorates the church’s rec hall to resemble a cozy living room. Candlesticks and cloth napkins are placed on the tables, curtains are hung in the windows, and adjoining rooms are set up for guests to relax and get to know each other over appetizers: chips and dip in one room and cheese and crackers in the next.

“This isn’t about the food, though. It’s about having a place to go. Silence is unbearable, especially on Thanksgiving. My goal is always to replicate the feeling of having a nice dinner in somebody’s home.”

And he has memories …

“There was a guy one year who’d just lost his wife. And after dinner, he put on her old apron and helped me to do the dishes.”

One year, he said, an elderly woman paid $200 for an ambulance to drive her to the church from her nursing home. She arrived decked out in fancy clothes and told Macaulay she hadn’t been out in seven years. She cried when dinner was over.

Another year, Macaulay took a plate out to a woman who was living in her car and was too ashamed of her plight to come inside until almost everyone had gone home.

Then there was the time his parents both showed up. Macaulay’s mother was dying of breast cancer and wanted to be with family. So did his dad. “There they were, sitting on the couch together, holding each other’s hand, years after their divorce. I can still see them sitting there. That’s a happy memory.”

Macaulay also has a son, Walter, 22, who pitches in to help serve and clean up. He’s the designated turkey carver. Neither father nor son batted an eye a few years ago when Macaulay’s ex-wife strolled in with her new husband and offered to play the piano while everyone ate!

Imagine if just a few people in every city did what Scott Macauley is doing? He is a true humanitarian, something we need many more of today. Thank you, Scott Macauley, for your contribution to the people in your town, and for giving the rest of us just a wee bit of hope for the future of humanity.

💥 Saturday And Wednesday Collided 💥

Posted on September 29, 2018 by jilldennison under Good people doing good things, Saturday Surprise, Social commentary

Just look at the crowd that turned out to honour Todd!!!

Well, y’know what? I am going to let you see for yourself … this is a short clip, and it is so very heartwarming … Gronda, get your tissues!

Good People Doing Good Things — The Next Generation

Posted on June 13, 2018 by jilldennison under Good people doing good things, Social commentary

If there is hope for the future, it must lie with our young people. Every week, when I begin trolling the ‘net for a good person to write about, I come across many, many shining examples of young people – some as young as 5-years-old – doing good things. This week is no exception, and being in somewhat of a bleak mood after the events of the past few days, I decided to give my sagging spirits, and yours I hope, a boost by seeing what our future leaders are up to.

Sam Coleman-Dancer, 19, works at an Ace Hardware store in Cleveland, Mississippi. Two weeks ago, an elderly man walked into the store looking for a shovel. The man proceeded to tell Sam how he was just diagnosed with cancer and was having to bury his beloved dog of 15 years.

“He told me about the times they spent together, walking and playing fetch. He said his dog had always been there for him. He was very emotional, and it touched me. I told him I would like to come to his house after work and help him bury his dog. His eyes opened wide. It was amazing. He said, ‘I can’t let you do that. Are you sure?’ I said, ‘I’m positive. As soon as I’m off work, I’ll head right over’.”

And he did just that. After work, Sam went to the man’s house and helped him bury his loyal companion.

“He asked me if there was any way he could repay me and I told him ‘yeah, by taking a picture with me’. Because I know that picture is something I will cherish forever.”

Eight year old Maurice Adams was riding in the car with his mom and sister on the evening of May 31^st when he looked out the car window and spotted an elderly lady struggling to climb a flight of stairs on an outdoor path in Milledgeville, Georgia. Maurice asked his mom, “Can I go out there and help her up the steps?”

This video tells he rest of the story …

Brecken Hayes, a 7th grader at Avon Middle School North in Indiana, had been saving his money for some video games he wanted to buy. But when he learned of a shortage at the local food pantry, Brecken chose to use all of the money he had saved up to help those in need.

“I don’t really need that stuff. Those are wants. People need food and water to live. and they don’t have that. And I already have it. So I don’t want to be greedy. I just wanted to help them.”

Cool kid, eh? In total Brecken’s school donated $1,000 to the Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry.

Last Wednesday night, two Minnesota high schools competed in a do-or-die playoff baseball game. The winner would move on to the state championship while the losing team’s season would come to an end.

In the final play of the game, pitcher Ty Koehn struck out Jack Kocon sending Mounds View to the state championship. For Totino-Grace, the season was over.

As soon as the strike was called, Koehn made a beeline for Kocon and embraced him, all while his teammates rushed the field, celebrating wildly.

“We are very close friends. I knew him from all the way back when we were 13. We were on the same little league team. It was tough when we went to separate schools but we kept in touch. I knew the game was going to keep going or it was going to end right there. I knew I had to say something. Our friendship is more important than just the silly outcome of a game. I had to make sure he knew that before we celebrated.”

That, folks, defines the word ‘sportsmanship’.

Bruno Rafael Paiva is a substitute teacher in Brazil, who is currently filling in for another teacher who is on maternity leave. Things work a bit differently in Brazil than they do here in the U.S., and Bruno has not yet begun receiving paychecks due to bureaucratic hurdles. Since the position he is filling is in an area too far from his home to commute, and since with no paycheck, he cannot afford to rent a room, Bruno has been sleeping at the school.

Eventually the students learned of Bruno’s plight, and they pooled their money to come up with $400 to give Mr. Paiva. He was stunned …

“This cannot be. How can you do this?”

When Bruno began crying, wiping tears from his face, every student in the class went to him and they had a huge group hug.

Now, granted, these stories are all about small things, things that likely go unnoticed in the course of a day. Nobody in these stories dedicated their life to saving starving children in Africa, or giving million dollar grants to climate scientists to pursue their work. Nobody built houses for the homeless or rescued people from an avalanche. But you see, it doesn’t matter the size of the good deed, but rather the compassion behind it. These are all young people who have their hearts in the right place, who have somehow, whether from parents, teachers, family or friends, come to realize that we are all on this planet together, are all part of the human race, and that it feels good to help each other.

We don’t learn to be givers, to have compassion for others at age 25, or 43, or 59. It isn’t something that comes to us at some point in our lives. It is nurtured in our youth. These young people are the sort who give us hope for the future, hope that perhaps people with humanitarian values are not a dying breed after all. If we just look around us, we can see everyday people, ordinary folk like us, doing good things. I am encouraged by the big hearts of these young people. I hope you are too.

Filosofa's Word

Cogito Ergo Sum

Tag Archives: helping others

Good People Doing Good Things — Acts of Kindness

The Most Inspiring Everyday People of 2018 Showered the World With Kindness: Our Top 10 Favorites