It’s very simple really. I thought it was about time that I wrote an ebook so I have posted an article over at Buzzing with Ange to ask my readers to share some acts of kindness with me and I will use them, with links pointing to their site in this ebook which will be available to everyone for free.
I saw a movie the other night which is very unusual for me to sit and watch a movie, but it brought home the message that there cannot be good without the bad. If you really stopped to think about it, something bad has to happen for us to see the good side as well. I used the example of 9/11 in my article as an extreme event. Now I do believe that we all see that tragic day as a bad thing and who wouldn’t! Please correct me if I am wrong.
Countless lives were lost and many lives changed forever. Many families torn apart and some who had had arguments or had the wrong thing said to them when they were last seen like mum yelling at her son for not showing up for dinner therefore dinner was ruined. Not to mention the cost to the city followed by an insane war!
Nevertheless, because of that event, it also brought out some good qualities and acts of human kindness for no other reason that it was considered the right thing to do. After that fateful day, there was a shift in consciousness around the globe and generally, people became more aware of others needs and would lend a helping hand where they could.
What I would like from you is to share something that you have done or something that someone has done for you. This is not about the fluff, rather, real acts of human kindness if you please and if you don’t state otherwise, I will use your words in my ebook…. and don’t be shy.
See Angesiz, my David he bought me a piglet he did! An it wasn’t not even my birthday or Christmas right. Proper cute it was, lovely pork chops I ad.
that’s just loverly Elton… you are lucky to have him around
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
Just this morning, I was tailgating some old jerk in a truck because he was driving SO SLOW it was making me crazy. After I parked, he turned and pulled up next to me and started yelling at me (I believe the term was “f*ckwad”).
Instead of walking over, pulling him by his hair out of his truck, and beating him within an inch of his life, I simply turned the other cheek and said:
“Here’s a little tip…it’s the small pedal on the right. You might want to consider using it the next time you drive, grandpa.”
Yep.
Sun is shining a little bit brighter today. Feels good to do something nice.
mooooog35’s last blog post..Mi-ssi….(A Southern Violation by Colt-45, Part one)
Good for you mooooog35 that’s very emotionally intelligent of you to use words rather than physical violence. A good excerpt for my ebook. Thanks!
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
oh the sarcasm
LOL Moooog!
I donated money online after 9-11 to the Red Cross and others. I also donated the other year to the American Idol charity show they did. I gave money to Donors Choose 3 times. I like helping people.
Mike’s last blog post..80s Rock Songs
Hi Mike, I love 80’s music which really stems from watching the Wedding Singer way too many times. Great blog you have!!
Giving to charity is noble and well worth noting. Thanks for sharing!
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
Hey MIKE / ANGE,
Jim here & Post 911 I was in New York and spent some time with a girl from the Red Cross….it was early December and the fire deep down was still smouldering almost 3 months on.
‘This is such a blast, this City’ She shrieked.
‘It doesn’t upset you then, all this 911 destruction?’ I asked
‘ Hell no - a group of us from college line ourselves up to support the next disaster as we get days off to go shopping with a hotel allowance and all our meals included’
OUCH.
This isn’t a generalisation but it does go on!
I guess because it’s so expensive to be educated over there, any thing like this that students can latch onto they will. If they see an opportunity, why not and they do do something for charity in the process… don’t they?
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
I try and do something kind every day.
Yesterday, I ordered an extra dish from my local Chinese. They were well chuffed.
Good idea for a book Ange.
It must be good Chinese then if you ordered extra. Good of you to help them out
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
Hi Ange - great idea!
Recently, I was walking back across a hospital car park and came across an old chap kneeling down peering under the car - his tyre was completely flat and he was trying to position the jack to lift up the car and change the tyre. His equally old wife was sat in the car eyes wide with fear!
I asked if i could help? “No thanks i’ve got it under control”, are you sure? why don’t you let me have a look? So i looked…. he was just jacking a hole in the bottom of the car so i carefully let it down, and positioned the jack properly and hey presto, the car started to rise in the air when we turned the jack handle.
“I’ll be alright now” he said. Well of course i stayed and changed the wheel for them, put the flat one in the boot etc and waved them off. Gave me a real bouncy step for the rest of the day too. The best bit… they never offered anything by way of thank you and i didn’t want anything anyway.
Jonathan’s last blog post..Finding a reputable tradesman is harder than it looks
No wonder he didn’t say thank you. You made him look like a right incompetent old t055er in front of his wife.
lol… if only I had that kind of help on occasion! I’m sure there are countless people out there who would absolutely appreciate having their tyre changed for them! Sometimes, we don’t need a “thank you” as such… it’s the feeling we get after doing something like this that is then passed on to another…. bouncy people all over the planet is the goal whether they have encountered an act of kindness or given an act of kindness.
SSBB, Hi, I haven’t encountered you before or is this another pseudonym by someone I already know?? (wondering)
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
I think to have a pointless banter with a pointless banter is useless because they already made a clear judgment that they are better than anyone else in the world.
Shutting up and not go on a pointless banter with them I believe is an act of kindness, you spare them the humilitation that they have a twisted view of the world and the people around them… LOL!
earthlingorgeous’s last blog post..Some BC Observation
LOL!! Keep sparing them earthlingorgeous… someone has to
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
I have trouble when people use the phrase “The right thing to do….”
I think sometimes this statement causes people not to put themselves first to sacrifice the self
I would prefer that people didn’t do things because they thought it was the right thing to do but rather a compassion thing to do or a loving thing to do or a generous thing to do then it becomes a choice not an obligation
Right to me implies one should feel guilty if they do not do something deemed by others as the ‘Right thing to do’
Personally I help people because it gives me a sense of satisfaction not because I want some moral reward that will get me to heaven sooner or earn me the accolades of my peers but thats just my view
Robin J’s last blog post..Detachment
Well said Robin, couldn’t agree more with you.
So often we are TOLD what is hte right thing to do, but ultimately it comes down to our choice, as simple as that.
arvind’s last blog post..All you Need is a Potato
It’s just a word really and you can interpret it anyway you want to… it doesn’t make me feel like I sacrifice anything because like you, I feel the satisfaction that comes from helping others… love, compassion and generosity are all valid when it comes to doing something “nice” for a fellow human being! I only ever get the guilt trip when I may have been asked to do something that I cannot do and then that’s a different thing, but it certainly does not come from missing an opportunity to help out off my own back! I am always humbled when someone writes me kind word of thanks and I do appreciate them….. and as for heaven… lol… how do you classify heaven? Curious
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
Great idea Ange!
Regardless of what we are told is the right thing to do, the kindess acts always come from the heart. When one is genuinely kind and coming from a place of compassion, the recipient really “gets” this and a whole new space opens up between the two people.
I would like to share how this happened to me a couple of months ago when I was helping a friend at his exhibition stand. My friend was also promoting my book “Get the Life you Love and Live it” and I got talking to a young lady who said she was going through a nasty divorce and was looking for direction and inspiration in her life.
I was called to gift her my book and she and her sister were really chuffed. It was as if she was just not used to any such acts of kindness and also she was going through a really tough time. We had a really human connection for those few seconds and I like Jonathan above, I too did have an extra bounce in my step for the rest of the day.
I thought nothing more about it and had forgotten about the gift of the book, when 4 days later I received a lovely email from this lady. I have got her permission to share her words and this is what she said:-
“Hello Arvind, I met you at the Olympia on Saturday 1st March when I came and looked at you stress management stall.You gave my sister your book to give to me.
It has been a life saver,it has made me feel so much better.I have found my purpose in life at last.I am going through a horrible hostile divorce and bringing up my two small children.
I do a lot of charity work and helping others and this is where I am me. My father was from India and died when I was a teenager he always told me I would heip others that were less fortunate than me as he did in schools in India, I now know that one day I would love to do the same.
I am really interested in helping in some way for the Nirvana school - it looks like you do great work. Next year I am hoping to do the China treck for a children’s charity and in a few weeks I am doing a skydive for a children’s charity.
What has happened to me at the moment has left me with no self asteem but reading your book has made me look at the good things about me, thankyou.If there is any way I can be involved in helping the school please let me know.”
So there we are - from one simple act of kindness I seem to have started a virtuous circle and this lady may one day soon visit the charity school I am involved with in South India (http://www.NirvanaSchool.com)
Ange - feel free to use this story as you wish in your ebook - and do send me a copy
arvind’s last blog post..All you Need is a Potato
Also, Ange, I wrote about random acts of kindness on my blog a while ago with lots of suggested ideas on how to bring about more kindness in our daily lives:-
http://www.arvinddevalia.com/blog/2007/01/31/carry-out-randoms-acts-of-kindness-daily/
arvind’s last blog post..All you Need is a Potato
Oops!
The url for Nirvana School is http://www.NirvanaSchool.org, and not http://www.NirvanaSchool.com
arvind’s last blog post..How to be Really Cool to be Kind!
I read this article you wrote Arvind, loved it and great advice too
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
That’s a beautiful story Arvind! I will certainly use it in my ebook and send you a copy. It’s amazing how one kind gesture can change someone’s outlook and then go on to offer to help at the Nirvana School! I appreciate this and will let you all know when it’s done… I’m planning for July so keep an eye out.
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
Well done Arvind
sounds like you are quids in with the nut-job one.
was she worth a game? I reckon its a no-brainer- get her out for a drink and fill your boots. she’s clearly vulnerable so will be glad of the attention- hence very easy to train
A few weeks ago I met an elderly lady
She was on a walking frame and obviously not in a good way.
She was partly blind and deaf and could hardly walk…
She needed help with atm so I helped her, then took her across the road, made her a cuppa and got her something to eat…
I found out a few days later that she was homeless then a few days later I heard she had collapsed and dint hear anything after that…
The really sickening part of this was that no one seemed willing to help her, she wasnt a drunk, just in need of someone to care about her and there was very few willing to do this simple thing..
sometimes people can wonderful but sometimes they seem to make the point of being totally thoughtless…
I can relate to the sickening feeling you get when no-one else seems willing to help out. People are people no matter if they have all their faculties or not… and elderly people are no different. I always think of my grandparents who are all gone now, but when they needed help, someone was always there for them. I do hope she is okay and in a shelter somewhere.
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
I volunteered for a week to help the Katrina victims in Mississippi and have been working with the same volunteer organization as a leader ever since.
And how many days off school to go shopping (I’d spend it drinkng by the way) with an hotel allowance did you get for that?
hotel? allowance? days off? none
Then what on earth did you volunteer for?
Swag.
Surely?
Very lucrative for a few down there I believe.
to help out….
Hi Ange,
Jim here wondering if there is there such a thing as a really altruistic act?
There’s great examples above of flower folk giving back and giving up the most valuable commodity we have - TIME!
Just offering a flip side having ran London, New York and Dubai marathons for ‘charity’, climbed Kilimanjaro, met the Save the children (post tsunami in Sri Lanka) and cycled from Bangkok to Cambodia. Yes it was all for ‘charity’ BUT I benefited massively as the trips were free and I did something I enjoyed…nothing wrong with either or course!
Giving these people the time of day is often the key.
Yes 911 was shocking but NY is a different and arguably a better place - just hold that thought a second - a better place because of that disaster? The spirit, soul and rough edges of New York as humanity pulled together.
Your post has got us thinking - in itself an act of random kindness.
Thanks Ange, great to have you back in the garden.
Free group hugs all round.
You’re right Jim. Interesting point that maybe it’s a better place because of that disaster. No-one is untouchable and never having been to NY myself, it’s only what I hear and read about that I can gather the information. One of my closest girlfriends was only 5km away in Manhattan at the time of the attacks and she even changed. After living there for 6 years, her attitude was completely different upon her return to when she left Oz.
I believe that the city did pull together but not only NY, it did have a global affect as people were more conscious of “who knows what will happen tomorrow!!” I think the moral of the story is to live today as if it was the last day of your life… every day should be an adventure and being the best we can be.
It’s good to be back in the garden… in amongst the flowers and the thorns… if only the thorns would grow up a bit
(see below)
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
Agreed but what is the flower without the thorn,
Ouch - theres another one - the joys of duality!
only last weekend I performed an act of kindness.
A mate of mine had nicked 8 staffy puppies and was only able to sell 4 of them to some teenage lads. the other 4 he neiter wanted nor was willing to keep. I took them off his hands and rather than starve them to death I did the right thing and drowned them all. I’ll admit the first 2 took some killing but the last 2 were easy.
as ever, here to help
speechless and vomiting….
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
snigger snigger snigger snigger
Oh dear….
Fish + Urban = trouble.
‘Run away, run away’
good for you Zack and I bet you get a lot out of it for yourself in a personal way
Buzzing with Ange’s last blog post..Strange Happenings and Kind Acts
I’ll bet he got a lot out of it for himself in a personal way……….