Swandeh Terhide

BENEFITS OF KINDNESS ROOTED IN HONESTY AND CONTENTMENT

kindness /

The benefits that arise when our kindness is accompanied by honesty, enriched by contentment, and free from any sense of entitlement; are so enormous that tongue and pen may not sufficiently capture all. 65-year-old Dianne Gordon has been walking 2.7 miles to and from her job behind a deli counter every day since her Jeep broke down and she didn’t have enough money to fix it. One day she decided to stop at a gas station for a snack and noticed a plastic bag. Inside there was a lot of money; turning it around there were some greeting cards, and a lot more money. Just doing what she “was taught to do” the grandmother of two called the police, who sent an officer to take custody of the sum. Gordon could have walked into any dealership in the state and driven something off the lot that day, but new because the money wasn’t hers, it wasn’t correct to take it. “If it doesn’t belong to you, you don’t keep it,” she told the Washington Post. “I didn’t do anything special. All I did was, return something that didn’t belong to me.” Police Chief Dan Keller of the White Lake Township Police Department telephoned Gordon later that day to tell her they had used the information on the cards inside the bag to track down the owners. The happy couple was “overwhelmed” by Gordon’s honesty, as was Keller’s wife Stacy Connell. “As a police officer’s wife, I typically hear the bad things, so this was obviously heartwarming,” said Connell. “I was hoping we could help her get a car, since she could have walked into any dealership and used that money.” Connell set up a GoFundMe, and in just 6 days it raised four times, as much money from people wanting to reward Gordon’s act of selflessness as she had found in the sealed bag that morning. Grateful for the money and the words of encouragement from all the contributors, who celebrated with comments like “there are still good people in the world,” Gordon said she was stunned by the outpouring of generosity, which at the time of publishing, raised $82,000 and then closed. On February 8th, Friends of Dianne wrote: “Dianne officially signed for her new Jeep Compass yesterday at Szott M-59 in White Lake Township. Along with the new car, she also got an extended warranty, maintenance, insurance, and plates/tabs.” There was also an inspection done at her home to evaluate some much-needed repairs that will be done very soon. All of these positive outcomes were a direct result of her honesty and thoughtfulness towards the feelings of the person who had lost the money. It’s a beautiful story that shows more often than not, honesty pays.

BENEFITS OF KINDNESS ROOTED IN HONESTY AND CONTENTMENT Read More »

CELEBRATING KINDNESS: STUDENTS’ INITIATIVE SPARKS GENEROUS SUPPORT FOR JANITOR

Uncategorized /

High school seniors successfully raised a quarter of a million dollars for their beloved 80-year-old janitor, who was forced to return to work after his rent increased. The money was raised through a GoFundMe, which started out as a simple goal of $10,000, but quickly took on a goal of its own. Several seniors at Callisburg High School in Texas noticed their school had a new janitor: “Mr. James” an 80-year-old former retiree whose rent had gone up $400 and needed a job to support it. Believing they could there’s always something anyone can do to help out; they got the idea to open a GoFundMe to help 80-year-old Mr. James get back to doing 80-year-old things. “It’s crazy to see something that, we knew people would have wanted to help,” said senior Marti Yousko, “But we didn’t know it would blow up.” Thurman stated that his 2,000 followers were enough to spread the word about the fundraiser. The TikTok video and GoFundMe campaign were able to raise $10,000 in just 12 hours, with most of the donations coming from students “It’s just amazing,” said Principal Jason Hooper, ”You know of the need that was met because of three kind kids, but of all of our students who have pitched in to help that need.” Local news reported on the fund drive in mid-February when there was still a 5-digit sum on the table, but it had to be turned off after passing $270,000 in order to get Mr. James the money as soon as possible. Donations poured in from across the country and even internationally, with many sending their best wishes for the janitor’s happy retirement and congratulating the students on their brilliant initiative. Truly, nothing beats the beauty of kindness; nothing is more powerful than a multitude united in kindness.

CELEBRATING KINDNESS: STUDENTS’ INITIATIVE SPARKS GENEROUS SUPPORT FOR JANITOR Read More »

STEPS TO SUCCESS: HOW A KIND ACT CHANGED A BOY’S LIFE

Uncategorized /

When Dave Urban, a Lowe’s employee in Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, encountered the Getty family searching for PVC pipes in the store’s aisle, he initially thought he would be assisting them in finding the right fittings. However, after learning that the family was building parallel bars to help their five-year-old son, William, who has quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, Urban decided to go above and beyond his regular duties. William, born prematurely at just 23 weeks, was diagnosed with the neuromuscular condition that impairs his ability to walk. His parents, Mark and Jessica Getty, shared with local television station WTXF that one of their goals for William was to help him learn to walk. Moved by young William’s determination, Urban spent the next 30 minutes meticulously cutting and fitting the PVC pipes to the exact specifications provided by the Getty family. He transformed the pipes into a functional parallel bar device, enabling William to practice walking. When William, with a beaming smile, tested out the bars by grasping them and attempting to walk, Urban was overcome with emotion. “I think you saw that courageous smile of his. Sense of pride, ah, it keeps getting me,” Urban said, holding back tears. The Getty family expressed their gratitude, stating that the bars would not only help William practice walking forward and sideways but also aid him in learning to stand up. Relatives of the boy expressed their eternal appreciation for Urban’s kindness and generosity. Sometimes, that small effort or extra step is all it takes to create a meaningful transformation. Just go the extra mile and be a ray of hope in someone’s despair.

STEPS TO SUCCESS: HOW A KIND ACT CHANGED A BOY’S LIFE Read More »

STORMY SEAS, BRAVE HEARTS: HOW STRANGERS BECAME LIFESAVERS IN THE GULF

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

After conditions in the Gulf off the Florida Panhandle changed suddenly, a resident tried to rescue three individuals trapped in a capsized houseboat. Another boat saw what was happening and came to help—and even rescue—the rescuer, demonstrating the diffusion of heroism among the folks of the Florida Gulf community. It started last Friday when Travis Brady and his friends left the Panama City marina on the opening day of red snapper season with storm clouds coming fast behind them On the way back to the marina, they saw a houseboat—a floating general store that served watermen near a sandbar, had broken free from its moorings. As Brady and his friends approached they saw another boat had already arrived, and its owner was attempting to rescue three people trapped in the houseboat. That rescuer, later identified as Boyd Jordan, jumped in the water, smashed the window, and helped all three people out after the houseboat capsized. “He is the true hero of this story,” Brady told WJHG. “Without hesitation, he was just in the water helping those people.” That’s when Brady and his friends arrived, dodging debris and waves to throw a life jacket to Jordan with a line attached to it; the houseboat’s occupants were already wearing life jackets. Hauling Jordan aboard their already overcrowded fishing boat, they then guided the stranded individuals to the sandbar where they were able to walk ashore. Brady then took Jordan his own boat before it crashed into the seawall. Not one injury was sustained, and there were no damages to either boat—all in all it was a miraculous escape. “All glory be to God, man. He put us in the right place at the right time. I’ve never been super religious, but [Friday] was just an eye-opening moment for me, I just feel like divine intervention puts you in the right place at the right time.”

STORMY SEAS, BRAVE HEARTS: HOW STRANGERS BECAME LIFESAVERS IN THE GULF Read More »

THE WAY HUMANS SHOULD TREAT HUMANS

kindness /

When rough seas forced the cancellation of the last ferries out of Port Townsend on a busy holiday weekend, a group of stranded passengers faced the prospect of sleeping on the streets. However, their dire situation was resolved thanks to the kindness of a ferry terminal worker William Patterson .As the wind picked up on Saturday evening, the Washington State Ferries had to cancel the final sailings from Port Townsend to Coupeville due to the rough conditions It was in the early evening that 79-year-old Kip Goodwin and his wife from Hawaii had finished calling every hotel and Airbnb in the Olympic Peninsula’s Port Townsend—they were all fully booked for the summer holiday season. Neither had they luck at the YMCA or Red Cross—even the campgrounds were unavailable. Fearfully looking at each other amid the sound of howling wind, Patterson interrupted their worrying to tell them they would all be staying with him and his wife Arianna. Nestled among the pines on the Admiralty Inlet, Port Townsend is serviced by the United States’ largest ferry network, but the Port Townsend-to-Coupeville route, which Goodwin and the others were hoping to take after a day trip to Port Townsend and Whidbey Island, was canceled after winds picked up and the ferries had to remain tied to their moorings. All three round trips were canceled, starting at 6:45 pm and on to 9:00 pm. Arianna Patterson joked with the Seattle Times that her husband always threatened he’d bring a “straggler” home one day. William called and asked if they could make space for the Goodwins. “I said, ‘We have enough space for two, no big deal,’” Arianna said. “Then he called back and said, ‘We have eight or nine other people.’ I said, oh.” Like the Goodwins, most of the passengers were over 60 years of age, so the Pattersons were just happy they could get the visitors out of the weather. At the home, there was space on the couch and an extra bed, but pretty quickly people were on the floor, borrowing blankets that their hosts had from their time welcoming foster kids. Early the next morning, William went out to the cafe he runs along with his work at the ferry terminal to make pastries and coffee for them all. “It was unbelievable,” said Fred Dente, 79, who lives in Langley and was visiting with his wife and their two friends from Hawaii. “It was the way humans should treat humans. In this day and age, it was exceptional.” That morning was bright and brisk, and at 7:00 AM, the ferries departed. I need not over emphasize the way they felt as the entire atmosphere carried the waves of immense happiness and gratitude.

THE WAY HUMANS SHOULD TREAT HUMANS Read More »

RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF KINDNESS

Uncategorized /

Humans are hardwired to feel good when performing acts of kindness towards others, an imperative trait in any animal that evolves to live and hunt in social groups. This is such a truism that performing random acts of kindness for other people was more effective in reducing symptoms of depression than specifically planning activities for the sake of enjoyment, a new study found. The study sought to test methods of cognitive behavioral therapy, a non-pharmaceutical treatment for depression and anxiety that’s proven to work through confronting patterns of thought and behavior that lead to depressive or anxious thoughts, and consciously moving away from them by retraining one’s brain. The methods included random acts of kindness, such as buying a stranger’s coffee at Starbucks or baking cookies for the mailman, as well as planning fun activities twice a week and “cognitive reappraisal,” which guides people with depression or anxiety to record triggering thoughts, and actively contemplate what would make the resulting stress diminish. Participants in the study recorded their feelings before, during, and five weeks after it ended. They noted feelings like social isolation, self-consciousness in public, and overall life satisfaction. Coauthor Jennifer Cheavens from Ohio State University mentioned, “We thought the group that kept track of their thoughts might do better since that’s a well-known way to help with depression and anxiety. However, the kindness group performed just as well, if not better, and they also felt more socially connected than the other two groups.”All three groups showed improvements in their feelings. The random acts of kindness group had a strong positive effect early on, but this decreased over time. In contrast, the thought-recording group started off with negative feelings, but their outlook improved as the study went on. Another surprising finding was how easy it was for the kindness group to perform their acts of kindness. Cheavens noted, “I was surprised that it wasn’t difficult for them. The kindness group was more engaged than the other groups in some ways.” The kindness acts is a particularly important finding because it necessitates a connection with other people. Social isolation is a high-risk factor for survival; the same as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.  Cheavens felt that as well as being a powerful therapeutic strategy, random acts of kindness can be “add-on therapy” to pretty much most mental health disorders, reasoning that anytime we can get out of our own heads, it seems to be of benefit to our well-being. Be inspired by this finding and Try A Little Kindness

RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF KINDNESS Read More »

A SINGLE ACT OF KINDNESS SPARKS HOPE, EVEN AMIDST A SEA OF DESPAIR.

kindness, Uncategorized /

In 2014, a young woman named Trieste Belmont was struggling with depression. Her grandmother had just passed, and she was going through a dramatic break-up. She was teaching a dance class at this time, but without a driver’s license, she relied on a friend to drive her to and from work every week. One day however the friend didn’t come to pick her up, and Belmont waited for hours before being forced to walk home. The route she used went over a high bridge. And when she got there, she stopped for a moment. “I was just having one of the worst days of my life. And I was looking down at all the cars, just feeling so useless and like such a burden to everyone in my life that I decided that this was the time and I needed to end my life,” Belmont said. “I was sobbing and crying and working up the courage to just go through with it, because I knew at that moment that it was going to make everyone’s lives better.” At that moment, a driver, whose face Belmont didn’t see, and whose hand she would never shake, passed over the bridge and hollered out of the window. “Don’t jump,” they said. It immediately clicked a ray of luminous hope on in her head; that if a stranger could care enough to speak up, then suicide was not the answer. She enrolled in therapy, and with the help of her friends, family, and therapist, she is far down the road indeed from that dark and fateful day. Belmont uses the incident as an example to teach others to be kind to people, as it’s never obvious what they’re going through. The smallest kindness is multiplied by the distance, socially, between two strangers.

A SINGLE ACT OF KINDNESS SPARKS HOPE, EVEN AMIDST A SEA OF DESPAIR. Read More »

Spreading Kindness: South Carolina Officers Deliver Turkeys Instead of Tickets

Uncategorized /

If the heart is determined to be graciously kind, then every life situation presents one with an opportunity to spread such love and kindness. It’s all about what thoughts we’re preoccupied with. Motorists in South Carolina who were pulled over for violations got a Thanksgiving surprise, as officers handed them a free turkey instead of tickets or fines. Every turkey day for the past five years the Summerville Police Department has spread seasonal cheer with the program. Drivers are pulled over and burst into laughter and relief when they are handed a turkey instead. The department turns the annual, week-long event called ‘Turkey, no Ticket’, into a teaching experience for drivers. They stop motorists who might normally have been issued written warnings or tickets for infractions like driving with an obstructed mirror, or minor speeding. This year, Motorcycle Officers Bryan Young and T.J. Thomas gave out 12 turkeys donated by a local Harris Teeter supermarket. Police Chief Douglas Wright said that the project is also intended to foster goodwill between police and the community. “We feel that it is essential to utilize every unique idea to help break down the walls between the community and law enforcement. “The holidays can be challenging for many reasons, so giving back to the community is another way to brighten the season for those who are struggling.” He also said that his officers are always excited to take part in the project. “Each year, the officers who are selected to participate absolutely love doing this particular outreach. Life can be truly challenging, hence nothing is more beautiful than the exploration of every avenue to lift burdens off people’s shoulders and show them genuine kindness. It will make more sense and meaning if our corrective measures too are doused in kindness, love and compassion. Kindness is all humanity needs at the moment.

Spreading Kindness: South Carolina Officers Deliver Turkeys Instead of Tickets Read More »

Kindness Without Limits: A Journey of Friendship and Sacrifice

kindness /

In all honesty, the flame of liberty will forever burn because humans have chosen to be kind without limits. Krystal was 6 years old when Dave Polen began transporting her over 170 miles from her home in Somerville, Indiana, to a hospital. She was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome and was directed to Shriners Children’s in St. Louis for treatment on her leg and possible amputation. Dave started volunteering as driver 30 years earlier, transporting patients so they might improve their quality of life. Getting back and forth to St. Louis would have been difficult for Krystal’s family as her father worked long hours. So, they accepted an offer for hospital transportation from the local Shriners charity group. Over the course of 10 trips, the conversations were plentiful on their 3 hour back-and-forth trips to the hospital. Dave was a ‘Driver Dad’ but soon became more. He became a friend—and their unexpected friendship has lasted for over three decades. In fact, decades after meeting the “sweet little girl” with a prosthetic leg, Dave was a guest at Krystal’s wedding. As the years rolled on, Dave became sick. Eventually, his doctors gave a diagnosis of end-stage renal failure. They said Dave would need dialysis for the rest of his life or a kidney transplant. Dave also got the warning that an available kidney might take five years to obtain. Dave reached out to Krystal to talk through the process because her husband had just received a liver transplant that saved his life. Krystal immediately saw an opportunity to return the favor. She found out they shared the same blood type and, without hesitation, offered to donate her kidney. She said, at the time, “The kidney belongs to him, whenever he decides to take it.” Dave was shocked – and hesitant—as he knew Krystal was a mother to three kids with a full-time job. “She wouldn’t take no for an answer,” he recalled. In May, 2023, after a year on dialysis, Dave took her up on her offer. “Pack your bags, Dave. You’re going to get a slightly used but new kidney,” laughed Krystal. “Since I was little, I’ve always questioned why Dave was so good to us because he was so kind and so willing to help out with anything. I’ve always questioned why. “What I’ve come to understand is: If I was born with one leg so I could give my kidney to Dave, then so be it,” said Krystal. “This is a gift I can’t ever repay,” said Dave. “I am so thankful! Now, I feel like I can do anything.” Kindness Without Limits: A Journey of Friendship and Sacrifice In all honesty, the flame of liberty will forever burn because humans have chosen to be kind without limits. Krystal was 6 years old when Dave Polen began transporting her over 170 miles from her home in Somerville, Indiana, to a hospital. She was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome and was directed to Shriners Children’s in St. Louis for treatment on her leg and possible amputation. Dave started volunteering as driver 30 years earlier, transporting patients so they might improve their quality of life. Getting back and forth to St. Louis would have been difficult for Krystal’s family as her father worked long hours. So, they accepted an offer for hospital transportation from the local Shriners charity group. Over the course of 10 trips, the conversations were plentiful on their 3 hour back-and-forth trips to the hospital. Dave was a ‘Driver Dad’ but soon became more. He became a friend—and their unexpected friendship has lasted for over three decades. In fact, decades after meeting the “sweet little girl” with a prosthetic leg, Dave was a guest at Krystal’s wedding. As the years rolled on, Dave became sick. Eventually, his doctors gave a diagnosis of end-stage renal failure. They said Dave would need dialysis for the rest of his life or a kidney transplant. Dave also got the warning that an available kidney might take five years to obtain. Dave reached out to Krystal to talk through the process because her husband had just received a liver transplant that saved his life. Krystal immediately saw an opportunity to return the favor. She found out they shared the same blood type and, without hesitation, offered to donate her kidney. She said, at the time, “The kidney belongs to him, whenever he decides to take it.” Dave was shocked – and hesitant—as he knew Krystal was a mother to three kids with a full-time job. “She wouldn’t take no for an answer,” he recalled. In May, 2023, after a year on dialysis, Dave took her up on her offer. “Pack your bags, Dave. You’re going to get a slightly used but new kidney,” laughed Krystal. “Since I was little, I’ve always questioned why Dave was so good to us because he was so kind and so willing to help out with anything. I’ve always questioned why. “What I’ve come to understand is: If I was born with one leg so I could give my kidney to Dave, then so be it,” said Krystal. “This is a gift I can’t ever repay,” said Dave. “I am so thankful! Now, I feel like I can do anything.”

Kindness Without Limits: A Journey of Friendship and Sacrifice Read More »

CONNECTING THROUGH KINDNESS: THE TALE OF ESBON KAMAU AND ALEX TISDALE

Uncategorized /

An Alabama Uber driver, Esbon Kamau, is expected to have a remarkable 2024 after he returned $8,000 in cash that a teenager, Alex Tisdale, had accidentally left in his vehicle. Kamau, who has been driving for Uber intermittently for four years and is a father of five, formed a connection with Tisdale during the ride.  After Tisdale exited the vehicle to attend to his business, Kamau continued his work, picking up and dropping off other clients. Upon discovering an unfamiliar item in his car and realizing it was money, he instinctively recognized it belonged to Tisdale. Without hesitation, he reported the find through the Uber app. Meanwhile, Tisdale realized he had left his belongings in the vehicle and also reported it on the app. The system efficiently connected them again, allowing Kamau to return Tisdale’s intact belongings. Tisdale was deeply impressed by Kamau’s honesty and kindness, ensuring that he left a generous tip for the driver. Reacting on the matter, Kamau stated, “When you do something good, it comes back tenfold.” In our quest for daily sustenance, may we remember to be graciously kind, and treat others, same way we expect to be treated.

CONNECTING THROUGH KINDNESS: THE TALE OF ESBON KAMAU AND ALEX TISDALE Read More »