Swandeh Terhide

A veteran at a food mart in Las Vegas while waiting to buy dish soap and candy. As his financial status was not good enough to buy even essential goods every week, he used to volunteer to drive his disabled veteran friend Stephanie to the store. And on this very day too, they came to the mart together. Stephanie who had to rely on a wheelchair for her mobility stated, while spending her last $50 to purchase groceries for herself and her dogs, that the future looked somewhat bleak. While all of these played out, a team of Surprise Squad reported to Stephanie that they would pay the total amount of her groceries. She was overjoyed when she heard the message. Lary Robeson was tearful when the Surprise Squad was paying his bill amount of $278. He said that he had never spent such a large amount. Lary took it upon himself to be Stephanie’s personal chauffeur, an act of kindness in its entirety. His kindness happened to be rewarded on this fateful day when Surprise Team decided to drown both him and Stephanie in the pool of kindness. This is a chain of kindness no doubt. The customers at the Albertsons Store became passionate while the team was helping a few more poor people purchase their goods. Each of us knows the value of a human life. There are some people who have placed a higher value on the lives and freedom of others than on their own. There are times when some people have placed a higher value on their country than on their own comfort and security. This is the exact situation of servicemen who throw everything to the winds, for the love of humanity and their nation. Veterans, though often treated as heroes, face many problems with their mental and physical health; some cannot find their place among their family, friends and society. Apart from mental and physical issues, they need to secure financial stability. Even the highly placed could sometimes need a hand, which is why it is of utmost importance that we never hold back on being kind, as we may be someone’s last line of hope. Just keep T.A.L.K.ing…

When we embrace inclusiveness, we are actively choosing to make others feel valued, respected, and accepted for who they are. By being inclusive, we help create a sense of belonging for those who may have felt marginalized or excluded in the past. When people feel like they are a part of a community and that their presence is valued, it can boost their self-esteem, confidence, and overall well-being. Here is what transpired between a barista and a man with auditory impairment. Ibby Piracha is one of many regulars at Starbucks in Leesburg, Virginia. However Ibby isn’t like the other regulars – he’s also deaf. Krystal Payne, a newly hired employee, knew after she first took Ibby’s order that she wanted to do something to make him feel more welcome at the store. The barista spoke with other employees about Ibby, learning he was a frequent customer and they did what they could to show him exceptional service while he was at the shop. Payne, however, wanted to take it a step further. The barista went home and spent over three hours that night learning American Sign Language so she could better communicate with Ibby. In his post, Ibby shared a photo of the note with the caption: “Oh, I gotta love this place. Starbucks woman cashier, she wrote it to me and she knew I am deaf. I am surprised she learning sign language because I attend to Starbucks 3 times in a week. She asked me “what you want drink?” in sign language. I am so blessed with her. I think she realized Leesburg, VA have deaf people. Please share this post to everyone. I want hearing people would understand about hearing community support for the deaf community.” The next morning, Krystal heard about the post when her district manager complimented her and mentioned that there were many requests from reporters to interview Krystal. “My job is to make sure people have the experience they expect and that’s what I gave him,” Krystal said. It took her a few days to adjust to her new fame, saying she didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Ibby hopes that the gesture will lead to a better understanding of the deaf community.   He was inspired by Krystal’s act of kindness and believes others will be as well. “It shows she respects people with auditory impairment, she’s an inspiration,” Ibby shared. Today, Krystal now knows everything she needs to take Ibby’s order. Before she took it upon herself to learn American Sign Language, Ibby would have to order his drink through text messages to the staff. She learned ASL through simple YouTube videos. Piracha still loves to frequent the coffee shop, saying it is something that “gave me genuine happiness – even now, I’m still smiling.” Like we’ve always maintained at Torch of Liberty, one mustn’t break the bank to show kindness. Little acts, done out of compassion and love, could mean everything. In the very position and spot Providence has placed you, you could make life more meaningful for someone. Just endeavor to act kindly.

When your “cup runneth over,” you don’t question an opportunity to help others, which is exactly the thinking that inspired one Albuquerque family’s generosity. Josette Duran, a mother from Albuquerque, New Mexico, became an inspiring example of kindness and compassion. For months, she packed an extra lunch for her son, Dylan, simply because he asked her to. When Dylan, began asking for an extra lunch, she thought he was just more hungry than usual, until he explained what he was really doing: giving the additional sandwich and snacks to his classmate who couldn’t afford lunch. “There’s a little boy at school. He only eats a fruit cup,” Dylan said. “[He has] no money. Can you make two lunches?” Without a doubt in her mind, Josette started packing double lunches complete with encouraging notes for both students. Up until after a pretty long time, Josette never probed to learn more about Dylan’s classmate, and instead, gave the student privacy and left it up to her son to pass along the meals. “I didn’t ask, ‘What does he look like? Show me,’” she said. “I didn’t even care at that point.” She didn’t learn the child’s identity until the kid’s mom approached Josette to thank her for her generosity. She even offered Josette money to pay for the previous lunches, but Josette refused. “Thank you for feeding him. He’s doing better in school,” the mom said to Josette. Dylan is her son’s best friend at school, the mom added. The video could be accessed here https://youtu.be/CuDjyDbbY8A If we look closely, children will always love and show kindness until they are taught not to. May we learn to nurture the kind hearts children are naturally born with. May we learn to pay forward every kind act, this is how we heal the world.

Chauncy Black, a teenager from Memphis, Tennessee, approached Matt White, a stranger in a Kroger Supermarket, and asked him if he was willing to buy donuts in exchange for carrying groceries to his car. Black did not anticipate the act of grace that would follow. White didn’t buy him any donuts. Instead, he purchased an entire cart of groceries for the boy and his family. White then offered to drive Black back to his home so that he wouldn’t have to ride the bus. That’s when White met Black’s disabled mother, Barbara Martin, and saw their living conditions. Their living condition is simply terrible by all standards. White knew that he had to do something to help this family. He went home and set up a GoFundMe account called “Chauncy’s Chance,” setting an initial goal to raise $250 to buy a lawnmower for the teenager who wanted to legitimately earn money by cutting grass. Since then, the fund has raised over $250,000 in just 13 days, which is way more than anyone involved in it thought they would raise. But now that they have it, they are planning on putting it to good use. Martin believes what happened is an act of God. She knows that White was sent into their lives for a reason. Choking back tears, Martin said, “I’m still stunned. I just don’t know what to say. It’s just so wonderful. I just know God is good and he sent a good person into our lives.” Black just wants for his family to make it out of poverty. This small act is doing a lot to change their situation. “It means a whole lot to us and our family,” Black said. “We are very thankful to all of those who reached out to get us into a better home and a safe environment.” White, who is a man of faith, is amazed by how God has used the power of their story to provide so much for them already and can’t wait to see what God continues to have in store for them. “I pray that he will continue to do so and that we will have all the funds and resources we need to secure Chauncy and his mom for the rest of their lives.” White is now planning to raise enough money to move Black and his mother into a nicer home and looking into buying them new furniture and clothes. A new goal has been set on the GoFundMe page for $275,000, a goal they are very close to meeting. Many asked White the reason he felt compelled to help out the teen. White responded: “This kid was really brave. The look on his face was kind of broken. He looked hungry. I just thought to myself, if I was his age, I don’t think I could go up to someone and ask them for food. I looked at him like he was my hero… When Chauncy approached me, it just tugged at my heart.” When Black was asked why he approached White in the grocery store that day, he said he was moved by God and he listened to His voice. “Something told me to go to Kroger,” Black said. “God told me to go to Kroger.” This experience has taught Black a lot, including a powerful lesson about faith. “Faith takes care of a lot of stuff,” Black said. “That’s what I had: faith.” Humans are truly kind, despite the cruelty in the world. We would sure be creating a peaceful, loving and safe world if we always harken to the voice of kindness which softly speaks to our hearts. Let’s continue to spread kindness, let’s continue to make a difference out there and a positive one at that. Let’s keep T.A.L.K.ing.

The founders of the world’s greatest religions, whether you believe they’re divine, prophets, or just plain human, indisputably gave humanity invaluable guidance in the art of kindness. Sometimes simple teaching is an act of kindness unto itself. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, and a part of the Trinity in the Christian tradition, was just such a teacher. Jesus’ life and actions were a continuous teaching experience for His disciples, as well as those who sought his wisdom. One of his most notable acts of kindness involved the healing of a leper in Luke 5:12-16. Whether or not you believe the miraculous actually occurred, the mere fact that Jesus touched a man “full of leprosy” in his time period was an incredible act of kindness. Leprosy was once not only a disease that affected the body, but the social life as well. Lepers were outcasts, doomed to a life without the comfort of human touch. But Jesus touched this man, and, according to scripture, healed him. And this was not the only example of Jesus reaching out to those on the margins of society—He treated sinners, minorities, and women as equally valuable and worthy of love, and His admonition to “turn the other cheek,” when we are wronged continues to be taught and considered today. Jesus’ focus on a kind way of life absolutely changed the world, founding a religion focused on peace and love that a large percentage of the entire world would go on to adopt. While beliefs, doctrines and religions may differ, the lifestyle of kindness Jesus taught remains an indispensable panacea for the many maladies of our world.