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Alex and Sarah Schilke’s wedding at the Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin took an unexpected turn when a tornado warning forced them and their 181 guests to seek shelter in the hotel’s basement. In the basement, as the couple prepared for their first dance, the power went out, plunging the basement into darkness. However, a group of strangers from a nearby family reunion stepped in to create a magical moment for the newlyweds. Professional singer Jack Jones offered to serenade the couple, and with the help of guests shining their phone flashlights, he sang a heartfelt rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect”. “That moment of having our loved ones and strangers come together to create this beautiful moment and share it with us was so important,” said Sarah. “It restored my faith in humanity.” Alex and Sarah, who met while studying computer science at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, had spent 15 months planning their dream wedding.  Despite the unexpected challenges, they embraced the moment and continued the celebration with their guests after the tornado warning was lifted.”We were really surprised that about 75% of our guests wanted to continue the party after all that,” said Alex. “We ended up continuing on the reception, finally began the speeches, and enjoyed a few more dances throughout the night. “The couple’s resilience and the kindness of strangers turned a potentially disastrous situation into an unforgettable and heartwarming experience, reminding everyone present of the power of community and the beauty that can arise from unexpected challenges. Even in the depths of despair, strangers found a way to chart a way forward, demonstrating that kindness is truly a fundamental part of human nature. Truly, kindness isn’t just a necessity, it is a requirement.

When three employees of a New York McDonald’s were forced to accept the fact that they weren’t going home during the Christmas storm that blanketed the northern US, they opened up the store to stranded motorists—and ended up hosting 50 people over Christmas weekend. Amherst, like neighboring Buffalo, received upwards of 40 inches of snow—and it wasn’t long before police began dropping people off at their store on Sweet Home Road and Sheridan Drive last Friday night. “We accepted the fact that we weren’t going home, so we might as well open up,” said Kristin Kosha, one of the workers there. “We figured someone might need some help.” Expecting maybe a dozen, more than 50 New Yorkers sheltered in their store which, even before the act of kindness, was known as the “Sweethome McDonald’s” after the street on which it was built. “We fed them, and had the coffees and hot chocolates going,” “Saturday we had the Bills football game on, and they chatted amongst themselves and mingled—while we kept them fed.” Dozens of stories of humans helping humans were published over the Christmas weekend, as a patch of terrible weather coincided with the holiday that celebrates goodwill towards man. In Amherst, people from across the state gathered at the McDonald’s, including a 7-month-old baby and her mother. Kosha, along with her colleagues Jeffrey Spangler and Amanda Kendall, remarked that they simply acted as anyone would. However, I kid you not; this gesture truly exemplifies kindness to the very nth degree.

A Welshman decided to donate his kidney to an unknown patient after his daughter received a donated one in a potentially life-saving procedure. When Arfon Jones’ daughter Seren became seriously ill and had to have both her kidneys removed, he did what any father would do and signed up to be a donor. However the surgeons determined that his kidney would not match, and for months Seren sat on a dialysis machine 10 hours a night. In April of 2022, Arfon received a call that a suitable donor had been found. “Without the kidney I wouldn’t be alive today, possibly,” said 19-year-old Seren. It was while Seren was awaiting a transplant that Arfon learned more about how to be a living organ donor, and that a normal person can lead a healthy life with just one kidney. “After Seren got her new kidney, she was told that I could get off the living donor list and that’s when I had a very strange experience,” “It was as if I heard a voice telling me ‘there is someone else who needs your kidney’ and I just felt that I had to stay on the list.” Arfon became a kidney donor at 70-years-old just before Christmas, remarking he had given someone a very nice present. He doesn’t know their identity as it wasn’t a friend or family member, but he knows they’re doing well. One-third of all kidney donations in the UK come from living donors, who provided they follow basic healthy habits of eating well, exercising regularly, and getting proper amounts of sleep, can lead long and healthy lives. I believe the greatest expression of human kindness is our willingness to volunteer and donate to save the lives of others. The kindness we show inspires those around us, awakening the innate spirit of kindness within everyone. Let us continue to champion kindness through our thoughts, words, and actions.

Upon the occasion of the funeral for one Hody Childress from Geraldine, Alabama, it was revealed that for a decade this quiet and humble gentleman was a sort of guardian angel for the town’s poor and sick. A farmer and U.S. Air Force veteran, Childress began his covert charity campaign when he visited the local Geraldine drugstore and learned that all too many of the town’s 900 residents couldn’t afford to pay for their prescriptions. Life up until that point had been difficult from a health standpoint. Childress lost a son in 1973, and his first wife in 1999—whom he used to carry into the stands for local football games due to her multiple sclerosis. Upon hearing of his neighbors’ inability to always afford their medications, he handed Brooke Walker, owner of Geraldine Drugs, a $100 bill. “Here, this $100 is for anyone who can’t afford their prescription,” Walker recalled in an interview with local news. “Do not tell a soul that the money came from me, tell them it’s a blessing from God.” A month later, Walker saw Childress again walking into her store to hand over another $100 bill, with the exact same instructions—’do not tell a soul that the money came from me, tell them it’s a blessing from God.’ He would return on the 1st of every month for the same motivation for years, until in late 2022, because he wasn’t able to walk due a pulmonary disease and other health conditions, he decided he needed to enlist someone for help. He entrusted the task to his daughter, Tania Nix. At his funeral on January 5th, 2023, Nix told the story of Childress’ decade of giving, and how it was able to cover the cost of expensive medications for 2 Geraldine residents per month. The word got out that they had an angel in their midst, and WVTM reports that the townspeople have agreed to carry on his legacy. “There are so many people in Geraldine who have lived longer because of Hody,” pharmacist Heather Walker said. “Hody was a true humble servant who will always be loved.” Sometimes, angels walk among us, illuminating our paths in quiet yet profound ways. While it’s easy to view the world as chaotic and cruel—often shaped by our own valid experiences—there are countless guardian angels spread across the globe, dedicated to healing the souls of others through acts of kindness. If you find yourself unable to spot one nearby, then strive to be that angel for someone else. Be inspired to T.A.L.K.

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.

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.

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.”

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

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.