A while ago, I read about a group of people who wanted to spread a little joy to others. So, they went into libraries, supermarkets and other places and taped five dollar bills onto items that they found there. They always made sure they wrote a little note on the money so that the finder would know that someone had placed the money there as a random act of kindness.
Book anyone?
One of my jobs is housed in an old apartment building, and one morning, I was greeted with this sight.
The sign reads:
Dear Neighbours,
We have cleared out our bookshelves. Take whatever you want!
After a couple of weeks, the basket was empty and the books had found happy homes and satisfied new owners.
Similar acts of generosity can be seen in our neighbourhood. I remember that when we first went to look at the half-built house that was later to become ours, Sir Pe and I walked around the area to get a feel for it. One of the things that helped us make up our minds to buy the house was the fact that several houses had bowls of plums outside their gates, with notes encouraging passers-by to taste the fruit.
A couple of weeks ago, I walked past a house with a bountiful gooseberry bush and a sign that said:
Help yourself to the gooseberries.
Help yourself!
It doesn’t take much effort to smile at someone, to show kindness to friends and strangers alike.
Love and kindness are never wasted and just like a boomerang, eventually find their way back to the giver.
As Lao Tse said:
Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profundity.
Kindness in giving creates love.
For other kind views of our world, please visit: That’s My World!
August 18, 2009 at 6:43 am
This is very cool! The world could use a lot more of it.
August 18, 2009 at 6:55 am
what a great post. I always love to pay it forward as they say.
August 18, 2009 at 7:24 am
I like the fact that people write notes. It makes it easier to accept their gifts of generosity. I live in a neighbourhood where people do put out a box of things and there is an understanding that people should serve themselves, yet, I am reluctant unless it is stated explicitly.
August 18, 2009 at 7:25 am
WOW that is really inspiring, great to know the random acts of kindness of your neighbors you could not have asked for a better place to call as your home
August 18, 2009 at 7:50 am
A very beautiful post. It’s great that you’re highlighting the kindness in the world. We need more of these.
August 18, 2009 at 7:54 am
I like those random books waiting for someone else. I´ve got some good ones from those.
August 18, 2009 at 8:07 am
a wonderful world indeed!
August 18, 2009 at 8:51 am
So let’s ALL do an act of kindness today ;-p
August 18, 2009 at 8:59 am
Thank you so much for sharing that!! Too often people are so wrapped up in themselves and what they are doing that they forget about their neighbours and their community
C x
August 18, 2009 at 10:35 am
That is so sweet. I give away books that I’m done with.
Those plums and gooseberries would be gone in 3 minutes in Vegas – too many hungry homeless.
As for the $5 – I don’t know -make it $20. Just kidding…
August 18, 2009 at 11:15 am
Outside the laundry room in my building there is a “free flea market”, a bookshelf where we can leave stuff and take anything we want!
I’ve taken books, an old encyclopedia which I’m in the process of cutting up, a metallic red keyboard and a blue wooden bird. I’ve left books.
August 18, 2009 at 11:20 am
Very nice to read about such kindness. I will like to recommend a film called “Paying it forward”.
August 18, 2009 at 12:12 pm
What a great “world” you live in! It´s always good to read about such acts of kindness and that people have a good heart. Thanks for sharing that.
I´m going to take an example and give away my books, that are just sitting there….:)
August 18, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Well, how cool is that? What a great bunch of ideas.
August 18, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Nice post! I think one of the best, most fun things about having a huge garden this year has been sharing the produce. We’ve given away so much more than we have eaten, and as satisfying as it is to eat all the fresh home-grown food, I think it is even more satisfying to share it with others!
August 18, 2009 at 2:19 pm
What a simple yet telling idea to spread cheer all round. In our earlier place of stay, we used to send away bagfuls of gooseberry, custard-apple, mangoes and sapota (Sapodilla).
A cousin leaves a bowlful of water for stray cattle to quench their thirst. You can see the related entry here
August 18, 2009 at 2:24 pm
How wonderful! I’ve always loved the thought of random acts of kindness…it’s something we rarely think about, but so easy to pass on! It always reminds me of the movie Pay It Forward…oh it makes me cry…and have hope in the humanity of our society.
August 18, 2009 at 2:29 pm
It really is true that giving gives more pleasure to the giver than anyone else.
To chip in when someone is short and embarrased at the cash counter, to hand someone who looks a little sad that beautiful bunch of flowers you could not quite afford and see them light up, gives you much more pleasure than watching them fade in a vase.
August 18, 2009 at 3:02 pm
There is goodness everywhere, sometimes we just need to search a little harder.
I love it when someone puts out extras with a note for others.
Jen
August 18, 2009 at 3:12 pm
I just read another post that was talking about giving – not money – but time and other things that may be more abundant than your finances!
I think this is lovely and I’m so glad to see people thinking of others. Great post
August 18, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Ladyfi, I’m too cynical. It’s sad. If someone offered me gooseberries I would wonder what was wrong with them or what they want from me. This is what NYC does to ya I guess.
August 18, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Great post. That is a very kind act.
August 18, 2009 at 4:22 pm
this really does restore your faith in humanity!!!!
August 18, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Lovely – generosity makes our hearts swell, it’s a good thing to remember, nice post.
August 18, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Wonderful. It is nice to know there are still kind heart people around.
August 18, 2009 at 5:58 pm
This is a great idea… simple and practical.
Great post!
August 18, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I love stories like this. It helps to counteract all the negative things you always hear about on the news. People are still good!!!!
August 18, 2009 at 8:06 pm
That is so lovely
I remember reading about some nightime gardeners somewhere in England who would plant up verges with lovely flowers as a surprise for people
August 18, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Yes imagine a world of nice people who do nice things. . .
August 18, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Wonderful!
Little acts of kindness like that make such a difference.
August 19, 2009 at 3:39 am
How wonderful! We should all share. Things would be so much nicer. Thanks for sharing with us.
August 19, 2009 at 8:02 am
HA !
He had placed several items at the road days before with a sign… It should have been realized that this things left were not for the taking…He refused to ask around the 6 houses, and just repalced all new tools and boxes…He never wants to make trouble.
When Benny was moving house from Denmark to the US, he borrowed a friends van to carry stuff to the recycle place. The van had several tool boxes inside so he took them out and left them in his driveway next door to the house, and a neighbor helped himself to them…Benny had to pay to replace 500 + kroners of tools
August 19, 2009 at 8:08 am
This is a lovely post. Thought provoking. xx
August 19, 2009 at 10:42 am
Your post has brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart! What a truly lovely place you live in.
Janice.
August 19, 2009 at 2:00 pm
The one thing people do here is to place items they no longer want on their lawn and a sign FREE, stuck on it. I’ve seen bunk beds out on a lawn and they were in excellent shape. A week later, and no one had taken it. I do love it when someone shares their oranges and lemons from their garden with me.
August 19, 2009 at 3:04 pm
That’s very nice for me to read today, because besides from the beauty of the english south east coast is also the kindness and so friendly and helpful people !
August 19, 2009 at 6:17 pm
LOVE this…great burst of positivity..and yes, these acts do make a big difference in the world.
August 19, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Absolutely delightful.
August 19, 2009 at 11:15 pm
What an awesome community. That makes me so happy that human kind is not always on a path of destruction. How inspiring, thanks for sharing.
August 20, 2009 at 1:07 am
How wonderful Lady Fi..you live in an exceptional area! You have very kind neighbors..that is wonderful! I have neighbors that are very special also!
August 20, 2009 at 6:26 am
I love stuff like this – it definitely puts a smile on people’s faces. One of my favorite ‘random acts of kindness’ is when someone pays the road/bridge toll for the car behind them without having any idea who is in that car!
August 20, 2009 at 7:44 am
Now that is a great neighbourhood. I like the idea of doing things like this. In smaller cities I have lived this kind of thing is common but not where I currently live. Maybe I will try this though as I have some books to give away. This post made me feel good Lady Fi – I think we all need to develop a greater sense of community. It sounds like you have it already where you live.
August 20, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I’m late but I’m SO glad I didn’t miss this post! What a FABULOUS idea! I LOVE things like this and will share it with the kids. What a fun way to sew seeds of kindness, Lady Fi. Thank you for sharing and your neighborhood sounds wonderful. You belong in it.
August 21, 2009 at 3:18 am
Nicely said!
August 22, 2009 at 4:39 am
How nice. It would do the world some good to see that you don’t have to get something tangible for everything you do or give away. Feeding the heart is more important.
August 22, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Serendipity is a funny word and alive in the universe… I’ve been in a somewhat lousy mood today, and yet everywhere I’ve gone online has been nothing but kindness, love and reminders of just how lucky I/we are.
I live in Minneapolis, an area known as “Nordeast” and am proud to say that there are little examples of this behavior everywhere. Sometimes, however, we need reminding of that.
Pearl
August 23, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I always try to pay forward and remember “I’m not in charge”
August 23, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Love it! I’m a believerin pay it forward.
August 24, 2009 at 1:35 am
What wonderful gestures! There are always things that one can do as a random act of kindness and they are always rewarded (every religion, belief and culture says so!).
August 25, 2009 at 5:11 am
What a wonderful world you live in!