A Challenge to all of ATS far and wide.. If you have it in you.

Ever since reading this thread, I can't get this song out of my head, so let me share it with you:



Love - Devotion
Feeling - Emotion

Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence.

If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny.

Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance
To return to innocence.

That's not the beginning of the end
That's the return to yourself
The return to innocence.

I'm a very spiritual person, and I have found that this is one of the ways that the Divine speaks to me. I hope this song speaks to you as well!


[edit on 8-7-2009 by JaxonRoberts]

i would like to say that while kindness forms a chain it is not exactly as powerful as more purposeful actions that make a true difference. Not detract from thing like www.rachelschallenge.org... as i believe she was one of the people that were born and died out of a need for change ala MJ.

It is more an issue of why we do it. It makes us feel good yes, but where does it lead. Because every equation must balance, there will be just as much evil as there ever will be good. Kindness is never a given but at the same time, it is not a substitute for fixing problems at their roots because there would be no need for kindness if someone was not in need of it. If there were no economic problems, bullies or accidents, there would be no need... but since there is, we must combine the kindness we have the energy for and solutions to everyday problems and make it a lasting solution.

I like this challenge and I submit my contribution...although this happened a few weeks ago. I'm up for another random act of kindness that I can do this week too.

A few weeks ago my wife and I and youngest son were out eating breakfast when we noticed a couple of teachers had brought their class to breakfast. I thought it was nice for the teachers to do so and imagined that it had to come from their pocket because the schools in our area are not normally good at covering these types of expenses. What made this more interesting to us was that it was a special needs class and our oldest son has high functioning autism. Seeing teachers take this type of step in their profession with children in this area seemed like a really good thing and my wife and I felt that the teachers were doing something special and these kids were getting the benefits of that and we know our son had good teachers as well. To reward the teachers for their efforts my wife and I decided to pay for the teachers and the students breakfast. Granted the total cost wasn't a lot, but we felt they deserved it and it was the least we could do without expecting anything in return.

It felt good to do and of course the teachers did stop over to our booth to say thank you. A week later we also got a letter from them and the students again saying thank you. I do believe in Karma but I also believe that small random acts of kindness can make a big difference in our society that really needs all the positive influence it can get.

I love the reminder to be kind and to pass on the good deeds done to us. However I can't bring myself to agree with sharing stories of our righteous acts. After all, the reward comes from the doing of the deed and the one who sees what we do. Integrity is what we do when we think no one is looking, and true kindness seeks no recognition. But, a star and flag for your positive and legitimate intent.

On the way to the Pool around 9ish in the morning a gardener pointed out a man across the street that was laying on his back throwing up choking on his own vomit. Very dark vomit it was.I grabbed him and turn him to his side so he wouldn't choke on it anymore. Then I ran over to the firefighters station 1 block away to get the firefighters back to him to check him out. I told him where he was and ran back to him before they got there on their truck to make sure that he was ok and not flipped back over. The fire fighters handled the rest and I took a dip in the chlorinated pool to clean off my hands.

I just went out and helped an old lady to cross the road.....

only to find out when we got to the otherside that she didnt want to cross it in the first place.

Damn, i guess ill try again.

I fed a stray cat. does this count as I couldnt tell the cat to pass it on?

reply to post by DaMod


kind of like "pay it forward?"

I've been living this way all my life, no good deed goes unpunished, but a bad deed may follow you for life.

Right now I'm laid off(I do however have a written guarentee to go back to work next month though)
As the It Tech, lead dispatcher, and office manager, I proposed 6 months ago to take a lay off to save 1 persons job who could ill afford it- her husband had just gotten laid off, and 2 weeks later diagnosed with cancer, this after having a new home built just a year ago. No way could she afford to be laid off now, turned out my willingness go voluntary lay off, saved 3 peoples job. No worries, no matter how tight it has gotten, I have more than I need and the money always comes in that is needed when needed. And don't ask me to explain how but my 6" lifted K5 blazer now gets better gas mileage than ever so gas goes further and I do drive it more going fishing.

2 weeks ago a guy was stuck at the beach in the rising tide, broke my winch cable getting him out and had to snatch his truck out. No worries, 2 days later when ordering a new cable, was told by the salesman that they had one that I could have for 20% off as it had been ordered and not picked up. And has a heavy duty hook on it.

Kindness shown will always find it's way back to you.

Edit: spelling

[edit on 9/7/2009 by Pappa_Bear]

[edit on 9/7/2009 by Pappa_Bear]

Wow, some of you out there far and wide have some great stories of selflessness. Just remember that the size of the deed doesn't matter as much as the intention. No force should be required, it must fill your heart with joy. It must make you proud to be a child of this universe. No matter what god/energy/power you believe in. Good deeds start with you and permeate your perception of life and all life around you.

I did not go through the whole thread, so I am not sure if anyone mentioned it to you, but there is a film called pay it forwards - exactly the same idea. The only difference is - what you do has to be something meaningful, significant to another person.

Of course it makes sense, because small favours will end up in billions of threads of insignificant actions that will make insignificant difference...

... or I am wrong.

I always (not always, but when opportunity arises) give people favours and tell them to pass it on - never anything came back to me

For example I left a note in the parked car for the owner, because I saw who crashed into it and run. He rang me and offered me money. I said - i would prefer if you would give someone else a favour or a hand instead.

Good initiative anyways.

Have a good life (as Jacque from Venus Project says)

Wrote up a "how to" guide for families who have a loved one thrown into Lew Sterrett jail (one of THE worst in the country (with Federal investigations and lawsuits out the wazoo)), with links to resources for them and who to call to address certain problems.

Then translated it into Spanish, had that checked, and both versions were sent to a prisoner family support group to be placed be on a "family resource page".

I was reading a support forum for prisoner families (part of some research I'm doing) and the stories were just heartbreaking -- people trying to understand the system and not knowing who to call or where to go. I read and read... until I just couldn't stand the heartbreak any longer.

My name won't be attached in any way, but the admins are very happy to have that guide for these families.

Anything you do to make yourself feel good is a selfish act.

A selfless act is doing something for someone that maybe hurts you to do,putting your own actual physical effort toward helping someone,maybe even knowingly putting yourself in a dangerous situation.

Feeding a wild animal only makes it weaker.

Helping a person who may well be able to help themselves just makes them weaker.

Giving money to someone is just plain foolish,money is the problem with this world...

It isn't about whether you feel good about it or not that matters.

What matters is whether or not you are truly helping someone,and when you do,not accepting anything in return for it.

A little niceness in this world would be good,but a lot more has to change before niceness can really change anything.

Gooey!..

0.02 cents

Do we really need a thread for this? I mean I'll be surprised to hear that people who have never performed a random act of kindness exist?

But hey I am all for the goodness so I'll accept the challenge.

BTW this sounds like the movie "pass it forwards" with the kid from AI and Sixth sense. I always like the idea of the movie.

I'm *stupidly* a smoker and I've had a "share if asked" policy for a long time where I would always give a smoke if I was asked.

Now I'm not so sure that's good Karma and instead I'm knowingly poisoning other people so I've stopped that practice.


i will post as soon as my first act of kindness is completed. :-)

I rode my bicycle up to wal-mart today to see if they were hiring. they weren't. i went outside to unchain my bicycle to go home, and there was a woman standing next to it. as i began to unchain it, she asked "What road is that? My cell phone service is not working. The satellite is apparently down." And pointed to the road to our left. Now I just moved to this location 2 weeks ago, so i don't know the road name, either. I responded: "No, I don't. I just moved here, but I'm going to ride my bicycle over there and find out for you (about .25mi). So, i road over to the mystery road, and read the sign the sign that said Hwy 92. I pedaled back and told her of the newfound information, and i wished her an awesome day.

it felt great.

I don't know why the satellite was down, though. I suggested that it might have been the sunspot.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


You sir are a gentleman.
second line.

The epitome of the opposite of a selfless person,is a banker.

The economy is in a slump because they want to make a point to the government.

The point is that they have more power than the government.

The ones who it costs most dearly are the people.

So don't ever mistake a banker,or a government official for meaning you well,if there were no gain in it,they would be doing something else more gainful.

Really!.

I've been going to a local gas station for coffee every morning for years. When someone goes to the counter and puts $10.00 or less for gas while I'm getting my coffee/chatting with the clerk, I give the clerk $20.00 to add to it without the person knowing. I have done it 100+ times over the years. I never stick around to see what happens but the next morning the clerk has told me some funny and interesting stories.

I have not read ALL the posts here, but most. Does no one remember the television show "Kung Fu"? Master Poe tells a story to grasshopper about a man who was in need, Master Poe himself, he explains that the man that helped him did so as payment for a debt.

This "debt" was in the form of kindness to 10 people, Master Poe became one of the 10 of the man, and in return for the deed, Master Poe must help 10 others.

So when Master Poe helps Grashopper, grasshopper becomes one of Master Poe's ten and then the debt is passed on and grasshopper must now help ten others. So kindness is passed throughout the land.

I do not watch television normally, as I do not have a digital tele, I watch movies and documentaries or old television DVD's. This is one everyone should watch. David Carradine was a great actor and fit the part perfectly.