It’s that time of year again, the holidays are almost upon us.
Hopefully in this hectic time of year you’ll be able to take a little time to appreciate the good people all around you. HeroicStories continues its mission to remind us all that, indeed, people are good and that individual actions matter – often much more than we realize.
On to this month’s stories, including the brand new “Lifted by Kindness“…
Lifted by Kindness
After skidding to a crash on the side of the road, a motorcyclist is saved by numerous strangers.
Bunny says: “I love this story! I was recently in a nasty car accident and experienced the same kindness from strangers. I wasn’t badly hurt but badly shook and disoriented. A volunteer firefighter and EMT had seen the accident and stopped to check me out to make sure I wasn’t hurt. I had a passenger with me who was uninjured and helped to collect information from those involved. The proprietors of the bed and breakfast (where my car eventually came to rest) offered water and phone and concern. Even the very stoic highway patrolman called a tow truck for me when it was hard for me to concentrate. People are truly kind and amazing.”
Jean says: “Bravo for the kindness of strangers……….what a warm and caring story. If everyone would play the same concern and thoughtfulness of others forward our world would be a lot more accepting of each other. Thank you for publishing such uplifting stories. So nice to hear about the good in others.”
Sharon says: “I grew up in that part of Kansas. People there are wonderful.”
Jennie says (via Facebook): “I crashed my bike once. I met the most amazing man who stayed with me until I had been seen by the ER and then took me to get pain medicine. He was certainly an angel sent by God.”
A Message From Your Neighbor
Assistance comes from an unexpected sources. After a neighbor drives by, leaving her stranded, a complete stranger stops to help.
Cheryl says: “This is a great example of the Biblical definition of “neighbor”. Thanks for sharing.”
JH says: “You never know when you will meet a Good Samaritan or a good Scout. (Yes, there are female, adult, “Boy”Scouts)”
I Want to Help
Traveling in Japan it’s easy to run astray because of the language barrier. But human kindness stepped in twice and helped these travelers find their way.
An Old Wooden Cane
Negative stereotypes are erased when an elderly woman helps a young man and offers him her cane.
Jane Peranteau says: “A good story! I’ve just come back from Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, after spending a few days standing with those who are standing in support of the water, and this same spirit of helping when no one else is and bridging walls of difference is very much alive there. And it feels good! Thanks for supporting that feeling in the world.”
Vickie says: “That was really a feel good story — just what we needed to enter the holidays.”
joy says: “What a wonderful story, and what strength that lady had.. I will never forget when 3 of us were having coffee and one person said that she felt that her life had been wasted because she hadn’t done much at all. The other person answered. “If you have only said or done one thing to one other person to make them feel good, then your life has not been wasted””
Moving On
After a horrible childhood a young woman is helped by a kind psychologist who helps her understand it was not her fault.
Kim Townsend says: “This story touched me, as I too, had a rough beginning. I would really like to know how Amanda is doing. Did she finish university, and is she helping the children now? I pray she is, and that it is helping her, and them, now.”
Bunny says: “The right match with a good therapist can not be over-emphasized! I’m glad Amanda was able to find someone who was able to help her reclaim her self-worth and courage.”
Cappy Cross says: “I can so relate! Alcoholic home life with emotional abuse, felt like I was the cause of all the world’s problems, and wished I would just die. I came to realize that I could love and truly forgive my Mom, she did the best she was able with the tools she had, bit could never be in her energy field again. Thanks to many good people that came into my life, and some deep inner searching that resulted in some amazing awakenings, it’s a whole different world today. I now see all the things I judged as horrible back then as beautiful tools in my “toolbox of life” that I use often to help others. I spent 18 years volunteering with at-risk middle school age kids in Los Angeles on a Tall Ship sailing program. If I had not experienced the things of my early childhood, I could never have understood and empathized with what they were going through. Sometimes life’s greatest blessings come in pretty ugly seeming wrapping paper!”
The Last Boat Out
In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina people step up to help, rich and poor alike.
Tacie says: “Unfortunately compassion isn’t good for ratings despite it being the one thing we all need to see and hear. The news outlets should include this kind of goodness instead of all the hate and negativity. It would help to make us all better people and kinder to neighbors who are a little different from us.”
John Nicholson says: “Amen to that. With our record flood in Baton Rouge August 2016 which flooded over 100,000 homes, there were hundreds using their private boats to rescue thousands of people in their flooded homes. These selfless individuals were dubbed the “Cajun Navy”.”
Walt Johnson says: “Having grown up in New Orleans, ‘Last Boat Out’ brought tears to my eyes– and memories of hurricanes past. Sounds much like the aftermath of Hurricane Betsy… filling sandbags up on the levee out by New Orleans East until the winds got too much for the rag tag volunteers… They trucked us to the old Lakefront Airport hanger where we filled bags before the wind took off the roof… National Guard trucked us to underneath an overpass by City Park where we huddled in the back of the truck until dawn. The bunch of us ranged from college kids, to tattooed bikers, Black, white, Hispanic. Then wading chin deep in flood waters over city streets in 9th Ward to find friends family members. Later catching a ride with a small outboard and a skiff, making dozens more trips. Did you know that neighborhood grocers commonly would pass the word to neighbors just before the storm hit, inviting neighbors to come in and help clear out the shelves… “Can’t sell stuff that’s been flooded… better you can use it.” White collar workers, senior citizens, people helping strangers but now neighbors all.”
Thanks for the Choice, Ken
A ragged young man needs a handout to get to his sick mother… why this is a win-win.
Kaye says: “If not, then a woman was not in a hospital bed faced with a long and painful recovery. What a relief to know that! What a unique and refreshing way to look at the possible negative side of the choice to give money to a stranger! Win-win is absolutely right!”
A very Merry Christmas, the Happiest of Holidays, and all the best for a very Happy and Prosperous 2017.
Leo A. Notenboom
Publisher: heroicstories.org
Co-Conspirator to Make the World a Better Place