London Focuses on Spreading Acts of Kindness Far and Wide

A London program began today in an attempt to eliminate hate within the country. The 1,000 Acts of Kindness Challenge began after attacks on two gay men in the city. The London Urban Services Organization is spearheading the campaign to spread kindness instead of hate. Organized by Meredith Fraser, the program was created after she realized how powerless most people feel in stopping hate.

“These (hate) incidents impact people’s lives daily,” Fraser said.

“Kindness spreads just as easily as hatred does.”

The simple idea is to perform random acts of kindness and focus on what we can all do to help others. Looking at what we can do as opposed to what we can’t do is the key to the already successful campaign. A site is being launched today where participants can register, keep track of their acts of kindness, and see a tabulation of the events at the end of the month.

The point is that being nice to someone can brighten both people’s days, and it doesn’t take much work, Fraser said.

“It doesn’t take a herculean effort to be kind” she said. “It’s free, and anyone can do it.”

For ideas on what you can do to help spread kindness, check out our 22 Random Acts of Kindness that Anyone Can do.

Speaker Steve Foran Talks About the True Meaning of Kindness

Below is an excerpt from an article written by Steve Foran, a speaker and writer based in Halifax

WHEN NOTED anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked how she knew when she had found the beginnings of civilization, she replied, “A healed femur.”

Thousands of years ago, one would not have been able to survive a broken femur unless there were others willing to hunt, fish, feed, and generally take care of the injured. According to Foran, this is what defines us as a civilization; the willingness and ability to care for others as well as ourselves.

In 2007, he spoke to generous people in the Nova Scotia area, and analyzed how generous people measured their kindness-in time or money. He concluded the seemingly basic ideas that generous individuals were grateful, and had the desire to help others. As simple as this may seem, individuals who truly are grateful for what they’ve been given and desire to spread kindness with no strings attached is not as common as it would seem.

Foran concluded that giving is an integral part of human nature, just as a mother selflessly gives herself to her child. The idea hinges upon the idea of being free of judgment and giving regardless of the perception of others. Giving with no expectations of reward or revere is what draws the line between generous people and most of the population who sees selfless acts as futile.

As a society, there is a slow shift toward the direction of kindness and charity, but there are undoubtedly many steps that still need to be taken in order to achieve a better well being among humanity. Mead defined civilization as people having the capacity to care for others as well as themselves, with judgment and condemning others serving no practical purpose.

Foran believes that within time, more studies will show a shift in generosity as well as reasons certain individuals feel compelled to give to others. Perhaps as a society, we will one day learn that taking care of others is necessary in our advancement.

Read the original story Kindness an impressive act of giving.

A Time When Love was Truly Free

1967 marked the gathering of over 100,000 individuals committed to changing society for the better and living in harmony with their fellow man. Converging in the neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco, hippies from all around the state gathered for a political and cultural rebellion. The melting pot of sexual freedom, psychoactive drugs, music, politics, and creative expression became a defining moment of the 1960s and the counterculture revolution.

The unexpected gathering of individuals created a society that reflected values unlike any other. The alternative lifestyles of inhabitants of Haight-Ashbury included communal living, free and often shared resources between total strangers, and free love. The experiment also had the ironic effect of inducing riots in such areas as Detroit and Newark as a result of race riots and insurrections.

Inspired by beats of the 1950s who declared themselves free of the grip of authoritarian order, the Haight-Ashbury community was built on rejection of American commercialism. The society largely hinged on the use of drugs in order to find and establish a new sense of reality. Preceded by the Human Be-In held in Golden Gate Park on January 14, 1967, the Summer of Love was announced by Haight-Ashbury’s own paper titled the San Francisco Oracle.

Authorities in the area were instructed to keep the hippies away as high school and college students funneled into Haight-Ashbury during spring break of 1967. The event was covered daily by media, including Hunter S. Thompson of the New York Times and the music of the era that was originally designed to promote the Monterey Pop Festival.

The result of the Summer of Love marked a huge event in how people viewed living together in society. Free love, free drugs, a store that gave away basic necessities to anyone who needed them, and a free clinic that is still in operation today was just some of the impact that the Summer of Love had on 1960s society.

Many of the college students left the Haight-Ashbury community to resume their studies after spring break, and brought back ideas and experiences which would forever change the history of the country.

It can be argued that without the Summer of Love, that there would be no Woodstock 1969. Celebrations of the event have taken place all over the world, specifically in the San Francisco area. The second Summer of Love is celebrated particularly in the UK and represents the rise of Acid House music and the rave culture. The most current anniversary of the Summer of Love is Boots Hughston’s West Fest, which will be held on October 25th in Golden Gate Park; the same location as the first Human Be-In.

The Summer of Love has left behind a rich legacy of celebrating alternative lifestyle and showing that individuals can live free of societal norms and the idea that love really can be free.

Inventing New Ways to Spread Kindness

Ever want to put a program into action to help others and make a positive impact, but don’t think you have enough resources? The Pass it Forward program is a nonprofit organization dedicated to putting together programs composed of individuals with similar ideas on how to make a positive impact on their community. Pass it Forward allows individuals to use their passion to use and develop programs to help others and make the world a better place.

Everyone has a gift, and PIF encourages all individuals to use their gift to help others. All programs must abide by the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, character, citizenship,  respect, responsibility, fairness, and caring. The program must also be acceptable to 100% of people in order for it to become an official Pass it Forward program. The idea is to create community programs that everyone can embrace, so that we can move ahead together as a society.

A part of the We are the World nonprofit organization, Pass it Forward has a group of mentors that will help individuals put their project together, as well as find others that they can contact with similar ideas. Mentors can supply proteges with all the tools necessary to put their unique talents to use in the fashion on nonprofit organization.

For more information on how you can combine efforts with caring inividuals around the world to make a difference, check out the Pass it Forward website at http://www.aunitedworld.org.

A Love Story Completed 40 Years Later

A Woodstock love has come full circle for past sweethearts Alan and Mary. Originally posted on Woodstock Story, the two were reunited 40 years after the legendary festival. Read The Wonderment that was my Woodstock 1969, or hear the coverage of the story on National Public Radio.

After being apart for 40 years, two free spirits who ran off to Woodstock 1969 together have been reunited. Allen and Mary experienced what it means to be truly free by attending the legendary festival during the summer of love and sharing an unbreakable bond. Thanks to a story submitted on www.WoodstockStory.com, the teenage lovers’ paths have crossed once again.

It was the day of Mary’s 40th high school reunion. She had returned from a wonderful night of conversations with people whom she hadn’t seen in forever. The great time and wonderful connections made with past faces made her think of her teenage love, Allen. She had made a few attempts to see what her teenage love was up to, but her attempts were met with little success. Still floating from the wonderful reunion, she decided to try again and conduct a Google search for Allen’s name. The results returned a story on Woodstock Story.com titled The Wonderment That Was…My Woodstock 1969.

As Mary began reading the story, an eerie feeling came over her. It was as though her Woodstock 1969 experience was being told with voracious detail right in front of her eyes. As she neared the bottom of the page, her heart sunk. The author of the story was Allen Rowe, her Woodstock love. The revelation that this was her story as well simply blew her away. She sat reeling for what had to have been close to an hour with memories flooding her mind. She was taken back to that fateful time in her life and the person with whom she shared the experience.

Allen Rowe had submitted the story of love and liberation on WoodstockStory.com a few months earlier. While searching for information on the Woodstock 40h anniversary, he came across the site and decided to share his Woodstock experience under the newly constructed story page. The genuine tale of peace and love was praised for its passion and believability, and The Wonderment That Was…My Woodstock 1969 had won a contest for a pair of tickets for the Heroes of Woodstock tour in Bethel, NY.

Rowe had also been frequently and unsuccessfully trying to contact Mary for 40 years and had all but given up hope. By winning the contest the story was distributed all across the web and placed on the front page of wwww.WoodstockStory.com. As fate would have it, Mary stumbled upon the story. She had found him. After years of lost connections, desperate searching, and agonizing separation, Mary had found Allen. Their Woodstock was only just beginning.

Overwhelmed, Mary contemplated whether or not to make contact with Allen. It had been 40 years since they last spoke. Not knowing how to handle the situation, Mary underwent a long inner dialogue on whether or not she would reply to the story or leave the memories buried in the past. Part of her wanted to be found, part of her did not. She made the decision to break the 40 years of seperation and post a short reply to the story, which read “I certainly can relate to this beautifully written story, I did not know you had such talent. Though it has been 40 years, I remember it too, I am the Mary written about in this story”.

Not long after she decided to make contact with Allen, Mary’s phone rang. On the other end was her long lost Woodstock 1969 love. Decades of absence from each other’s lives was quickly filled with blissful memories as they spent hours catching up on the phone. Recalling when they first fell in love; when they walked on the shores of Lake Ontario, hand in hand, wading barefoot through waves crashing on white sand; becoming soul-mates. They spoke of moments they shared while in love at Woodstock. Freedom, music which seemed to reach the heavens and the peace of Yasgur’s farm before the crowd arrived filled their conversation.

Right on cue, after 40 years, they once again were at Woodstock – together. They have since decided to maintain a friendship and meet again one day soon. For Allen and Mary, their Woodstock circle of love has come full zenith; they share an unbreakable bond forged when two teenage lovers ran away to Woodstock together, their spirits forever fused. They shared words and tears 40 years later, discussing the long list of ” what might have beens”.

Who could have foreseen a simple story reuniting two individuals separated for 40 years? These teenage lovers’ paths may have never crossed again, despite their attempts to find each other. Their love has come full circle, they’ve found one another; the impossible has become a reality.

Submit your story today, share your Woodstock 1969 experience, and connect with Woodstock enthusiasts from around the world. Like Allen and Mary, your Woodstock story may be just beginning.

Alan Rowe

Rachel’s Challenge Dedicated to Kindness and Love

Since I found out about Rachael’s Challenge, stories of the program catching on across the world have been surfacing daily. Created in response to the 1999 shooting sat Columbine High School. Rachael Scott, who was the first victim of the Columbine shooting had a reputation for kindness and an essay to prove her commitment to kindness and togetherness.

After her death, members of her family have dedicated their time to carrying on the message of kindness as well as Rachel’s memory. Rachel’s Challenge is more than a suggestion to love one another, but a challenge presented to live together in harmony and reduce school violence.Teachers, students, and other advocates of a safer learning environment seem to have bought into the idea on a large scale.

Within the last week alone, more than nine schools have made the news by embracing Rachael’s Challenge. Quickly becoming the largest conduit for reducing bullying and high school violence, the program has been presented at over 30 schools this month in states from Colorado and all across the United States. Stories of schools holding presentations of Rachael’s Story are popping up daily all over the country. It appears as though the idea of an individual has sparked a wave of kindness and education across the academic stratosphere.

It’s wonderful to see the program gaining popularity in such great magnitude and continuing to positively influence schools across the country. Anyone who is interested in finding out more information about Rachael’s Challenge can visit the website at http://www.rachelschallenge.org/

Join the millions of students, teachers, and other individuals who have accepted the challenge of making our schools safer places to learn and develop.

The Kindness of Strangers

A cancer survivor in Ireland was recognized at the Quinn Healthcaresponsored awards in Dublin on Saturday for her selfless act of kindness toward another cancer patient who was also a complete stranger. Mother of two Ellen Thompson from Bay Estate earned a People of the Year Accolade for her selfless act of caring for cancer sufferer Kevin Kiely for the last two weeks of his life.

People of the Year Award Winner Eleanor Thompson and Kevin Kiely

Thompson met Kiely on a bus to St. Luke’s to volunteer and forged a friendship that lasted almost two years, and up to the day of Kiely’s death. During the time that Thompson was caring for Kiely, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Putting her own suffering aside, she looked after his home in Muirhevnamor when he was in hospital and called to him regularly after he returned to Dundalk, helping him with chores and messages.

Eleanor also helped Kevin rekindle his relationship with his brothers and sisters which he had drifted apart from around 20 years ago. As a member of the Grace Fellowship Church in Dundalk, Eleanor also helped Kevin rebuild his faith in God before he passed.

When Kiely’s health took a turn for the worse, he actually moved in with Thompson and cared for him up to the day of his death.

‘I was humbled and delighted to win the award. It was a great honour and an opportunity to bring Kevin’s life into the limelight, as well as the work of Dundalk Simon,’ said Thompson.

Noteworthy Acts of Kindness

Think about the last time you remember hearing good news. The country and world has fallen on some black times, and good news is few and far between. People seem to be looking out exclusively for number one, and focusing on competition rather than sticking together.

Don’t lose all of your faith yet, though. Here are some of the biggest and most recent stories of kindness that may just restore your faith in humanity.

Photo courtesy of http://www.power-of-giving.com/

9/11 acts of kindness – Nearly a dozen people fanning from Portland to Salem engaged in random acts of kindness to commemorate the 9/11 tragedy. On a notoriously gloomy anniversary, these individuals helped to brighten the mood of Oregon locals. They bought a teacher school supplies, paid for a veteran’s groceries, and gave kids music lessons.

The program is called ‘Pay it forward 9/11‘ and was started by Kevin Teurff, president of EnviroMedia Inc. a marketing company specializing in environmental and public health clients. On the date of the September 11 attacks, Teurff was flying over the Atlantic after a European vacation when his plane was diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. His flight, along with 36 others were kept there for three days. During that time, Gander locals offered trips to the store, home cooked meals, showers, and bedding to the 7,000 stranded passengers who were without luggage.

Since the first event in 2002, Teurff and his employees have been giving away thousands of dollars each 9/11 asking recipients to pay it forward.

Pay it Forward 9/11 participants

Random Acts of Kindness Day – New Zealand hopes to prove that it is the kindest nation in the world with it’s Random Acts of Kindness Day. The holiday has boasted some of the largest acts of kindness in the past including flights to Los Angeles and a Mexican cruise, but smaller acts of kindness such as free movie passes, t-shirt giveaways, and complimentary shoe shining are just as appreciated.

Organizer Megan Singleton states that bringing a smile to a person’s face doesn’t have to cost money, it can be as simple as bringing scones to work. She will be handing out wine in her neighborhood as a way to welcome people to the neighborhood and introduce herself.

I think everyone could agree that every country could use a similar holiday.

Bob Votruba and the kindness bus – Bob Votruba of Chester, Ohio is currently on the road encouraging people to engage in acts of kindness. The divorced father of three embarked on his ten year journey to spread love across the U.S. on August 31st of this year. Accompanied by his Boston terrier named Bogart, his destination is unknown, but kindness is on the itinerary.

He explains that the idea began after the Virgina Tech shootings of 2007. He saw that the country was heading in a bad direction and felt compelled to do something. He drove to Roanoke, VA. and stood quietly passing out ‘one million acts of kindness’ stickers. His presence was met warmly as he was hugged by parents of victims.

‘We have to do something. We have to turn our society around,” said Votruba.

Bob Votruba and Bogart

Deliberate Acts of Kindness – During tough economic times, health care is usually the first thing that people lose. Many individuals find themselves literally spending their last time on taking care of themselves or loved ones. The Ladies Hospital Aid Society is dedicated to offering help to those who need some assistance during tough economic times.

The society helps families and patients with external needs such as food and housing for loved ones so that patients can focus on making a full recovery. These deliberate acts of kindness are what keep the LHAS going and promote a better well being for Pittsburgh patients.

Rachael’s Challenge – The first victim in the Columbine shooting by the name of Rachael Joy Scott shattered the stereotype of teenagers being selfish and disrespectful. Before her death, she wrote an essay that has become the object of a program dedicated to helping others. Part of the essay read ‘I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction of the same.’

Led by her uncle, Larry Scott, Rachel’s Challenge has turned the family’s tragedy into a conduit for caring. High school students from all around the country have embraced the message and started clubs dedicated to reaching out to other students and promoting kindness toward each other. Props should also be given to the Junior League of South Brevard, which finances about 90% of the program, a sum of $60,000.

Rachael Joy Scott

Acts of Kindness and why they Catch on so Quickly

The idea of performing random acts of kindness has been gaining popularity in recent times. The reason may be the dismal state of the world, or different underlying factors, but people are taking more initiative in brightening others’ days. Instances of individuals paying for the meals of total strangers without them even being aware has been more common in recent years, and even spreading throughout the community.

Unfortunately, there is no index outlining the top cities of random acts of kindness. Time is Love invites you to share your experiences or stories you’ve heard of anonymous acts of kindness. There is something about hearing these types of stories that triggers a feeling within us to do the same for others. Think of the cost of restoring one person’s faith in humanity. For the price of the coffee of the person behind you, they will feel wonderful for the rest of the day and likely brighten the mood of everyone around.

Taking that little bit of time (and perhaps money) is exactly what Time is Love is about. On a large enough scale, the smallest ripple in kindness can create a more harmonious world for all of us. We all share this earth, it only makes sense to treat each other with kindness in order to make every one’s experience in this life as pleasant as possible.

Kindness: so much more than a saying on a card...

Help Build a Better World

In the fast paced and technologically rich environment we live in today, time has become a commodity in limited supply. Sure, we’d all like to spend more time with our friends, family, and help others, but life simply gets in the way for most people. Time is Love is about reallocating the time we normally spend obsessing over technology or our personal success to love others. Think back to the last time you had ‘quality time’ with someone. How much time did individuals spend check their phones, computers, or personal lives?

Time is Love is about forgetting the factors that dominate our lives and set aside time to love others. Whether it is spending more time with loved ones, doing something massive to benefit others, or simply holding a door for someone, it’s been proven throughout history that the smallest act of kindness can go a long way.

We all know the effects of healthy living. Exercising on a daily basis and eating healthy will make a person feel better throughout the day as well as overall. This is the same with performing acts of love and kindness to others. Displaying more acts of love and kindness is not only a concept, but it is part of an overall well being.

Here you will find stories big and small of examples of the best in human kindness as well as local and national events where you can get involved. Read, comment, get involved, or simply feel the warmth that a story of kindness can bring. Time is Love hopes to change how people look at the time they have, and make the world a happier place for everyone.