"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
--- Mark Twain
The most joyous season of the year in our house is Christmas. All the family gets together, gifts are exchanged and we give thanks for all that we have. This Christmas however, was one that I will never forget. If it weren't for the help of a stranger coming to my rescue, my holidays would have been ruined. He reminded me that a little kindness really does go along way.
It was three days before Christmas, snowing outside and the hustle and bustle of the holidays was in the air. Before leaving work for the holiday's, I remembered I needed to stop at the grocery store to buy some last minute goodies for our guests. With the temperature so cold out, I decided to warm up my car a little before leaving. However, I work in a not so nice part of town where an unattended car might be stolen. So to avoid this, I left the car running but took the door key off the key chain and locked the doors. When I returned to my warm car to leave, I just threw the door key in the middle compartment of the dash, instead of putting it back on the key chain where it belonged.
First, I went to pick up my stepson from the day care. To make sure he stayed warm I decided to let the car run while I ran inside to get him. Being just a quick run inside, I decided to leave the car unlocked. After returning to the vehicle, I strapped him to his car seat and then we proceeded to the grocery store. I kept running through my mind all the things that I needed to buy. Being a little preoccupied with all the traffic and not paying attention, I passed the grocery store and had to turn around and go back.
When I got ...
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...e gas station man handed me a little black box. He told me to get a spare key made and put it into that box. It was magnetized on one side so that it would cling to the outside of the vehicle under the wheel well in case this ever happened again. I thanked them both again for their kind gestures. The man from the grocery store replied "no big deal, think of it as a Christmas present from me to you."
If it wasn't for the help of those two men, I don't know what I would have done. I'm so glad there are still a few people left in this world who care enough to stop and help a perfect stranger. For Christmas prayer, I was most thankful that I had my stepson to share the coming year. Next time you see someone that is in need of a little assistance, don't be afraid to lend a helping hand. A little kindness goes a long way.
The positive effects of Benito Mussolini’s reign in Italy benefitted the country greatly. By putting Cesare Mori in charge of eliminating the mafia, he caused 11,000 of Italy’s criminals to be arrested, which caused the country’s crime rates to plummet. The nearly absolute end of the mafia brought peace and order to Italy, which the country’s citizens desperately needed. He also defended his country’s interests by going against the allies for not giving Italy the land that was promised to them if they joined them in the first world war. Mussolini also upgraded infrastructure in Italy and improved the Italian economy.
Multiple historians have touched on the change in government during Fascist Italy’s reign in World War II. In Italian Fascism: Its Origins and Development, Alexander De Grand clarifies the many promises Benito Mussolini fabricated for the Italian people in order to get them to join his cause such as the improvement on poverty with the rise of a new Roman Empire. De Grand also gives an opposite view, with some citizens seeing Fascism as a “model of efficiency.” In Melton S. Davis’ Who Defends Rome?, t...
In 1788 Louis XVI had had to call the Estates General to ward off the
This past summer, I acquired an internship at Baldwin and Lyons, an insurance company in Indianapolis. Every Wednesday during my internship, a couple of employees and I would participate in a prodigious community service project, Meals on Wheels. Throughout the three months that I worked at Baldwin and Lyons, I got acquainted with some of the individuals whom we delivered to. These inspiring individuals were so grateful and appreciative that we took time out of our day to volunteer to do such a service. One elderly woman who we delivered to would sing to us as she came to the front door “good meals, good meals, good meals.” She is one woman that I will never forget. First going into this, I was elated knowing I was I getting out of the office for a few hours. I did not comprehend the fulfillment I would receive from delivering meals to the elderly and disabled. But I am pleased and proud of the work that I have done for Meals on Wheels. There is no better feeling than doing something for someone else and seeing such gratitude for something so simple. Acts 20:35 says, “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Peterson). In an effort to revisit and make a difference in my community, I have arranged that over Thanksgiving break, I work Monday through Wednesday delivering for Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana.
an Act of Parliament, a court ruling or an EU law in comparison to the
During the summer or even on weekends my mom would take me with her to go help out her patients. Which included bathing them, feeding them, and caring for them. Not only did I help my mom with her patients but I would always help rake leaves, pick up trash and make their yard look nice. I can’t even image how they would’ve done all the things I did for them with their fragile bodies. I’m glad I was there for them and made a difference. Aside from helping my mom’s patients. I helped an elderly man who was on fire in his backyard. It was around spring time and I heard someone screaming yelling “help” so I went around to look and there he was on fire. I tried so hard to put out the fire and it felt like mission impossible but I did not give up even though the ambulance were on the way. He was burnt pretty bad, but I was so glad I found him. Who knows it could’ve been worse! He is still alive till this day and sits on his porch waiting for me to pass by his house every morning to say good morning. It’s such a wonderful feeling to know that I not only changed a life but I saved
Growing up on the south side of Chicago in the roughest neighborhood in the city I learned a lot from others and just observing my surroundings. At times, I would always think to myself my situation could always be worse than it was, and that there is always someone who is doing worst off than me. But my situation turned from being in a bad position to being in a position where my mother would come to lose her mother and our home that we had been living in, all in the same year. After losing her mother and bother my mom lost herself in her emotions and shut down on everyone and with that came the loss of a home for me and my siblings and her job. Shortly after my mom began to go back to church and so did we. It was the first time in a log time that we had attended church and it played a big part in a learning experience for me and my siblings. Through the days that came to pass going to church sparked a desire of wanting to help others who had or are struggling to get by. My mentor, Pastor, and teacher deserves appreciation for helping my mother through a hard time and keeping me and my siblings active in a positive manor.
...e the beginning of its unification, Italy has battled with the differences of the north and south. It will take a long time to achieve economic stability in the south, but one that must be reached in order to increase the economic growth for the whole country. With its strong nationalistic views, Italy is well on its way to achieving its goals.
“Sometimes it 's easy to walk by because we know we can 't change someone 's whole life in a single afternoon. But what we fail to realize it that simple kindness can go a long way toward encouraging someone who is stuck in a desolate place.” ~ Mike Yankoski
We, Aimee Johnson and Jessie Virnig, along with Amy Wilson and Shawn Klimek, decided to try to give the homeless a little hope. The week before Christmas we went door to door and collected food for the local homeless shelter. We decided to focus on collecting food because around the Christmas season, a lot of emphasis is put on toy drives and people sometimes overlook the fact that the homeless still need to eat. In order to broaden our research, we decided to collect food from more than one group of people. We went to an average middle class neighborhood and to a college dormitory. Before we went out into the neighborhood and dorms, we prepared a thank you letter to give to everyone explaining to them who we were, to tell them that we were collecting food for the homeles...
It was Tuesday and the day was draining away. I wanted to go buy new hair dye, but I knew it was too late. Careless, I got money from my piggy bank and asked my little sister Natalie to come along. I usually go out by myself but I decided to take her to feel more safe. Since my parents were not home yet I had to make this trip quick, so we took the bus.
In my wallet, I store dire personal items such as my lisence and some pictures. Among other things, I have my money, like everybody else, and certificates for stores. This summer, I went to the Keys with my family. I drove down there with my wallet and took it everywhere with me, like I would any other time. Well, when someone doesn't have pockets, then it is hard to keep their wallet right next to them at all times. I was carrying my wallet out from the hotel, along with my keys, and set both on top of the car. When I figured out that I needed the keys in order to get in the car and turn it on, I took them off the top of the roof, leaving my wallet behind. I sat in the car, car door open, waiting for my dad to make it to the car so we could all go to a diving area. Once he made it to the car, without thinking, I closed the door and started the car. I had been driving about half a mile before I realized that my wallet was no longer on my body. Immediately, I pulled the car over, and the next hour or so was spent looking for my wallet. All I could think about was what I would lose if I didn't find my wallet. The week before was my birthday, and I was given $60 to Best Buy and $50 to Auto Zone. Aside from that I had $3 in cash. While walking up and down the road that my wallet flew off on, my sister found my two Best Buy cards.
Holidays remind people of all of the things they are thankful for and often pushes them to give back to others, such as their community, family, or those who are less fortunate. It is not uncommon for people to be found spending days baking treats and creating handmade gifts to deliver to those they love. The snowball effect of giving to others and provoking them to spread that joy is enough to put the holiday season in a league of its own. Not only do families give to their loved ones, but many show their thanks by donating food and gifts to those who do not have access to as many amenities during the holiday season. No other time of year provides opportunities such as bellringing for the homeless or packaging small gifts for children whose families cannot afford to buy them the things they wish they could. The sense of community and importance of caring for others moves the holiday season into more than just another time of
Nemeth, Darlene. “How Random Acts of Kindness Improve your Life.” Darlene Nemeth Quest for Inner Peace and Happiness. n.d. Web. 16 October. 2013.
Every time I did so it was on my husband’s shiny bright new car, a car that I was not allowed to be inside if I was not on the passenger’s seat. So every time we would come to MDC I