Tag: kindness

She’s not really going to do it, is she?

The woman in the BMW was edging closer and closer toward the front of my car.

Columbus, lunch hour, Christmas shopping chaos. It was complete gridlock and this woman was holding up 6 cars behind her as she insisted on sneaking between my car and the one in front of me in order ... Read More


My friend, Tania, has been going through a whirlwind year of transition. One year ago, she sold her dream house, the one she had designed, built and lovingly decorated eight years prior.

She and her husband felt a call on their lives to downsize. Even with two kids still in the house, they knew it was time to let go ... Read More


I never knew the radical effect kindness could have on a life until it had an effect on my life. Isn’t that the way it always goes? We can hear about something again and again, but until it becomes real for us, it’s simply not real.

I went from seeing the world through mostly grey colored glasses to suddenly finding a ... Read More


Does what I do matter?

Have you ever thought that to yourself?

Perhaps you’ve been in the checkout lane when the cashier asks if you’d like to donate a dollar to end world hunger. Or maybe you’ve dropped off old towels and blankets so they could be sent to some area of devastation overseas. Most recently, I was asked to donate bottles ... Read More


As an aspiring author, imagine my total delight when I was asked to introduce a New York Times bestselling author at a charity event. Not only that, the organization’s director asked if I would be willing to spend the day with the author, driving her to a television interview, showing her around town and taking her to lunch. Best. Day. ... Read More


In my family, instead of Thanksgiving turkey, we pull out of the all-holiday ham. We will continue pulling it out for leftovers for the next week, starting today: RAK Friday.

Oh, I’m sorry. Did you think it was called Black Friday? Nah, that’s so 1990s. You know, when people loved standing in line overnight to get the new superfly boombox ... Read More


Several years ago, a man sent in a story for my Kindness is Contagious column. It resonated with me so deeply, I used it again in my book and I often refer to it in my speaking engagements.

Why did I love that particular story so much? Because it flipped over the ridiculously angry emotions I feel sometimes when someone does ... Read More


I have written more than 300 stories for this column, but I’d have many more to share if it weren’t for one tiny phrase that keeps repeating itself in a variety of forms.

“I don’t want to toot my own horn.”

“I hate to brag.”

“If I get my rewards on Earth, I won’t get them in Heaven.”

“I was taught to give in ... Read More


Sometimes I wish I could spend more time, money and energy on myself and less on others.

Selfish? Yep.

True? Absolutely.

I bet I’m not alone. I bet there are times when you want to say, “Sorry, God, find someone else today. I’m busy.”

Only we’re not busy. The truth is, sometimes we just don’t feel like doing the right thing.

We talk a lot ... Read More