177 Messages of Kindness
"Out of all the afterschool programs offered in their school, three energetic 11-13 year old girls chose to join this one. The 'Random Acts of Kindness Class,' the first of its kind, was an innovative experiment, offering children the opportunity to use their creativity and artwork to inspire their school and community by doing random acts of kindness. A few weeks ago, I spent an unforgettable aft... posted on May 03 2012, 5,451 reads

A 39-year-long Lesson in Forgiveness
A 12 year-old boy named Larry did something that he realized probably hurt his seventh-grade teacher. Over the decades he searched the internet in an attempt to locate that teacher -- and apologize. His efforts were in vain ... until a few months ago, 39 years after the original event, his search turned up an online article featuring the long lost teacher. Larry shot an immediate email to the new... posted on May 02 2012, 42,705 reads

10 Evolving Expressions of Simplicity
Voluntary simplicity gives voice to ways of living that are vital for building a workable and meaningful future. In the "garden of simplicity", as described in this classic article by Duane Elgin, there are many flowering expressions of the simple life, and he goes on to describe ten of them. According to Elgin, the great diversity of these expressions and their intertwined unity, are creating a r... posted on May 01 2012, 35,065 reads

Celebrating Pay-it-Forward Day
Today, April 26th, is Pay-it-Forward Day, and to get fired up to celebrate it, here are ten great, real-world stories. Each demonstrates a different way of expressing kindness -- anonymously, just because it is in our own true nature.... posted on Apr 26 2012, 4,464 reads

Lessons From Those Who Lost & Found
Jill Bolte Taylor, Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy and Chef Grant Achatz are an unlikely trio. What do this brain scientist, late eye surgeon, and a leader of the molecular gastronomy movement [yes there is such a thing] have in common? At a takeoff point in their careers they were each dealt a sucker punch -- one that robbed them of what was arguably their greatest gift. Yet none of them threw in the... posted on Apr 25 2012, 32,840 reads

How To Find Your Purpose
"'Find something more important than you are,' philosopher Dan Dennett once said in discussing the secret of happiness,'and dedicate your life to it.' But how, exactly, do we find that? Surely, it isn't by luck. I myself am a firm believer in the power of curiosity and choice as the engine of fulfillment, but precisely how you arrive at your true calling is an intricate and highly individual dance... posted on Apr 22 2012, 56,602 reads

Mr. Happy Man
For six hours each day, Bermuda's Johnny Barnes stands at a busy traffic intersection telling all who pass that he loves them. His delight and sincerity are infectious, and the people of the island love him back. His service is a simple reminder of the power of happiness and loving-kindness to change any day for the better.... posted on Apr 19 2012, 5,072 reads

Are You Fixing, Helping or Serving?
Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen author of the best-selling Kitchen Table Wisdom is a beloved storyteller and a profound voice in the field of health and healing. In the following article she teases out crucial differences between the various modes in which we humans tend to reach out to the world: by fixing, helping or serving. Interwoven in the piece are two unforgettable stories of service; the first abo... posted on Apr 16 2012, 101,644 reads

Journey to the End of the Earth
"I realized quickly, after just having traveled to various villages in rural India, that distance is relative. Hailing from a city like San Francisco, going even a few hours outside of town is far - but twelve hours outside of a major city? I half expected to run into another country. The remote place in mention is Achham, a tiny hillside region in far west Nepal. Sitting like a giant amongst its ... posted on Apr 15 2012, 11,042 reads

The Memory Project: Portraits of Compassion
At the base of a volcano in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, there's an orphanage. Although developing world orphanages aren't normally festive places, on this day, at this time, there was reason to celebrate: the arrival of a young man named Ben Schumaker. Schumaker comes from faraway Wisconsin, and he comes bearing gifts. He carries a suitcase with 62 pounds of portraits -- portraits of the kids, a... posted on Apr 12 2012, 4,602 reads