1 marmoposta@yahoo.com 0 2009-07-22T05:36:07-06:00 951 286 A 66-year-old male in relatively good health and no risk factors for heart disease came to me with a sudden onset of signs and symptoms of a heart problem. After he was diagnosed and treated, walked past me and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something more. I asked him what he had on his mind that he wanted me to know. He said six months ago his grandson who lives out of state and whom he loves so dearly came down with a heart condition. This man prayed to God to give him, instead, this problem. He smiled then, a most beautiful smile, and said "A couple of days ago my grandson's heart problem disappeared." 1 2009-09-12T00:00:16-06:00 1 michelleorand@yahoo.com 0 2008-10-24T08:39:19-06:00 672 206 When I was 19 years old, I was at dance club and met someone who walked me to my car. We were in downtown Seattle and it was a very cold night. As we were walking to my car, a man walked up to us. Behind him was a woman pushing a stroller with a child inside who was about 1 1/2 years old. The child had a jacket on but it wasn't zipped. The man began to tell us that he wanted to borrow some money for the night to get his wife and kids into a hotel...out of the cold. He had a job but no place to live and was waiting for his first paycheck. He said he could get our mailing address and mail the money back to us.\r\n\r\nThe guy I was with reached into his pocket to give this man a $20 bill. As the other man was extending his hand out to take the money, I put my hand on my new friend's hand and said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"\r\n\r\nI told him about how my mother works in Seattle and every day people ask her for money on her way to work. She said they make more money than she does, simply begging for money. These people were scamming those with soft hearts. And if they were truly worried about their child being out of the cold, they would have at least zipped his jacket or covered him with his blanket.\r\n\r\nMy new friend looked at me with disappointment and said, "Michelle, I know there are people out there that take advantage of others. I also know there are people out there that are one paycheck away from being homeless. If I give $20 to 10 people and only one of them really needed it and used it for the right thing, it was worth it."\r\n\r\nI am now 37 years old and have never forgotten what he said to me. I don't even remember his name. He could have been an angel for all I know. But I do remember that that experience changed my perspective and the way I look at different situations.\r\n\r\nInstead of judging, look with compassion.\r\n\r\n 1 2009-09-12T00:00:16-06:00 1 0 2007-09-19T19:32:34-06:00 346 121 Yesterday I was fortunate enough to find one more person in our world who is genuinely kind and caring. It was about 11:00 p.m. when my telephone rang. The caller ID showed the number of a Best Western Motel. Normally, I would ignore this type of call, letting the machine pick it up. For some reason, though, I went ahead and answered. \r\n\r\nThe man on the other end asked if I knew Samual K.. I did, as he is my 91-year-old grandfather. Still not understanding why I was the one that had been called, the caller went on to tell me that I was the only relative listed in the phone book. He said his name was Mason and he was the manager at the Best Western Motel where my grandpa had showed up wanting to rent a room. The problem was grandpa had no money with him, only an expired credit card. He was distraught and he really didn’t seem to know what was going on. Grandpa couldn’t remember any phone numbers, so Mason called all over the state trying to get help. \r\n\r\nGrandpa told me that he just wanted me to tell Mason that he is an okay guy and is good for the money. He promised he would send the money to him just as soon as he got home. But the management there was concerned because my grandfather appeared to be lost. He had been going somewhere else when he got on the wrong bus somehow and ended up 100 miles from home. \r\n\r\nNot wanting to turn him away and not wanting the police to take him to jail, Mason went above and beyond any normal duty. Not only did he take the time to contact me, but he then allowed me to use my credit card to charge just $39 so that grandpa could stay safely and comfortably overnight. (The rooms normally rent for about $140!) And then the staff of that motel all watched over him until my uncle was able to drive the 100 miles to pick him up! \r\n\r\nSo, its just one more piece of evidence that proves, that there are still good people out there, every where you go, who care. \r\n\r\nThanks Mason! Pass it on!\r\n 1 2009-09-12T00:00:16-06:00 1 0 2006-08-22T10:45:09-06:00 86 71 I had been suffering from anorexia and bulimia for more than a year when she first started asking me what was wrong. I didn’t want to tell her; not because she was my math teacher and it was “uncool” to get close to teachers- it was because I was afraid to trust.\r\n\r\nThe past year had been a rough one, and I felt that I had been deceived many times by people with whom I thought I could share anything. I was afraid to get hurt again. Whether I want to admit it or not, the truth is I was sinking deeper into the eating disorder each time I was burned. I could make my other problems go away or ignore them by doing that.\r\n\r\nThis teacher was extremely sweet, and deep down in my heart I knew she was only asking because she was really concerned and cared a lot about me. Even though I was scared out of my wits, I decided to take a leap of faith and tell her what was causing my fatigue and failing health.\r\n\r\nIt’s been four months since that day. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time and I am on my way to recovery. Not only has this teacher become a wonderful friend and supporter to me, she has been what I had been so desperately looking for: a person I could trust. 1 2009-09-12T00:00:16-06:00 1 0 2006-08-22T10:42:31-06:00 85 70 That was an unusually dark winter night. I was on my way home from work on the ghastly quiet road of my hometown. I drove my bicycle alone. It was midnight when I finished my third shift. Winter wind kept tapping my face as I tried to rush home.\r\n\r\nSuddenly, I noticed one man with a long hair, riding behind me secretly. I felt my heart jumping out with scare. I quickened my leg pushing the pedals, hoping to ride faster. He kept following me through the dark, across the field. Whenever I turned around, he stopped. My throat was on fire.\r\n\r\nAt last, I got home and tried to reach the bell. The man reached. I turned my head around and saw the most odd face in the world. From deep in the throat of the man, I heard him saying, "ecuse meee. yo.. oou d..rop yoor baag beeehind," giving the bag back to me. I couldn't say anything, but was full of shame and regret for misunderstanding him. From that day, I keep my belief in people. 1 2009-09-12T00:00:16-06:00 1 0 2006-08-22T10:37:42-06:00 83 68 I bought a violin from a man who lives a long distance away. I had contacted him by phone after being given information about him by my violin teacher. The violin seller asked for my name and address, and we agreed that he would send me the violin, I would send him my old one, and after he had evaluated my old violin, he would bill me less the trade in. I was the proud owner of a violin worth probably $1000 for two weeks before I received his bill. Here is a man who truly believes in others. I was honored to be the recipient of his trust and have resolved to do the same, every day. 1 2009-09-12T00:00:16-06:00 1 0 2006-08-22T06:31:16-06:00 15 2 As a child, I learned at a very early age, to project hatred with a passion, on everyone around me, and also as a means of survival and staying safe from pain and suffering. The end result of this distorted belief system, was that for the next 30 years, I kept myself in bondage to addictions and long-term incarcerations. Up until about 15 years ago, I found myself arrested and incarcerated.\r\n\r\nHowever, in my journey this time I crossed paths with a different type of Correctional Officer. A 72-year-old retired Sheriff’s Officer, who was employed part-time as a Correctional Officer. I was assigned to him as a barber. Little did I know that this little guy would become the pivotal force in my life. He became the first person to batter me with kindness, and called me all kinds of weird, strange, alien and bizarre names, such as: admirable, remarkable, and trusting person. Even, once during a potentially explosive confrontation between myself and other inmates, he electronically locked-down the "Unit" and left me inside! When I asked him why he had done this, he simply smiled and replied, “I knew you could handle that situation.” My thought was, “Yeah right, as if I'm superman.” But he had seen that I had the gift of “negotiating.”\r\n\r\nNow, this weirdo had faith and trust in me! I remember thinking, “What was wrong with this dude?!” However, those simple acts of empowerment, and allowing me to know and trust myself and understand that I was a valuable person, has had a profound effect on my life.\r\n\r\nToday, on a daily basis, I surrender to living life on life’s terms. And to the best of my ability, I smile and project love toward others. Today, I'm a licensed & registered addictions therapist/counselor. I co-facilitate meditation retreats in prisons, and I teach a graduate class at a local university. All because another human being had the courage to take a risk with me. I've had no treatment interventions, no burning bushes, or laying on of hands; just a simple loving individual that mirrored (projected) every single exquisite quality that he possessed on another human. My only regret, to this story is that, I have been unable to locate God's little Angel, (his nickname was “BRAT”) and bow deeply to him and simply say, “NAMASTE, a thousand times, Mr. Bradburn.” 1 2009-09-12T00:00:15-06:00