KindLoook

Parents exposing transgender children to a public Rally for Transgender Rights.

I saw several friends come around a friend to help her in a very diffult time

On this particular day, I head out in the car to run an errand and come to a halt at what can be a notoriously bad T-intersection into a main road. I've literally sat here waiting for 15 minutes before.

The spot where I'm waiting is two lanes wide so vehicles can fit side by side and do the 90 degree turn left or right at the same time. Of course going right at T is always the tougher gap to get when you drive on the left side of the road, as it means you are crossing the closest lane into the far lane so you need two gaps in traffic to complete the turn.

As I wait, I notice a garbage truck approach from behind me and that it veers to the left of me to pull alongside to my left to make that left turn at the T. In an instant I realise this is going to be another of the notorious things about this spot, and a reason you can wait 15 minutes. This truck, waiting next to me, will completely block my view to the left so it will be impossible to see if there's a gap on the other side of the road to make the turn.

So I'll be stuck here until the truck is gone.

And the notorious feeling of hrrrrmppphhh kind of arrives.

Then, as I watch to my left for this truck to sidle up beside me, it doesn't appear. It feels kinda weird because, well, it's a garbage truck so it's biggish and it's like it just disappeared as it went out of view from my rear view mirror, then should have appeared to my left, and didn't.

I look back into my blind spot and sure enough, no the truck didn't disapparate, there it was, stopped a little behind me to my left.

It actually took me a moment to realise what was going on.

Clearly this lovely truck driver, a man I'd estimate maybe in his 30's, realised he would be blocking my view making it impossible for me to make the turn until he was gone.

I think about it and the bigger, really kind, thing that really hits home is that whilst there was no way I impacted his view because he could see clearly either way being up high in his truck was that he looked beyond what only he could see. He chose to see what I could... or couldn't... if he had have pulled right up to the edge of the road next to me, to pull out.

It did enable me to pull out into traffic sooner as a gap appeared in both directions.

Time wise it really probably didn't make a huge difference as it was a fairly quiet time of day, but heart wise it made a huge difference that he'd seen me and my needs. It was maybe tiny, but it really wasn't.

I did my best to wave and give a thumbs up to say thanks as we both went our separate ways. Pretty sure I'll never be separated from this moment now though...

About a month back, I’m driving back home from some local shops.

It’s a lovely day, sunny and still a little warm for autumn. As I climb a hill I notice a young man a way up the street, a gardener, strongly built, covered in the dust and grit of his work. He has a line trimmer in his hands and is working his way along the edge of someone’s lawn. It is in fact the edge on the roadside.

I’m driving up his side of the road and as I get closer, I’m maybe 20m away, I can even hear the whining cutting voice of the trimmer. Then, like a starter’s gun that actually stops people, I see him stop and stand still for no apparent reason. He’s focused on something in the distance that isn’t clear to me and my first assumption is that he’s simply taking a quick break. It’s warm remember. I’m watching the road of course unable to watch too closely. I drive on by not thinking much of it as I do. For no particular reason other than curiosity about when he’s going to start up again, I glance in the rear view mirror after I’ve passed him. I don’t know, maybe he’s hit the wall with his work and I’m curious to find out.

I see him, once I’m about 20m past him, pull the trigger of his trimmer and begin working again.

Hmmmh I think, that’s curious, really must have just needed that break.

Then I see it. I really notice the dust and debris his trimming is sending towards the road. Then I really see it.

The debris would have hit my car.
He did it for my car.
He did it for me.

Eyes back on the road but heart back at that edge trimming kindness, the traffic moves me on quickly but that moment is etched in my memory forever.

Here was a young man with seeing and a kindset at the highest level. And that’s not the kind of generalisation that is often made about his demographic. He shone a light for humanity and kindness.

It’s a different category of ‘seeing’ when you can’t actually see a person - he could only see ‘a car’ remember, he couldn’t actually see me. I really was touched.

Upon reflection, even though it was a fair way down the road that this all dawned on me, I see that I could have turned around and gone back and said something. Even though we won’t always be able to interact like that, I feel sad about that and will carry that forward as fuel to ensure that I do all I can to continue to take such opportunities going forward.

PS Oh wow, I love the fact I can pin this to pretty much the exact lawn edge this happened on! 💥🥰

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-using-a-lawn-mower-to-cut-grass-xWAsrLw_1hk?utm_content=creditShareLink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

Some people are warmer than a bowl of noodle soup.

It was raining, so I stepped into a Korean restaurant for some hot noodle soup. At a corner table sat a beautiful woman with a large bag of clothes and other stuffs. She seemed troubled and lost in her own world. The place was fairly quiet that I can only hear her talking. Meanwhile, a kind employee brought her a glass of water and a plate of food.
It was such a warm and touching act of kindness to welcome anyone and serve them well.💖

On the same day two years running, maybe by coincidence (or by divine orchestration?!) a friend of mine surprised me with a simple gift. Last year on 6th June it was an egg🥚 and lettuce 🥬 sandwich 🥪 made freshly for me and delivered to my work fridge. A completely beautiful and random surprise! This year on the same date, this same person drove to my workplace in Gundagai and delivered me a freshly made hot coffee ☕️ ~ my favourite type! It wasn’t until lunchtime on that same day (06.06.25) that I discovered from another app I use (TimeHop), that this person had shown kindness to me on the same date two years running, and I reckon that’s really cool! This act of kindness from this person, along with many other RAOK’s (random acts of kindness) has inspired me MANY times to show kindness towards others. I’m totally loving this project here by my mate Dan.. I love ❤️ it’s vision, I love the heart behind it (that’s you Dan!) and I also love the tech 🤓 and geekiness 🧑‍💻 of it all. I can’t wait to see it grow and explode across the globe! 🌍🤍

A Hug-o-gram that made my day.
I opened up my emails expecting to see the usual messages. Instead I was greeted by a hug-o-gram from a friend. Just because. I felt the kindness come through the page and to be thought of brightened my morning.

Attending a high school regional track meet in Port Clinton, Ohio, my twin brother Don and I were standing in line to use the restroom. An athlete came by and was clearly anxious about the wait she saw with the line. Don then pointed and motioned here to “go ahead.” She was relieved and grateful - must have been on a tight schedule with her race starting soon. Tiny kindness moment captured!

I was taking my 2 children for a walk (4 and 2 years old) and often while walking people will just have headphones on and ignore others on the track, but another walking that did have headphones on and was minding their own business did actually smile and said hello as we walked past, much to the delight of both my kids.

Reversing out of my driveway I needed to wait for an elderly gentleman to walk past safely. He was walking slowly has he navigated pushing his walker on the uneven ground. He gave me a smile and a wave and continued on. As I watch him walk down the street, I was struck by not 1 but 2 other neighbour's that where in there front yards getting ready to head out for the day, see him and smile and wave as well. What a beautiful way for him to start his day. Neighbour's can be awesome.

My hubby and I have not had a lot of time just for the two of us recently due to life commitments. Kind of like ships passing in the night.
I was sitting at my desk and there was a knock at my door. To my surprise a delivery driver holding a huge coffee was staring back at me…went through confusion “did I order this without thinking” . Accepted the order as hey its coffee, decaf but still coffee!
Not long after my phone dings, its text message from Hubby. “Thought you might need a coffee. Have a good day”
This made me feel seen, loved and cared for. I had this sudden rush of, and I know this sounds weird, safety and connection.
Then a little bit if guilt for the previous feelings of not feeling seen.
Thinking about it now…it wasn’t really tiny…it was mammoth and immense moment of Kindness.

I saw a lovely young man give up his seat on the bus to an elderly lady.

The Kind Postie:
This is a story about our recently-retired postie (side note: this could be a unique Aussie term for postal worker / mail delivery person). Often she would come to our front door as she had something too large for the mail box and this one day she had a bundle of mail and a couple of smaller packages. They were held together with about four rubber bands. Apologising for the large number of rubber bands, I laughed and relayed that I would give them to my dad who loves rubber bands and uses them for all sorts of purposes.

I never gave the conversation another thought until 3 days later in my mailbox was an envelope labeled with “For your dad” and containing a big bunch of rubber bands.

It was such a kind and thoughtful thing to do and no doubt explains why our social media community noticeboard was inundated with well wishes on her recent retirement. I think she was delivering much more kindness than the letters and parcels she was paid to do and I’m thrilled that I, and my dad, got to experience it.++

Each week whoever gets to the bins first (our neighbours or us) puts them out and the next day same thing to bring them in.

Such a small thing but each time I see that my bin has been put out or brought in, it reminds me that we have wonderful friends living right next door and more than that, I know that I can call on them anytime and they would drop everything to help (and vice versa).

My daughter, Delaney, and I were at the dentist's in the waiting room. An older man came in and sat next to my daughter. Delaney had her nose in a book. He started talking to her and asked what she was reading. She closed her book and spoke with him. He began to share stories with her about books and reading, etc. Delaney sat with her eyes on him and listened. It was beautiful.

Zoom Strangers Become Friends

I was reaching the end of a 3-day training program earlier this week.
All delivered live on Zoom.
8+ hours a day.
My brain was full… and my social battery was fading.
But a small comment from another participant.
A positive affirmation of the change they’d seen in me over that time.
A stranger, now a friend, cut through our collective fatigue - and reinvigorated me - to get to the end of the day with gratitude in my heart.
Walking away from the event.
Excited about what changes will occur.

A good friend of mine just absolutely poured kindness into my world with a thoughtful, affirming, and soul lifting act that I will remember forever.

In an intricate and beautifully crafted passage, he shared about KindLoook on LinkedIn, why he thinks it's wonderful and can make a difference in the world and he encouraged people to join in.

It was a complete surprise and something you can clearly see he's put so much time and thought into. It felt like reading a letter of support and affirmation from someone totally out of the blue.

Literally, the fullness and richness of his words have caught me short.

I'm just so grateful and thankful.

And I'm especially excited that I'm actually seeing him tonight so will be able to give him a KindCoin to express my thanks for his kindness.

Thank you Michael 🙏🏼🌻

My grandson gave me one of his favorite stickers to wear on my shirt. I knew it was his favorite and he looked at it twice before he gave it to me. Then said, "Nana, I really want you to have this."
He is a generous 7-year-old with the gift of sharing what he has. My grandkids (I am so grateful to have them) are my teachers.

I was invited to a friends house to participate in a cooking class and had an incredible afternoon. Giovanni had prepared recipes, ready to go pizza dough, potatoes ready for our gnocchi making, lit his incredible pizza oven hours early, had a delicious assortment of ingredients for the pizzas as well as a sauce for the gnocchi and then kindly told us we didn't need to wash up. Such an incredible host and a lovely afternoon! Thanks for having us and sharing your knowledge!

My father was battling his suitcase and a very aggressive tram in Melbourne this week. A man standing nearby grabbed his arm to support him as the tram took off and made sure he didn't fall over. My dad thanked the man and said he was a "good man". The man responded that he wishes his wife thought that! It made me sad for a moment, but then glad my dad made him feel better with just a few kind words.....This was a Double Kindness in one interraction!