Magical Acts of Kindness Stories

Sponsored by the Harry Potter Alliance and GivesMeHope, October 1-7 was Magical Acts of Kindness Week! Below are some highlights.

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I got this idea off a website and modified it a bit. The original concept was to take index cards and draw a smiley face on them and leave them for people. Well, I did that but then on the other side, I wrote a personal compliment to each of my co-workers at the YMCA. All 184 of them. -shillelagh82

There are always sad and concerned people at physical therapy. I left two sticky notes on the bathroom mirror saying "you are beautiful" and the other, "to the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world". An old woman entered the bathroom, and emerged later smiling, and called her husband in to see, it was magical! -Vanessa

I gift wrapped my teacher a box of moon pies and sent it to him. He realized it was me when he unwrapped the box and found "HP" written all over it. –Karen

Today I put together a care package for the shelter AWARE. It's a shelter for women suffering from domestic violence. I got a basket, put some pretty white tissue paper in it, wove a ribbon around it, and filled it with lots of things! I left it at the door and rang the doorbell. –Marie S.

I've done 2 MAK's so far this week, both today. A door on the train was out of order, so I stood in the middle of the other one so that an elderly couple could get on it. The next train wasn't for 90 minutes, so that helped them! –Cíara

My second MAK was saying thank you to EVERY PERSON who did something for me today. Whether it was the guy driving my train home, the LUAS driver in town, or the woman who gave me my donut; I said thanks. It's such a small thing, but it makes such a difference to them, especially when you rarely get thanked in a job. –Cíara

For performers for progress’ fall show, we chose "The Water Project". I told the audience, "It costs only $4500 to build THREE wells...we'll be able to give water to up to 2400 people in need." Someone came up to me and handed me a check. It was for $1000 dollars. At the bottom of the check were the words: "Commit random acts of kindness." –Max C.

I thought I would make my favorite teacher cookies anonymously as a "welcome back" thing (I wanted it to be anonymous so he wouldn't think I actually just wanted a higher grade or something). But it's strange--I had already decided to make him cookies before I knew it was Magical Acts of Kindness week! So, yay! –Cara C.

My first MAK; leaving a thank you note for the Humane Society. My second MAK; sending care packages to soldiers. My third MAK; AIDS Walk Washington. My fourth MAK; distributing Harry Potter goodies: http://bit.ly/44YmK1 -katekintail

My fifth MAK; thanking Library Volunteers. My sixth MAK; leaving notes in library books. My seventh MAK; Leaving Feedback Online. My eighth (and final) MAK; Paying for Others' Comics: http://bit.ly/44YmK1 -katekintail

There was a woman with a stroller, attempting to back out of the door but having some trouble. I waited a beat then walked over and opened the door the whole way, asking if I could help. It wasn't anonymous, obviously, as she could see me there. But helping her seemed like the perfect way to end a week of acts of kindness. -katekintail

Someone left a little gift for me today, and on it, it said, "Thanks so much!” I have no idea for what and why but thanks! –Violet W.

Someone cleaned my apartment yesterday when I was out. No idea which roommate/visiting friend did it. Thank you!! –Karen

The thank you notes I made for each of the teachers seemed to really brighten some of their days! –ExpectoPatronus

I went with some friends into the middle of the city; wielding a 'free high fives' sign, and stood there for a few hours. I feel the high five retains a certain amount of magic; the whole enthusiastic connection with a stranger's hand dealio. This high fiving brought smiles to stranger's faces. It was incredible. –Felise N.

My MAK – I put a girl's books together & her chair up at the end of the day because she wasn't in the room when the bell rang. -jpottsie

The girl behind me is describing a MAK she did this weekend: returning a dog she found on the highway. -joelle_simone

I must say I'm sorry I couldn't hag about in the library to get their reaction to finding a box of chocolates on an empty trolley, but I did see one librarian walk past it twice. They must find it soon when they look that way. -blue_dreamer

I delivered a goody box to a receptionist at my school. I just pretended that someone in the hall gave me a box and asked me to deliver it. As soon as she saw it was a gift for her, her expression went from "What do you want? :( " to "Wow, really!?! :) " It was totally worth the day of baking and packing and decorating! -Hallie

I go to a small upper secondary school in Finland and I'm a member of our students' council. Earlier this fall we decided that we'd arrange a flea market. All proceeds would go to UNICEF. On 10/3 we hosted this event and had a greater turnout then we'd imagined. We raised €501.40, which according to the currency calculator, equals $728.885. -Johanna R.