Circle of kindness

Readers share little reminders of how much goodness there is in the world

“I LEFT THE TRAINING WITH A BRAND-NEW FRIEND!”

I had to travel to California to attend training

for a new job. There were 80 of us from all around the country. Not knowing anyone, I wondered how I would spend my downtime. On the first day, another trainee, Cecile, suggested we all go to an exhibit in Beverly Hills. We would meet in the hotel lobby and ride-share there. I ended up being the last to arrive, and all the cars were full. So I wouldn’t be alone, Cecile left her car to ride with me. We shared stories and laughed the whole way. I not only left the training with a wealth of information, but also a brand-new friend! — Gina Borgesi, Drexel Hill, PA

“THEY FILLED MY LIFE WITH KINDNESSES!”

Recently, I needed to be in a cast for several weeks to allow

my foot to heal. During that time, I couldn’t drive and had to use a walker to keep the weight off my foot. My friends filled my life with kindnesses! One friend took me to church. Another took me shopping. A neighbor brought me taxi tickets, which I used to take trips to the senior center. What could have been a long stretch at home alone was made better by their kindnesses. I hope to pay their good deeds forward. — Claire Thorpe, Jefferson, WI

“IT WARMS MY HEART TO THINK OF EACH PERSON WHO HELPED!”

It was a cold, snowy night when I stopped

to buy a lottery ticket. When I returned to my car, I inserted the key in the door lock— and it got stuck. Two ladies tried to help, then went and got the store owners. When they couldn’t remove the key, they escorted me inside to warm up with some coffee. AAA was very busy, so the owners drove me home. The next day, the florist near where my car was left kept an eye on it and held my key after AAA got it out. It warms my heart to think of each person who helped! — Christa K. Wimmer, Kenilworth, NJ