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SALT LAKE CITY — Life is challenging, and Mondays don't always make it easier.
Luckily, there are stories of kindness happening all around us that may lift our spirits and encourage us to serve others.
Here are three stories that may make your week a little better.
The little things that count
Curt W.
"I received a Wal-Mart gift card for Christmas and finally got around to using it. I bought some cast iron pans and a few other things with it, but what I purchased was not enough to meet or exceed the value of the gift card.
"Not wanting to accumulate gift cards with unknown values in my wallet, I simply told the cashier to use the remainder of the balance for the next person in line. I walked away with my purchase and happy knowing that I probably made someone's day by taking a few dollars off their purchase."
Good karma
Stacy F.
"I received a little wooden statue in the mail from a mom in Pennsylvania that I built a casket for her little girl. It was a statue of hope, and it made me feel so good about helping other families."
Share Your Story:
Have you seen any moments of service or kindness? Do you want to share a story about something that made your day? Email a brief story (100 words or fewer) along with any photos or video to <a href="mailto:crosenlof@ksl.com">mchristensen@ksl.com</a>.
When the community rallied
Jolene R.
"Last November my husband, Ed Robbins, was lying in Dixie Regional Hospital with complications due to a lung full of colon cancer. Though we didn't want to believe it, he was dying.
"That August ... I needed a job, and the only one available was working as an aide in the Orderville Elementary School. I was truly blessed to get to work in the sixth grade, where Betty Chamberlain is the teacher.
"Betty ... knew my financial situation was not good. I will never know exactly how she brought it up, but she helped the students decide they wanted to use their booth for the traditional fall festival as a fundraiser to help us. ... The community in the Valley (including Mt. Carmel Junction, Orderville, Glendale and Alton) is very supportive and loving, but the people are not wealthy. Nonetheless, Betty, my kids and the community raised almost $3,500.
"Betty sent me a text asking if she and her husband could come visit us in the hospital. ... Ed passed away the following day. The money that was raised paid well over a third of the cost of his funeral. I still cry whenever I think of the generosity and goodness of Betty Chamberlain, my wonderful sixth graders, and the people from the Valley."
