(Image Credit:Craig Greenhill/The Daily Telegraph)
Don Ritchie spent over 50 years living next to a cliff famous for suicides known as ‘The Gap’ in Australia. Every morning he would wake up and look out the window, searching for “anyone standing too close to the precipice.” If he did see someone who was contemplating jumping, he would walk over to them and start a conversation.




“Why don’t you come and have a cup of tea?” he would often say to them, and when they turned to see him, his smile was often their salvation. Regarded by many as the guardian angel of the gap, Ritchie has saved an estimated 160 lives, though Ritchie himself does not keep count. “I’m offering them an alternative, really.” Ritchie says. “I always act in a friendly manner, I smile.”

Not all are able to hear Ritchie’s voice, as an estimated one person a week commits suicide at the cliffs, but Ritchie keeps going despite this. He said he does his best with each person, and if he loses one, he accepts there was nothing more he could have done.

Often times just being shown a little bit of love was enough, “And that was all that was often needed to turn people around, and he would say not to underestimate the power of a kind word and a smile,” said his daughter Sue Ritchie Bereny. Ritchie would receive heartfelt letters and visits from those he had saved sometimes 10 or 20 years later.

“Ritchie continued to live at the house until his passing in 2012, and he had no issue about living near the cliffs despite the constant suicide attempts. He was awarded the Medal of the Order for all of his rescues, him and his wife were named Woollahra Council’s Citizens of the Year, and he was also given the Local Hero Award for Australia.

In a situation where most would turn a blind eye, Don has taken action,” wrote the National Australia Day Council. “With such simple actions, Don has saved an extraordinary number of lives. Don’s story touched the hearts of all Australians and challenged us to rethink what it means to be a good neighbor.” Don Ritchie’s beautiful way of reaching out and showing love to those who were in the lowest parts of their lives, is truly a moving example of compassion.

A kind boy had a beautiful request to his parents, and his dad, Phineas1713, decided to share it.

“Saturday morning, my son walked into my room and said he wanted to use his money to help the homeless. I asked him what he had in mind, and he said he wanted to make them lunches. I have to be honest, I almost tried to talk him into just holding on to his money and having mom and dad pay for it, but the light in his eyes told me to just roll with it.”

The boy had spent an entire year saving up $120, and decided to use it to make lunches for the homeless in Houston Texas.

The family bought groceries and made dozens of sandwiches.

They loaded them into the car.

“He did most of the handing-out by himself, but this was the only picture we got of us actually giving the stuff out.”

The heart of a child is so beautiful, and so kind. Let’s learn from the kind boy’s example and share something beautiful with those in our community.

You are Loved.

 

Post by @understanding_compassion

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(Image Credit: CBS)
Jason Brown was previously one of the best centers in the NFL, sporting a $37.5 million dollar contract with the St. Louis Rams. He decided to leave it all, to open the ‘First Fruits Farm’ in North Carolina, which grows potatoes and other vegetables to donate to the hungry and to food pantries.

“My agent told me, ‘You’re making the biggest mistake of your life,’” said Brown. “And I looked right back at him and I said, ‘No I’m not. No I’m not.’” Brown said he has never felt more successful.





(Image Credit: Endhunger.org)

More than 17% of North Carolina’s households are food insecure. Jason’s farm partners with local relief groups and in one year is able to donate more than 100,000 pounds of sweet potatoes and 10,000 pounds of cucumbers.

(Image Credit: CBS)

“There’s a lot of people praying out there,” said Brown. “But, when I think about a life of greatness, I think about a life of service.”

“Love is the most wonderful currency that you can give anyone,” said Brown. His compassionate heart teaches us what really matters in life.

Follow and support Jason’s farm and mission here: http://wisdomforlife.org/

and on Facebook here: First Fruits Farm

(Image credit: Youtube)
Mr. and Mrs. Kuroki are a wonderful couple living in Japan. After 30 years of marriage, Yasuko Kuroki began to have trouble with her sight, and due to complications with diabetes, she became blind. Her husband Toshiyuki watched as she slowly became very depressed, and withdrew, spending all of her time in their home, losing contact with the outside world. While searching for a way to cheer her up, Mr. Kuroki had an idea; he would plant a garden of flowers outside so that she could smell their sweet aroma, and she would want to come outside to enjoy them.

(Image credit: Yoshiyuki Matsumoto)

He spent the next two years clearing their surrounding space and planting thousands of flowers.

(Image credit: Youtube)




Their home is now a breathtaking garden of love, and his plan worked, as Mrs. Kuroki began to come outside and enjoy the sweet fragrance of her husband’s flowers.

(Image credit: Yoshiyuki Matsumoto)

Yasuko Kuroki is now every day seen smiling from ear to ear.

(Image credit: Yoshiyuki Matsumoto)

The garden is so beautiful in fact, that it attracts over 7,000 visitors per year, and each visitor is able to come and say hi to Mrs. Kuroki and keep her company.

(Image credit: Yoshiyuki Matsumoto)

True love is so beautiful.

(Mark Bustos Instagram)

Mark Bustos is a celebrity hairstylist, working full-time at a salon where prices start at $150. Every Sunday on his only day off, Mark goes out onto the streets of New York City and gives free haircuts to the homeless.

(Mark Bustos Instagram)

He approaches each person by saying, “I want to do something nice for you today.” and is able to give around 6 free haircuts every Sunday. Mark started his charity work in May of 2012. “The feeling was so rewarding,” Mark told the Huffington post.

(Mark Bustos Instagram)

His styling sessions are also often much more than just a haircut, as he is able to connect, listen to, and share love with the people whom he encounters. A NYC based homeless charity said that Mark’s work enables people to envision a better life for themselves.

(Mark Bustos Instagram)

In addition to offering his wonderful haircuts, Mark has started a social media movement called #BeAwesomeToSomebody. “Be awesome to somebody is basically just a simple way for all of us to give back as human beings,” Mark said. “I mean we all have a special talent inside of us, and it’s just about sharing what we do best to people that are less fortunate.”

Compassion is beautiful, and Mark’s giving heart shows us how offering a simple service to those in need in our community can truly make the world a more beautiful place.