Awesome Stories 256

/ January 16, 2016

This week Awesome Stories brings you loving service, tiny homes, better teaching, travel adventures and empathy in medicine.

Feeding the Hungry with LoveSNTC Trust, Awesome Stories

Meet Pradeep and Damyanti Tanna, a couple from India, who have transformed the loss of their son into a graceful dedication to offer love and food to the hungry. They lost their only son, Nimish, in a tragic train accident. His death left a gaping hole in their lives. Over time, they managed to turn the pain into love with service to their community. His parents started the SNTC trust in his name  to offer free tiffin service for the needy. From modest beginnings, they now feed over 100 people in Mumbai each day.

Tiny House Love

Gregory Kloehn is an artist and contractor who builds tiny homes for the homeless. He was inspired by the creative designs and ingenuity of homeless people who make their shelters. I love how he salvages scraps from illegal dumping piles around the city. Greg too has become very creative and resourceful in finding materials to build these tiny homes with heart. More importantly, along the way to building over 35 homes, he has be-friended many homeless people around Oakland CA.

Better Teachingteaching, life skills

Here’s a helpful article with 4 ways to create a better environment for schools. Remembering our humanness, schools are focusing on people, not just academics. And I love that schools are using mindfulness and breathing as tools to help teachers and students learn to focus and be present. I believe these and other life skills should be the standard curriculum for all schools. Academics are important, but it’s equally important that kids learn how to cope with life. What new ideas do you have for better schools and teaching?

American Bear Adventures

American Bear is kind of an odd name for a travel adventure, but I love what they did. Sarah Sellman and Greg Grano created a film from their grand trip around the US, exploring our American culture, compassion and fear, by relying on the kindness of strangers. The film tag line is “an adventure in the kindness of strangers” and chronicles their trip covering 30 states, 60 days and 5 bears! It gives us a very intimate look at travel and kindness. I hear the road calling me too. My idea is to travel around the country( or world) offering my labor in exchange for room and board.

Empathetic Medicine

From my recent post on empathy, you know I’m a fan of empathy. So I was excited to hear there is growing push for more empathy in healthcare. These articles outline some recent research on how empathy helps improve patient care. The article poses the question of whether we should train our doctors in empathy. I say absolutely! We want to know that our nurses and doctors truly care. Too often we feel as though we are simply numbers or part of a medicine machine. Have you had the pleasure of being treated by a nurse or doctor who took the time to listen and understand you?

What’s blooming in your life? I hope you have an inspired week!

 

 

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29 thoughts on “Awesome Stories 256”

  2. These “Awesome Stories” always remind me how many people are doing amazing things in this world. Each time I read these I’m restored with hope. Thank you, Brad, for bringing us the “good news” and the stories we need to hear…

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  7. I am always impressed with how people are able to turn a devastating situation into something meaningful (referring to the Indian couple that feeds the homeless after the loss of their only son). Reading a book currently, called “Upside: The New Science of Post-traumatic Growth” which is addressing that exact issue. You and I are reading and looking at the same “stuff” lately 🙂

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  8. Such a lot of wonderfully good stories here Brad.. I came by the other day and got lost in the awesomeness of them and then as often is the case I got side-tracked.. But I am glad I did for today I watched the tiny house builder… What a big hearted man.. and those homeless people so grateful for their tiny homes.. Awesome..
    Shows me how some people still Care, even if there are those who walk by the homeless as if they are not there…
    I liked his remark where he said the Homeless were some of the most happiest people he had met.. Saying they had nothing and were exposed to all the elements of weather and he never heard them complain.. While those who had a ton of money and a home and all the trappings did nothing but ‘bitch’ 🙂 Made me smile..
    Hope you are smiling ever wider Brad.. 🙂 and sending you thoughts as we begin another week. Many thanks my friend for your wonderful visits.. I so appreciate them..
    Hugs..
    Sue 🙂

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  9. These stories are always …awesome 🙂 and encouraging. It’s great to read good news, they never make headlines in the media. I really like that teaching is improving and is not only about academics and standardized testing. And the video was great too!

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