On Halloween night, after dropping my son off at a party on a very dark, unfamiliar street, I was backing my car out of a driveway and bumped into another car's front left fender. Naturally I stopped, got out, and left a note with my phone number. It was tough to assess the damage, but I could see there was a dent. Two days later, I received a phone call from the car's owner, Alicia. She said there was definitely damage, and she would be getting a quote from a body shop. I asked her if we could leave insurance cmpanies out of it, since I have two teenage sons on my policy and have a very high deductible in order to keep my rates down. A few days later Alicia called me with a quote of $1285. I gasped. I know body work is expensive, but I still wasn't prepared for such a high quote. Still, I had little recourse but to agree to pay it. In the course of our conversation I told her I was a single mom with a son in college and another one two years away from college, and I could tell she felt a bad, but I wasn't trying to guilt her; I knew I was obliged to pay. But I did ask if I could do it in two monthly installments. She asked if we could meet and sign an agreement so that we wouldn't, as her husband suggested, wind up on "Judge Judy." So that's what we did. A few days later we met, signed a document, and I handed her a check for $645. Four more days passed, and I received a phone call. It was Alicia. She told me that she and her husband had been talking ever since we met, and had decided that they didn't want me to pay them any more money. Alicia said that I had been honest and forthright with them, that she could tell I was a good person, and that "accidents happen." With the holidays coming, she wanted to forgive me the rest of the debt. She also told me that I should get in touch with them if I ever needed anything. I have been energized and inspired by this. I'm now looking for a way to pay it forward; for starters, I'm going to make a donation to an ar

Over the weekend my beau surprised me by secretly inviting some musicians to his apartment to play live music for us while we danced. I felt like we were in the movies.

When I call to make a complaint or try to get in touch with a company and it's routed to someone in another country and it is very hard to understand what they are saying instead of getting frustrated, I ask them where they live and what their weather is like and have a conversation. That makes their job easier and I connect with another human being and it's a positive experience!

I will go for a walk today and celebrate the buds on the trees and the flowers coming up. -- Anne P.

I’m going to take one of the celebration ideas from the Simply Celebrate book — hiding money for strangers — and make it into a date with my girlfriend. I'll break $50 into fives, and brainstorm with my date over lunch where we are going to hide the money. And then we'll take public transportation to the different places and hide them. I'm sure we'll build memories that will last a very long time. Pretty cool huh?! -- Eric S.

When I'm in a busy line at the grocery store and the cashier is obviously stressed, I try to say something to convey that I'm in no hurry and to let them know they can relax a minute. -- Anonymous

As I was reading the section on your newsletter asking us to take a moment to look around us to see something we loved, little Simon, my cat, was beside me. He stood up and gently touched me with his paw. That moment I took a good look at him and said, "There is the boy I love."  And I said, "Hi, Hi Simon."  He rolled over in a state of clear joy. Yes indeed, these are the moments that sustain us. And they come often if we allow them in.  -- Suki H.

This past Valentine’s day, I bought some roses and went outside the store and looked around and just knew who to give them to.  -- Mary F.  

Ever since Sept. 11, I have made it a point to make eye contact with and share a smile with anyone I see who looks to be Arab or Muslim or Sikh,especially if they are wearing a turban. To keep wearing this emblem of their faith at a time when it could mean threat or harm to their person takes a special kind of courage, and I want to show my support by acknowledging their presence in a kind way.  -- Patti R.

When telemarketers call, I try to be friendly and polite to them even as I let them know I'm not interested. After all, I know that these are just people like you and me who need to make a living.  -- Anonymous