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Small things can often mean a great deal. For the past five years readers of the Toronto Star's website have been telling each other that, as they shared their stories in a feature called Acts of Kindness. The common thread is that a stranger helped when it was needed most, without thought of a reward and often without leaving a name.

Since its debut in December, 2004, Acts of Kindness has become a daily fixture at thestar.com. About four thousand stories have been submitted and two thousand have been published. Acts of Kindness, the book, represents the best of the best - a collection of 200 of the most memorable tales.

The stories are a reminder that goodness is non-denominational, non-political, and transferable across race and language. They also remind us that although our lives are full of hard realities, the smallest gesture can raise a spirit or lift a heart, and the time to do it is now.

Adam Mayers is a senior editor at thestar.com, the Toronto Star's website, and a frequent contributor to Civil War Times Illustrated, the largest general interest magazine on the Civil War. His articles focus on Canadian connections to the conflict.

Mr. Mayers has a degree in psychology from McMaster, a graduate degree in journalism from the City University of London, and an MBA from McMaster. He lives in Oakville, Ontario.