Token Tales
Small exchanges. Lasting ripples.
Since 2018, I’ve carried small handmade tokens in my bag, coat pocket, backpack, and carry-on.
Not to sell or promote anything. Not to be left behind as random acts of kindness. But to initiate conversation, introduce pause, and help me answer a simple question: What happens when someone who is usually invisible is noticed?
A hotel receptionist.
A train conductor.
A restaurant server.
A flight attendant.
A neighbor.
A stranger.
Each token becomes an invitation. Sometimes the conversation lasts ten seconds. Sometimes thirty minutes.
But over and over, the same thing unfolds: people soften, stories replace roles and connection becomes possible. As humans.
These are some of those moments.
If one of these stories makes you pause, I’d love to hear from you.
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“Mama, Why?”
A small painted token, a train conductor named Kader, and a question my daughter couldn't answer for me. A Token Tales story about being seen.
A name, a pause, a smile
Three strangers wrote down their own names. A small story about being noticed — from Token Tales.
Connection in Different Forms
A server named Manuel, a box of notes collected over seven years, and a small painted note that was his first. A Token Tales story about connection, kept and given away.
Her Name Wasn't Lisa
A volleyball tournament medic, a fake name, and the real one underneath it. A Token Tales story about being seen behind the role.
Magdalena’s note
24 tokens, a Ritz-Carlton birthday weekend, and a housekeeper's handwritten note in return. A Token Tales story about belonging.
Who is going unseen today?
Met Kyle & Brayden today—utility field surveyors who told me most people see them as “a nuisance.” I handed them two tokens of gratitude and they were so moved just to be noticed.
Seeing People
What we do is such a simple thing—anyone can do it! But how often do we make the time?
Not a Complaint
A receptionist expected criticism when asked her name. Instead, she received gratitude—and a reminder that being seen matters.
Both Sides of the Counter
While waiting through a stressful medical appointment, a handmade token became an unexpected moment of human connection with a receptionist.
Trudy’s First Thank You
A flight attendant's tears, 38 years of service, and the first thank-you note she'd ever received. A Token Tales story from a New Zealand trip.
Three Years Later
A small handmade token given after a mammogram appointment led to an unexpected reunion years later—and a reminder that being seen stays with us.
Across the Aisle
A stranger’s milestone celebration on a crowded flight became an unexpected reminder that people remember being seen more than being impressed.
The Unexpected Power of Kindness
When we lift each other up, especially in moments of vulnerability, we all rise together.