What is the nicest thing you've done for anyone?

In the spirit of "what is..." posts:

I had flowers delivered to my best friend at her job for her 38th birthday because she had told me no one had ever sent her flowers, ever, for anything.
«13456

Replies

  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    I am giving a quilt to a lady at church who recently lost her daughter. I can't imagine what she is going through and am hoping a quilt might give her a small measure of comfort.

    Love the idea of giving flowers to a friend! I bet she loved it!
  • NikkiSixGuns
    NikkiSixGuns Posts: 630 Member
    One of the first things that comes to mind... I paid for my mother-in-law to come to Washington, D.C. with me for a week a couple of years back. She is an avid history fan, loves U.S. history especially, and she'd never been there. For as long as I've known her she's talked about how much she wanted to go. I know she had a fantastic time and talks about it often.

    Like this thread, BTW. Thanks, OP!
  • Wabbit05
    Wabbit05 Posts: 434 Member
    I had my mother come live with me after her boyfriend and business partner left suddenly (I mean packed his bags, left a note on the table, and was gone by daylight). She was so devastated and so hurt, I couldn't see her pulling through it alone. Besides, my husband was deployed, I was about to start school again and had a newborn. I could use all the help I could get! So it worked out perfectly for both of us.
  • Prisme
    Prisme Posts: 65 Member
    when my daughter was about 6 she gave her great grandmother a heart shaped box of chocolates for Valentines day. She was so excited receiving chocolates as she said no had ever given her chocolates on Valentines Day. After we ate the chocolates she put the heart shaped box in her china cabinet to keep.
  • korsicash
    korsicash Posts: 770 Member
    An abused cat came into the shelter I worked at and I didn't take a day off for four months so he wouldn't be put to sleep. Finally took him home where he lived a happy 6 years before I lost him to cancer.
    A friend of mine does not have a lot of money and all her daughter wanted was an Alvin toy from Alvin and the chipmonks. my kid had one he didn't care about that still had the tags on it and I mailed out for her daughters birthday.
    Right now I am caring for a friends horse who I saved from having to be put down with a lot of time and care put into it....
    doing nice things feels good....
  • I provided a young single mother with money to go to college as she danced for me on stage.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    An old car and computer for the son of a single mother who is starting college.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    I gave some people a baby.
  • lousoulbody
    lousoulbody Posts: 663 Member
    On my Grandmothers 90th birthday, i brought a bucket of 90 red roses, and about 12 different vases, her little apartment was covered in a sea of red & smelled beautifully,....she bragged about that day for a very long time. :flowerforyou:

    She passed at the age of 96, what a wonderful life!!:heart:
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I've never told my mother what an *kitten* she is.
    I've never told my father how much I hated him (not anymore).
    I've never told my brother he's a freaking loser who needs to grow the f up and be a responsible adult (he's older then me).

    I figure these are the nicest things I've ever done. Sometimes silence is kindness.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    Took in my emotionally battered nieces (alcohol and drug addicted parents) instead of them going to a foster home.
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
    I am paying for my sister to attend college, because it's the right thing to do.
  • vmekash
    vmekash Posts: 422 Member
    I don't know if it is THE nicest thing I've ever done, but I'd say it is high on the list, and I'm sure my mother would agree.
    My mom is a huge fan of Elvis Presley, but had never been to Graceland. So, one year, just after xmas, my sister and I 'kidnapped' my mom, and took her to Graceland. She thought we were going to a flea market about an hour away, and we'd be gone most of the day. But then we started crossing state lines that would make no sense. We stayed in Memphis for a few days. I think we made her year. :happy:
  • Chipmaniac
    Chipmaniac Posts: 642 Member
    My ex-wife had lost her job and had no money to buy presents for our kids for Christmas. I gave her an unsolicited $200 out of my Christmas bonus so she could get them presents and not have to lose any face with them. At the same time I also loaned her $500 to keep the lights on at her house, which she later paid back.
  • know_your_worth
    know_your_worth Posts: 481 Member
    I provided a young single mother with money to go to college as she danced for me on stage.

    hahahhahaaha
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
    I gave birth to them.
  • rsm1972
    rsm1972 Posts: 283
    I had bought a woman and her child dinner, when I was eating dinner:):) I have sent flowers to a friend because she was having a very bad day. I have gave my sister and brother in law money in the bank account without them knowing it.
  • Colonel_Brandon
    Colonel_Brandon Posts: 256 Member
    I forgave myself for being human.
  • I helped my friend's dad apply for disability benefits after he had to stop working due to severe arthritis in both of his legs. He was awarded $20,000 plus $2,000 a month about 10 days later. They were about to lose their house, and the money helped them keep it.
  • bikinibeliever
    bikinibeliever Posts: 832 Member
    Years ago I worked with a woman that was dirt poor. Christmas rolled around and she was not able to get her son anything. I talked to a friend of mine and we shopped for him. Christmas eve we delivered 3 bags of wrapped gifts to her house after her son was sleeping. She cried! I told her I would never reveal to anyone that the gifts came from anyone other than her. And now here I am telling the world!! :laugh:

    I've done other things, but this is the one thing I think made a mark. :smile:
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
    Nothing. I'm a horrible mean person! j/k

    I do love to help people out but I don't know which would be the nicest thing.
    I'm very kind to animals. I stayed with a dying bird once until he passed-he'd broken his neck and was scared, but hat's not quite the same thing.

    I love to make soup for people when they are sick!
    I should post some recipes, it's almost cold season!!

    Sending flowers is a nice thing. They are so expensive sometimes but some people really love them so it is worth it, yes?

    I love your cat pics, BTW
  • CPAUTISM24
    CPAUTISM24 Posts: 32 Member
    That is a tough question. When my son died on February 22, 2009 I was devastated. My son had unconditional love for everyone. I wanted to keep his legacy alive. So, on the 22nd of each month I do a random act of kindness to someone who does not know me. I was at McDonalds on 22nd, and there was a family there that (you could tell) had little money. There were several kids. They were going to split kids meals and dollar sandwiches. My heart went out to them. I took the mother up to the counter and said to order everyone their own meal. It was about $30. It was the best $30 I spent. The kids were so happy because they had their own toy, and no one went hungry. I challange each of you to pick a day each month to do a random act of kindness to someone you do not know. Believer me YOU WILL BE THE ONE BLESSED!:heart:
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    Paid off a friend's car for her ... measly 1200 drop
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
    I gave some people a baby.
    The most amazing act of selflessness, ever.

    I've noticed this week a homeless guy going through the rubbish bins outside my workplace. I've not had any money to give him yet but I will keep some aside and give it to him next time I see him. What really impresses me is that he's not begging, he's just going about his business.

    I love to bake so that's my 'go to' response when I want to reach out to someone. I enjoy cake decorating so much I just love any opportunity to make and decorate a beautiful cake. Did one for the barista at my favourite coffee shop - she was stoked and I got a free coffee.
  • JennKie1
    JennKie1 Posts: 200 Member
    O.K., although I try to do nice things for others, I am at a loss as to the "nicest" thing I've ever done. I guess it's a matter of perspective and how it would affect the other person. I do remember the nicest thing anyone ever did for me, though:

    I was irresponsible and ended up pregnant at 18. The "father" (for lack of a better word) immediately bailed out on me and left me on my own. I had an amazing (male) friend who actually offered to put his life on hold, marry me, and said we would tell everyone (even our parents) the baby was his. He said that way I wouldn't have to feel ashamed, I wouldn't be all alone, and my baby would have a "daddy". Of course, I couldn't let him sacrifice his own future for my mistake, so I thanked him and signed him up as Godfather instead. But, that, by far, was the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me! If I lived to be 100, I don't think anyone would be able to top that on my list.
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
    Last Christmas I picked a name off of a giving tree and bought a girl all the hello kitty and Justin Beiber stuff I could find. :) I spent all my money on that one little girl and didn't buy my brothers or mom and dad a present. Whoops.

    One time, my mom found a name on a giving tree a few years back. A 7-year-old girl who was asking for PANTIES, not toys. My mom bought well over $1,000 dollars worth of clothes and toys. Our entire mini van was packed full of stuff. It was a very small Christmas for us, but it was so worth it.
  • BlisterLamb
    BlisterLamb Posts: 396 Member
    When I was living in Utah and my family was still in Nevada, I was talking to my mom on the phone one day and she told me about a woman she knew who was in Nevada and was just frantic because her brother was in the ER in Salt Lake and they didn't expect him to live. She couldn't leave her elderly father to go to her brother and was just hysterical about him dying all alone. So I volunteered to go. It wasn't until I got halfway there that my mom called me back and told me he was homeless off and on and was in the final stages of AIDS. I slowed my car a bit. I didn't know either of these people. I thought about it for few minutes and then knew how I would feel if it was my brother, so I went. They ended up transferring him to a VA hospital. He couldn't talk and was slightly puzzled by the woman sitting by his bedside, holding his hand, chattering at him and wiping the crap from his mustache when he coughed it up. It took three days. He passed around 11:00 pm on the third night. I was singing to him when he took his last breath. But the way he looked at me before he closed his eyes for the last time made it all worth it. I met his sister a year later and to this day, there isn't anything she wouldn't do for me, but really, it was my privilege.
  • vanessamcinnis
    vanessamcinnis Posts: 204 Member
    I work at the Hospital (emergency registration). One day I was going on my supper break and I seen this lady in a wheelchair she looked lost and sore. I asked her if she was okay, she said she was looking for the cafeteria, which was really far away and down another level. I told her I was on my way to supper down there and asked her if she would like me to push her down there. She was so happy and said yes. She wanted to stop at a pantry on the way down, after asking to purchase a cookie there. She realized she didn't have any money. I told her I would buy it for her, it was no big deal...I can manage the $2.00 cookie haha. I took her down to the cafeteria. I heard her ask the cafeteria employees if it was okay for her husband to come pay for her meal and they were fine with it. When my lunch break was over I asked her if she wanted me to push her back to the department and she said yes. She was so grateful I helped her out. Some people may have just walked by her thinking it would waste their supper break. It made me feel really good about myself and the kind of employee I am.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    Thank you so much for starting this thread. It's so nice to read about how everyone has made a difference in someone's life!:flowerforyou:
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    Not me. My son.
    On his third or fourth birthday, a family friend gave him like $10-$15 to get whatever he wanted. So we headed down to the Warner Bros. Store in the mall with him, his brother in tow.
    Inside the store, he found something to buy that was absolutely perfect for him. He could not have wanted anything more. It was a figurine of Robin, of Batman and Robin, exactly like one he adored and played with at a friend's house. He was so excited.
    Unfortunately, his brother, who was only four or five years old, began to get upset when he realized his sibling was going to purchase something and he was not.
    The checkout line was long, and while we waited, he began having a fit.
    So, I turned to my wife and I said: 'I am going to take brother outside to calm him. You make the purchase and meet us there.'
    Then they did not show, for quite a while. They finally came out after about 15 minutes.
    As I asked my wife 'What took you so long?' I noticed little brother had a closed bag in his hand and a smile on his face that went from ear to ear.
    The birthday boy went straight up to his older brother and opened the bag. Inside, there was a video of a cartoon that was the older brother's favorite.
    My younger son had gone back to the shelf and returned the thing that he really wanted in order to get something that he and his brother could share together.