The kindness of strangers

StrengthIDidntKnow
StrengthIDidntKnow Posts: 543 Member
in Chit-Chat
I lost a library book, someone found it and returned it to the library for me.

Normally I walk to the train station but had to drive today. I thought I had thrown 3 singles in my bag but it was only 2 and I was only able to scrounge up 90 cents from my wallet so I was 10 cents short paying the parking meter. The next person to come up gave me $1 so I could park.

Sometimes it is the simple things in life that make me happy.
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Replies

  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
    i completely agree! i love being that stranger to someone else and providing a kindness. i think i need to actively try to do one good thing for another every day!
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
    I was in line at Tim Horton's with my daughter in her stroller and a stranger came up and asked if she could buy a doughnut for my daughter. She gave me $5.00 and left before I could give her the change.
  • polarsjewel
    polarsjewel Posts: 1,725 Member
    This thread makes my heart happy!

    I try to perform Random Acts of Kindness often

    :heart:
  • PattieCakes23
    PattieCakes23 Posts: 336
    I love things like this.
    Especially, when you go through days when you think there is not a kind person left in this world. Then, out of nowhere, someone pops up and shows you that there are some decent people.

    I was using one of those coinstar machines once and the container that held my change fell to the floor and the money went EVERYWHERE. Two guys and a lady walked by as I was crouched on the floor picking it all up, but two little boys stopped (as their mom just walked on I might add) to help me pick it up. I was like "aww"

    It's nice to get help from people. But, I also enjoy being that stranger too. It puts a smile on peoples faces, and that makes me happy.
  • Jonalee1977
    Jonalee1977 Posts: 415 Member
    I love performing various RAOK. It truly is better to give than receive.
  • dane11235813
    dane11235813 Posts: 682 Member
    i was at the gym a couple weeks ago with the kids in the family change room and we were getting ready to go in the pool. i had forgotten my lock so i had to use the coin operated ones. we had just finished getting into our suits and jammed everything into the locker. i put 4 quarters into the machine and then realized it only took loonies and had 'eaten' my quarters.

    a guy beside me was just leaving and must have overhead us. he pulled a loonie out of his pocket and gave it to us. saved me from having to get out my wallet. walk to the atm. then to the front desk and get change. it was only $1, but at that moment it felt like a lot more.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    I wish this story was about me, but it is about a friend of mine and his wife.

    They were coming off of the exit ramp off the interstate and noticed a car broken down. They stopped to help (my friend knows a lot about cars). The people broken down was a man and his (very) pregnant wife. My friend determined that the problem was probably a hose, and offered to drive to his house, get a hose and come back to attach it. Which he did.

    If that was the end, that would be nice enough.

    The hose didn't work (I forget what else was wrong), so they took the strangers to their house and - as he says "I could leave him and his pregnant wife without a car." - loaned them a car to drive for a few days while theirs got fixed.

    Not many people would go to those lengths, and it makes me proud he is my friend.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    :heart:
  • StrengthIDidntKnow
    StrengthIDidntKnow Posts: 543 Member
    I wish this story was about me, but it is about a friend of mine and his wife.

    They were coming off of the exit ramp off the interstate and noticed a car broken down. They stopped to help (my friend knows a lot about cars). The people broken down was a man and his (very) pregnant wife. My friend determined that the problem was probably a hose, and offered to drive to his house, get a hose and come back to attach it. Which he did.

    If that was the end, that would be nice enough.

    The hose didn't work (I forget what else was wrong), so they took the strangers to their house and - as he says "I could leave him and his pregnant wife without a car." - loaned them a car to drive for a few days while theirs got fixed.

    Not many people would go to those lengths, and it makes me proud he is my friend.

    Great story, thank you for sharing.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    i didn't want this to fall off the front page.

    recently, my wife and i took my 20 month old son to an indoor play area. I got a few dollars worth of tokens for rides (those stationary rock back and forth kind of rides). He spent the entire time playing in a ball pit for little ones. As I was leaving I randomly picked some mom and asked if she could use the tokens and handed them over.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    sometimes, i will leave a credit balance on a vending machine, so the next person gets a snack for free.
  • Dayna154
    Dayna154 Posts: 910 Member
    Love pay it forward especially when I get to do it...
  • ScarletFyre
    ScarletFyre Posts: 754 Member
    You know, I have been in a stressed and upset mood all day...this forum made me much happier. I am glad to see this goes on for people! :happy: :heart:
  • cpegasus01
    cpegasus01 Posts: 400 Member
    I love doing RAOK for people. Whether they are strangers or people that I know. It's a good feeling. Trying to teach it to my boys. Not sure if it is working or not though lol.
  • freew67
    freew67 Posts: 348 Member
    When I first looked at this title, I was sitting back in my chair with my legs propped up. All I saw was, "The kindness of strippers." Well Im going to click on that... OH strangers...opps. lol

    There are some good people out there in the world. Prob is, the media doesnt like to talk about them.

    http://freew67.blogspot.com/
  • dodihere
    dodihere Posts: 490
    Make a compliment to a random person.
  • ILoveTheBrowns
    ILoveTheBrowns Posts: 661 Member
    i bought some kid his subway today he was in front of me in long line and his card kept getting declined so i put it on mine....felt really bad for him...one time i was in a bar in estes park colorado around christmas time......was havin a good time drunk...meeting locals....a couple from minn sat down beside me and chatted with me for hours about everything they said they were leavin and i went to bathroom later in night i went to cash out here they bought all my beer.....will never forget that
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    I'm usually the one who does the RAOK.

    A couple times recently, I'll tell the woman at the Tim Hortons drive-thru that I will pay for the car behind me (no idea who they ever are) so that when they reach the window, they're told that their order has already been paid for.

    It's just nice to know that someone will drive away happy, and feel good about life and the world.
  • ScarletFyre
    ScarletFyre Posts: 754 Member
    Haha! I just remembered one!
    A few years ago, a friend of mine and I were leaving a NASCAR race and were stuck in the gridlock leaving the parking lot. It was hot, so we had our windows down, so we wouldn’t burn gas running the AC. About three guys jumped out of the vehicle a few in front of us and ran up to our car, yelled something and before we knew what happened they were gone and they had shoved about $5 in singles in my friends’ hand…we later realized what they had yelled was something about tolls, and we realized they must have been randomly targeting cars to give them singles for tolls.
  • Barbellsandthimbles
    Barbellsandthimbles Posts: 205 Member
    We need more of these posts! Love it!
  • sbernardy
    sbernardy Posts: 188
    This summer I was at the local fair with the kids.. All the older kids I bought wrist bands for... but didn't want to waste the 20$ on my two year old in case she didn't like the rides.. so I bought about 4 rides worth (Which included me too.. since I figured I would have to ride with her)... Long story short she doesn't like the merry-go-round and she was done with rides... so I looked around for another mom who just bought tickets too and gave them to her :)
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    This why I love this site. I know there is some snark, but mostly there are people trying to give good advice and share positive thoughts.
  • sunnyside1213
    sunnyside1213 Posts: 1,205 Member
    Make a compliment to a random person.

    I do this all the time. If I see someone with a great haircut or a nice blouse, I make sure I tell them.
  • jadesign19
    jadesign19 Posts: 512 Member
    I'll never forget the time I got a flat tire in the parking lot of a Walmart. I discovered it after I was done shopping and the store was closed. With no one to call (no cell phone in those days) and it being freezing (I remember it being the coldest day ever); I got all the groceries out of the trunk and did what any desperate woman would do.... Get the jack and spare out. I never changed a tire in my life but desperation and freezing to death is not my style. I got out the manual and started to work.... A very big man came up to me. I got scared because I'm alone in a parking lot. He asked if he could help. I hesitated and he said "I have a daughter your age and if you were her I'd want someone to help her.". Needless to say I started to cry and he finished putting on the spare. He wouldn't take any money just my thanks. I'll remember that man for the rest of my life.
  • Barbellsandthimbles
    Barbellsandthimbles Posts: 205 Member
    I had just finished a really long day at school (I was a teacher and One Act Play Coach) and was ready to go home. I was walking to the parking lot when I was stopped by one of the football coaches who said "You have the black Explorer? You got a flat tire" and he kept walking. Well, I know how to chang a flat (Dad taught me, just in case) but I was tired and cranky and didn't want to have to mess with it (the parking lot was dusty gravel, not pavement) being that it was 90+ degrees. I got to my car and started getting the stuff out to change my tire when one of my students comes up to me and takes the tire iron from me. He changed my tire. This was a student that I didn't always see eye-to-eye with and who most of the other teachers had written off as a "lost cause" because he rarely exerted himself and was withdrawn most of the time. He spoke 5 words to me that day: "I'll do it" and then "No problem" when I told him thank you. You never know where the RAOK will come from! The coach everyone drooled over and thought was the best thing since sliced bread wouldn't help, but the boy who everyone treated with disdain didn't bat an eye to help.
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
    i'm bumping this.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    My first job was as a cashier at Walmart. One busy Sunday a woman and her daughter came through my line and bought strawberry sugar-free candy. It rang up for 5 cents. I said I'd definitely be buying a couple bags for my grandmother because she was diabetic and loved candy. The woman said that would be nice of me, paid and went on her way. A few minutes later she came back with a couple bags of candy in a shopping bag and a receipt. She had gone back and gotten two more bags, waited in line again at a different register and gave me the candy. I know it was just a few cents but it meant a lot that someone would go through the trouble of going through Walmart on a crowded way and waiting in a long line just to do something nice. She also taught her daughter about doing nice things for strangers.
    I like to give kids pennies when I get change. It makes them smile and keeps the pennies out of my purse. I also won't hesitate to compliment someone's hair/shoes/shirt. They smile, I smile, everyone wins.
  • dirty_blonde
    dirty_blonde Posts: 71 Member
    I recently offered my photography services to a couple who said they couldn't afford a nice wedding. They are a local couple to my community and I they had been through some health issues with two of their children in the past year. Had accumulated a lot of medical debt. When I heard they were getting married with no professional photographer I thought it would be nice to offer my services for free.
    I'm a certified professional photographer, I also hold a degree in photography and have won many awards. My services do not come cheap. I basically gave this couple a several thousand dollar gift. One would think they would be incredibly appreciative. But instead I was treated like ****, spoken to rudely and humiliated in front of the whole bridal party. I'll never offer my wedding photography services to anyone for free ever again but I will continue to help animal shelters.

    This is the second time I have tried to use my services to help others that normally could not afford such a luxury. The first time was with a family portrait. Those people were ungrateful in the end also.

    Reading everyone else's comments here help me to realize that not everyone is a *kitten* and there are appreciative people. I just don't seem to find them.
  • katierechgomez
    katierechgomez Posts: 77
    This thread is so awesome! I love reading these storeis!!! It just makes me smile to read all these:) Y'all are so wonderful and I believe, too, that RAOK are so important. I love the one about paying for someone else's food in the drive-thru. That is so sweet:) And wow, that guy whoe helped the couple with their car and even let them use his car...that is extraordinary!!! I am going to strive to do more and mroe RAOK :)
  • weemer78
    weemer78 Posts: 4 Member
    Hope you don't mind I got something to add

    I love how karma works I have helped loads of times. I used to go shopping for a old lady near where I lived after seeing her struggle with Her bags one day. After that I used to go once a week and she always got change even if she didn't have enough money to start with. :) too many people in this world don't care.

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