Random Acts of Kindness

kbonamour
kbonamour Posts: 49 Member
edited October 5 in Chit-Chat
Earlier today, I stopped at the store to pick up a few things for dinner. As I was putting my daughter's car seat onto the shopping cart, an elderly lady (probably in her 70's) walked up to me, handed me an envelope, and said, "I would like for you and your family to have this," and then walked out of the store with her husband. The outside of the envelope had a handwritten message that said, "You have been blessed by a random act of kindness- please look inside". Inside was a lovely, inspirational card along with a $10 bill.

I have to say that this completely made my day! I could not stop smiling for at least an hour just because it was so nice of someone to do something so nice for absolutely no reason at all. And I am most definitely going to pass along this kindness to someone else!

Last year, there was a big 'Pay it Forward Day' event on Facebook, so I figured I would join in. For my random act of kindness, I gave a gift certificate for a free photo session to one of the ladies that works at the gas station I go to all the time. I also always buy people that have to work on the holidays lottery tickets if I stop anywhere to pick up a last minute item or to get gas before heading to family get togethers.

Have any of you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness or been the one doing the kindness?
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Replies

  • birdlover97111
    birdlover97111 Posts: 346 Member
    I have had someone in the car ahead of me pay for my coffee, and I have reciprocated several different times in kind... :flowerforyou:
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    I've had 3 people in front of me pay for my coffee at Starbuck's and I've paid behind me 4 times. It's a great feeling.

    I saw a young mother running through the airport, dragging her bags and begging her young child to keep up. I told her "I'll take the bags, you grab your son!" She was so appreciative. Not sure if she made her flight. I hope she did.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    That is so sweet - and gives me a good idea with the holiday season approaching.

    Thank you.

    :heart:
  • fit4mom
    fit4mom Posts: 1,352 Member
    A store clerk gave my daughter 3 suckers on her 3rd b-day not knowing her age or that she had 2 sibblings. I told her that it would be nice to share with her brother and sister. She said they would like that very much.
    My church did that last year. They gave money to us to give to others to help in our community and then let them know about our experiences.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I've had 3 people in front of me pay for my coffee at Starbuck's and I've paid behind me 4 times. It's a great feeling.

    I saw a young mother running through the airport, dragging her bags and begging her young child to keep up. I told her "I'll take the bags, you grab your son!" She was so appreciative. Not sure if she made her flight. I hope she did.

    Awesome.

    I love the high I get from helping people with absolutely no reward other than knowing I did the right thing.
  • Tsrwalker
    Tsrwalker Posts: 164 Member
    My fiance and I were going to an Angels baseball game for his birthday one year and when we entered the stadium to park and we pulled up to pay the attendant told us that the car in front of us had payed for us also for up front parking. We didn't know the anyone in the car. It made my fiances day on his birthday of all days. I thought that was really cool. Another time we went we were about to buy tickets and this guy walked up to us and said is it just you too and we said yeah and he said here two free tickets and they were like 90 dollar a piece seats:) Because of all this I have gone out of my way to help others. The smallest gesture can make someones day. A kind word can make a huge difference to someone having a bad day or going through a difficult time. When I would go with my mom to her Chemo appointments I would see other patients that were cold but didn't want to bother anyone so they wouldn't ask the nurse for a blanket so I would walk over to them and offer them one and you could tell it helped.
  • moleighsmom
    moleighsmom Posts: 59 Member
    Great post! I like to buy for the car behind me at the drive-thru from time to time. Makes me happy and hopefully they hit the road in a better mood.
  • NyxDominique
    NyxDominique Posts: 271 Member
    A little off topic but if you haven't I would recommend you watch the movie "Pay it Forward" it is on Netflix. It is absolutely fantastic and a complete tear jerker. It came out when I was in high school. I have always tried to follow alot of Cody's principles even if he is just a actor in a movie. It was just really touching over all.

    For me - I normally do hand made scarf donations at my office and donate them to either the local rape center or the cancer center around this time of year
  • lovelee79
    lovelee79 Posts: 362
    Bump.
    Thank you I love this thread/topic. Making my heart smile.
  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I try to compliment someone everyday :) It's free and really makes people happy!
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    I had to waitress on Thanksgiving once, I received a $100 tip. Best day ever.

    My mom instilled a tradition in me as a kid, whenever I'm buying food or at a gas station and there's a person in uniform (fireman, police, military) I foot the bill. I can't tell you how many times I've done it though, I started when I got my first paycheck. I bought a Marine lunch.
  • parys1
    parys1 Posts: 2,072 Member
    Great topic. I like to pay for people's parking :smile: it's small, but it makes them smile.
  • Football_N_Guns
    Football_N_Guns Posts: 297 Member
    I had to waitress on Thanksgiving once, I received a $100 tip. Best day ever.

    My mom instilled a tradition in me as a kid, whenever I'm buying food or at a gas station and there's a person in uniform (fireman, police, military) I foot the bill. I can't tell you how many times I've done it though, I started when I got my first paycheck. I bought a Marine lunch.

    You, my dear are awesome!
  • Kougra
    Kougra Posts: 358 Member
    A while back ago, I was in the grocery store with my daughter. We were waiting at the check out line and there was a lady ahead of us with a couple of kids getting her items checked. I could tell she was not having a good day and seemed like her day got worse. The cashier gave her the total of her items, and as she opened her wallet to pay she realized she didn't have enough for her items. To make matters worse, her kids started crying because they probably sensed that their mom was upset. The cashier was so rude to her on top of that. Without thinking, I pulled out the difference and paid the cashier for the lady's items. This young mom started crying and thanked me. I said it was ok and I would hope she would do something for someone else in need. As for the cashier, I told her it doesn't pay to be rude.

    I didn't expect repayment and wouldn't have taken it if this young mom tracked me down. Some times, It pays just to spread a little bit of kindness. You never know when you will be the one in need.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    I had to waitress on Thanksgiving once, I received a $100 tip. Best day ever.

    My mom instilled a tradition in me as a kid, whenever I'm buying food or at a gas station and there's a person in uniform (fireman, police, military) I foot the bill. I can't tell you how many times I've done it though, I started when I got my first paycheck. I bought a Marine lunch.

    You, my dear are awesome!

    My momma raised me right.
  • fit4mom
    fit4mom Posts: 1,352 Member
    I had to waitress on Thanksgiving once, I received a $100 tip. Best day ever.

    My mom instilled a tradition in me as a kid, whenever I'm buying food or at a gas station and there's a person in uniform (fireman, police, military) I foot the bill. I can't tell you how many times I've done it though, I started when I got my first paycheck. I bought a Marine lunch.

    You, my dear are awesome!
    My husbands mom does that. Great tradition. My husband was discharged honerably from the Marines in 2000. He liked your post.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    Some times, It pays just to spread a little bit of kindness. You never know when you will be the one in need.
    Indeed, and in the spirit of the thread. I like this a lot.
  • proudmommylmb
    proudmommylmb Posts: 39 Member
    Wow, this is so nice to read about...and here I was thinking the world was getting really cruel and ugly and then some good people pop up and I remember that I should do it myself...

    We have a tradition of helping others...sometimes it's giving up my place for older people or helping them pick something up...sometimes it's just apologizing and using good manners with others even if they are the ones who bumped into me (soem people are shocked by it and they seem to wake up a bit and also seem to feel ashamed and try to act better next time).

    An old lady asked me for help to buy her medicine, gave her the money for it. DH has always given turkeys and food to the poor without them knowing who it is from.

    We've helped couples that we know who can't afford it to get fertility treatments (two of the couples are having their first child now) :)

    Bump this post..
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
    Beautiful. Thanks for sharing and helping me to keep my faith in humankind. :happy:
  • promgirl2013
    promgirl2013 Posts: 40
    bump <33 Awesome
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    I had to waitress on Thanksgiving once, I received a $100 tip. Best day ever.

    My mom instilled a tradition in me as a kid, whenever I'm buying food or at a gas station and there's a person in uniform (fireman, police, military) I foot the bill. I can't tell you how many times I've done it though, I started when I got my first paycheck. I bought a Marine lunch.

    You are excellent.

    Whenever I see a military person in the airport I always offer to buy them a burger or an ice cream (esp if they are in desert camo).
  • proudmommylmb
    proudmommylmb Posts: 39 Member
    Oh yeah...in college I alone oroganized to have care packages sent to Afghanistan...not many people donated but we had enough for maybe ten boxes (medium size).

    I almost got suspended though and they stopped me from doing it because it was considered "military activity" on campus???? yeah. that was an act of kindness made me feel really good except for that part.
  • Alexdur85
    Alexdur85 Posts: 255 Member
    My boyfriend used to drive for a food distributing company and ever wednesday he would go to subway for lunch. There was always a homeless man hanging out. He bought him subway every wednesday for probably 3 months before he changed jobs. He is one of the most giving people I think I know as that is not the first or last thing that he's ever done.

    I was at costco the other day with my youngest daughter and we kept passing this elderly couple at first my daughter wouldn't even look at them but by the end she was waving good bye to them. The man came up and gave her a $1 bill because "she didn't go trick or treating at his house this year". She got a lemonade at the snack bar with it which is her absolute favorite since she drinks water at home lol. I was smiling all day.
  • fit4mom
    fit4mom Posts: 1,352 Member

    Have any of you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness or been the one doing the kindness?
    Thank you for the inspiration. Tip of the hat, wag of the finger your a great American.:flowerforyou:
  • juliecat1
    juliecat1 Posts: 3,450 Member
    I paid for happy meals for a family at McDonalds not too long ago. The parents were trying to figure out how to split up a big chicken nugget meal to feed the kids. I know how much my kids love their own meals and toys so I leaned back and told her I would be happy to add them to my order.
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
    My most memorable good deed was on a military base where I was stationed in the mid-1970's. I was in my early-20's and drove past a man, probably in his 50's, who was walking. Something/someone (I think it was God) told me I should turn around and offer the man a ride. He gratefully accepted, but he had a little difficulty getting into my VW Bug. Before he got into the vehicle, I had no idea he had two prosthetic legs. After I dropped him off at the bus stop, I said a prayer of thanks to God for using me.

    I received an anonymous gift during a time of need. I made a point to tithe on my earnings, but I knew my budget wasn't going to balance one month. My husband unexpectedly came up with $50 that he gave me, and I received an anonymous gift of $100. That $150 was just the amount I was short. Once again, I gave God the praise.

    We're all better off when we help each other out.
  • kbonamour
    kbonamour Posts: 49 Member
    Wow! Pretty awesome reading all the great things you all have done for others just to do something nice for someone else! I think that I am going make an effort to do at least one random act of kindness a week starting this week! Imagine how much better our world would be if everyone made an effort more often to just be nice to one another and do nice things for each other.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    As a lady was leaving the car park and we were arriving, she still had couple hours left on her parking ticket and she came up and gave it to me. :flowerforyou:
  • kbonamour
    kbonamour Posts: 49 Member
    I paid it forward yesterday and left the waitress at Village Inn a gift certificate for a free photo shoot.
  • StepBoomer
    StepBoomer Posts: 23 Member
    My life time moto is... smile and pass it on. don't know if it makes a diff, but when i have been in the dumps and i get a smile it made me feel great!!! and u never know if someone is thinking bad desperate thoughts... imagine if a simple smile could turn them around....
    So smile and pass it on.
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