Acts of Kindness from a Stranger

[Eve]

What's the nicest act of kindness you've ever had from a stranger?

[laurence2]

Hello Jenna,

Nothing really stands out in regards to the nicest act etc, but i always like to hear please, thankyou when i do a good deed or vice versa if that makes sense

[Eve]

it does indeed Laurence, even though you're not necessarily looking for thanks.

I remember hearing an american couple worrying on a delayed train that they'd miss their connection. I drew them maps and have them some directions and useful numbers including mine in case they got stuck.

They later rang me to thank me and sent me a lovely card of thanks with a little gift when they returned to the states. I've still got it today it was so thoughtful and unexpected.

I often go way out of my way to help lost people to help them get there safely, especially in the city, as hate to think what problems they may get into getting lost or asking the wrong people. Often take them, by foot, wherever they need to go.

[sleeveless]

After quite a serious accident I ventured out for the first time to the local shop. On the way back I had to stop and rest on a bench at the edge of our park which is where my purse must have fallen out of my bag. At the time I was struggling to make ends meet with no income. About an hour after I got in a man knocked at my door and returned my purse his son had found under the bench. I was so grateful I burst into tears
x
Sherry

[orlieborlie]

I've had my tyre changed by countless kind strangers over the years. Also one New Years Eve on the way to work I skidded on ice and crashed my car in to a fence. The owners took me in, gave me tea and toast (offered brandy to calm my nerves) and allowed me the use of their phone to call work etc. There was never any mention of having the fence repaired. I realised then what the season of goodwill was all about. If I trawled through my memory bank I could come up with loads more - I find people are mostly kind and considerate but don't often get the chance to show it.

[lorraine29]

One occasion I found touching was a couple of years ago while walking round a local Sunday market my son (about 12 year old at the time) saw a man drop his mobile phone, he ran up to retrieve it but by the time he had got to it the man had disappeared into the crowd. My son rushed home with the phone to ask my advice on what to do about it.
I went through the phone book on the phone and saw one listing marked as "the missus" so rang it from my own phone, the lady answered and when i explained she said her husband had realised he had lost it but thought no point in going back as he was sure it would be gone, I arranged a point to meet them and they arrived and the gentleman insisted on giving my son a tenner for his honesty. I thought how lovely that was as in this day and age kids seem to be so drawn to being dishonest it was lovely to see how being honest paid off for him.

Lorraine x

[Eve]

Another few examples.

I used to volunteer at a residential centre for the disabled when I was in my teens and we were out on a day trip on Christmas Eve. Some of us younger ones went for a coffee with a number of the guests and were getting the tables sorted to fit the wheelchairs and such in and a gentleman on the next table asked me if I was ok and having a good Christmas. I smiled and said I was thank you. He later got up and came over and pressed a �20 note into my hand and told me to get everyone whatever they wanted.

On a charity collecting trip a homeless guy called me over to where he was begging. He said he�d had a really good day that day and dropped a pound into my collecting tin before I could stop him.

I did a charity hitchhike once and myself and my ex got from Aberystwyth to Glasgow, proper side of the road hitching, within the 24 hour time limit. The kindness of people amazed me, including when we were trying to get warm on a station forecourt in the middle of the night at below zero we were ushered in and given hot drinks and some food and made to stay there in the warm til the lorries started running again. A taxi driver also gave us a free ride to a better hitching spot and in Glasgow the lovely people at a store made us come in, gave us breakfast and sandwiches for the journey back and let one of their staff off work to give us a lift to the nearest service station.

[chitchat]

When we moved into our new house in New Zealand, we were told our furniture was not due to arrive for another 3 weeks. The lady next door offered us crockery, bedding etc. And the neighbours on the other side welcomed us with home-made fruitloaf and another gave us a welcome card.