Random Acts Of Kindness

[Elphaba]

I gave a away a bag of my clothes to help a refugee family that just moved in across the corner.But I don't really think of it is as good deed, it was just something I was able to do as I had an excess of stuff anyway. But I often give away stuff that I could have sold (furniture) as we refurbish our flat.

Last week, however, i was stopped on the street by a woman who needed shelter and a place to sleep. I couldn't tell whether she was a drug addict or not, but her story didn't make a lot of sense. I cancelled my appointment with my friend to take this woman first to the emergency room (she only spoke English and not native tongue here) and then to the shelter.

I gave her my phone number in case she needed anything, and I called around the next day to see what I could find of services and embassies etc to help her. She called from the embassy but didn't want to use any of the services as she would rather move in with me. I didn't feel like i could take that specific risk, as I knew nothing about her, but called the embassy she was at to verify her story - I thought if the embassy could confirm it, I would feel safer letting her stay at my place. However, she never called back and the "embassy" never answered the phone.

 

[ISupportHer]

Some wonderful stories here. I hope more come in!

It doesn't have to be big. Smaller gestures are just as meaningful.

I had an assault patient in my assignment. Clothes were confiscated for evidence evaluation. Normally the social worker has some clothes to give out but this day there was no underwear. Not a big deal but I went out after work and got several and took them in the next day so that some are available.

ISH

 

[CraftyCath]

My sister called a few days ago, she dropped of 2 bags of Marks & Spencer food and gave me £20 - totally unexpected. We do not have much money and to find a box of cream cakes, chocolate cake and fancy food was amazing! I felt really blessed as it showed how much she cares even though she never says it.

 

[Deleted member 10686]

I was walking into walgreens yesterday and an older woman was struggling to get items from her cart into her trunk. I helped her move a few cases of bottled water into her trunk. She told me she had a bad back, and to be careful with mine, and god bless you. I am not religious but it felt nice. Helping others in little ways makes me feel a bit more human than I usually do.

 

[maddog]

I hate the person I have become in plain sight of others. Thesedays I wonder if I'll ever even manage to pull off a random act of neutrality - kindness seems so far away. Helping others and doing things to make other people feel good is usually the only thing that makes me feel ok about myself, and I can't even seem to manage that anymore.

But someone was randomly nice to me today. Ended stuck on a train for 2.5 hours due to a power failure, and most of the other passengers got off and started walking to find a public bus instead. For various reasons I don't want to go into, that wasn't as logistically feasible for me, so I stayed behind on my own to hope that the trains would eventually start running again. A lady opposite me asked me if I wanted her help to walk to the buses too, and when I said no, she left me her water bottle and said I might need it. It was nice. I was too busy trying to manage my escalating anxiety and distress to even thank her properly. I hate that. I hope in some tiny way she knew I appreciated the gesture.

Maddog

 

[CraftyCath]

((((Maddog))))

 

[Sandra]

I remember when I was in Japan years ago and my 2 Japanese friends and I were travelling all over the country via the bullet train. Needless to say we were all so exhausted. But I let one of my Japanese friends have the last seat so they could rest even though I was totaly exhausted myself.

 

[Srain]

One morning there was a loud crash and just a half a block away a SUV had struck a tree. It was maybe 6am but I had been up for hours and had just taken out the garbage. We live in the suburbs and some of the streets are awkward and winding. I stepped out and saw a few neighborhood gentlemen walk towards and start to stand in a circle around the vehicle so I came out to see what had happened and if anyone needed help.

It turned out to be a young girl, barefoot, mascra running down her face where she had been crying, her feet were bare but her clothes very nice, and her cell phone in her lap. I quickly took in everything and saw only a redbull can as I asked her if she was okay and could I call anyone for her. She was confused and I was sure the airbag had hit her in the face, but she said she wasn't hurt. When she started to shake so I ran home to get blankets and hot cocoa, the only cup big enough that I could think that would help for her to wrap her hands around to not only calm down but to help warm her up was my favorite! My Oakland Raiders Mug that my gf had given me years and years ago but I thought, "What comes around goes around" and I could only think how scared she was and needing to get back out there. She kept saying how mad her parents were going to be and yes, they were, but she had obviously been up all night crying and upset over something .. what mattered was letting her know eventually and at least for the moment, everything was okay...no matter what...it's not as bad as if someone had been hurt.

So I got back out there and wrapped her up and just talked to her. When her parents got there I saw the mother, upset and the father scared...I knew they both were really just relieved..so she asked if I would talked to them first, the police officer was being very nice, looking at the damage, it was only the tree and the tree would be fine. I spoke to the parents assuring them she was fine, just scared, nobody was hurt. Eased it as best I could and then left.

I forgot all about it until a day or two later, there was a knock on the our door, when my husband closed the door he turned around he had the blanket and my mug! :) It was cleaned and the blanket washed.. I was just so surprised! How nice was that!!

 

[Tinyflame]

Rain, that's so sweet- your cup- once you knew she was ok you only thought (practically, I mught add) to bring her comfort with what brought you comfort.
That's so 'you' - :):inlove:
xox

 

[Meadowsweet]

Sometimes it can feel like the world lacks any genuine compassion.

Today feels pretty dark. But because I'm really confused about the mental health referral system in my area, and not having any luck getting any information, I phoned my local MIND (mental health charity) to find out how its meant to work.

I wasn't asking for anything more than information, and ofcourse its her job to give me that.

But she went that extra mile to tell me that I'm not alone in my confusion, and she put some energy into backing me up and encouraging me to ask for the info I need (without feeling like a nag).

On a dark day, things like that stand out. So I just wanted to start a thread that celebrated the small kindnesses.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Back in the day when I knew alot of people I used to send money anonymously to the ones who were in need. I did this alot. I would chase down homeless people and give them money. It is always best for me to do it anonymously. I would make care packages for my friends going through hard times. I got a whole bunch of people to get together this huge box of gifts for my neice when she was taken away from her mom and put into a group home. I have not done anything like this in along time, we moved and I do not see homeless people anymore, and I do not have a whole lot of friends. I liked this thread so I thought I would pull it up to see if it could be of help to anyone today.

 

[Hashi]

I was preparing to have a really difficult conversation - with a dismissal warning - with someone I managed at work who was a complete disaster and liability workwise but still a human being, so I was doing
a lot of meditating and focussing beforehand on being honest and straightforward and doing what I had to do while also being compassionate.

While doing this, I went into a shop and a fellow customer started chatting and then pouring out her troubles to me. Normally I'd have made an escape from this compulsive talker with so many problems who was nothing to do with me, but because I'd been focussing on being more compassionate i simply listened to her and let her know that I'd heard what she said. She told me that in everything she'd been going through, the one thing that was tearing her apart was that not one person had really listened. She said that was all she'd needed in order to keep going.