Acts of kindness

stripes

A lovely thread which brings warmth and comfort. It is beautiful to read all these stories.

I was staying on the maternity ward after giving birth to my daughter and a fellow mum gave me her magazines to read when she was discharged and another gave me a new baby vest because it didn't fit her newborn. Paying it forward, I passed the magazines to another mum when I was discharged and gave her my favourite handheld paper fan; the ward was very warm and the fan really helped.

A few months later I met the mum who gave me her magazines at a mother and toddler group and I let her know I did the same.

BKAT_9

Lirin wrote: »

That's a lovely offer to make! I've very glad I found this site now as it's been so helpful for so many things.

The biggest act of kindness I can remember ever- I had a meeting with someone, and we got on quite well. I was going through a very bad time at that stage, and although I hadn't said anything, he gave me his number as he left and said if I needed a friend, he'd listen. One night when it was really bad, I texted him, and he phoned me back and let me talk for hours, and gave me help and advice.....

I've since married him.

This made me cry happy tears!

MagicCat

I have just found this thread - lovely to read through, and as I have been on the receiving end of some kindness myself today, just wanted to contribute.

My rather elderly car has been making worrying noises for a while, and today the clutch completely went just as the lights changed at a busy roundabout, leaving me in the way of the traffic - most people behind got annoyed at the delay, hooted and drove past, but one man kindly stopped and helped me move to the side of the road so I was much safer and even offered to wait til I called someone to help. It may seem a small thing but it made a lot of difference as I was really panicking and would never have been able t move the car by myself. So many thanks to that man!

JoeyG

Horace wrote: »

I am a believer in karma - I have already told you about the kindness extended to me over the weekend but I shall tell you about something that I did for someone else (I am always doing stuff however). This incident took place in 2005, I was having a break from my office and had gone to speak to the electrician in the workshops (I wanted to ask him about PAT Testing some equipment that we had in our dept). The electrician knew that I was going to see him because I had rung him about 5 mins beforehand so I knew he was in the workshops. On arriving at the workshop he was nowhere to be seen and then I heard a noise from behind one of the benches, I went to investigate and found him lying on the floor looking grey. I checked for a pulse and couldnt find one nor could I hear any detect any signs of breathing. At this point my first aid training kicked in and I started off with some breaths and chest compressions before running to stores shouting for help (stores being across the corridor). I then went back to my patient and continued CPR until the paramedics came to take him away and I was allowed to stand down whilst they did what they had to do.

I didnt see the electrician for some months after although I had tried to find out how he was without success. When I bumped into him again, he was considerably thinner and he couldnt stop shaking my hand. I had saved his life which isnt really a small thing but I brushed it aside saying that I was only doing what I had been trained for. Yes, it makes me proud to say that I saved a life but I didnt do it for recognition, I did it because I had the training and I could at least do something, I couldnt have lived with myself if I had just left him lying there.

I've never had first aid training, but when i read things like this I realise how important it is... I can quite categorically say if I was in that situation I wouldn't have a clue what to do, and I don't think I could forgive myself afterwards.

I am going to look up local first aid courses tomorrow for sure.

Mrs_Ryan

I think the nicest thing that someone has ever done for me was once I was desperately awaiting some money to go into my bank account and it hadnt shown. I was 50p short of the bus fare to work and was desperately wanting to know could I get this money out of my zero-balance account in any way when the branch manager said 'I'll give you it out of my own pocket.' She went away and came back with 50p which she gave me. I returned it the following day with thanks - in fact that branch were so good to me when I moved away from the area I took in a thank you card and box of chocs for the staff to share. (It just so happened that the area manager was sat on the front desk when I went in and when he disappeared the branch manager thanked me for saying such nice things but it was all true!!)

Another act of kindness I've never forgotten was when I was going home to my Mum's last year. I had bought one of those very cheap advance tickets that only give you 10 minutes connection time or something. However there had been a fatality on the line and all the trains were badly delayed, meaning I would miss my connection. I was quite upset at the prospect of not getting home as my Mum was poorly, so I went to the ticket office to see if there was anything they could do, explaining I was a lone female with little money and I was anxious to get home to see my sick Mum.
The lovely lady agreed the connection times were rubbish, made a few calls and said that she would stamp my ticket and write me a letter explaining the situation, and that I sohuld just try to get home anyway possible, and that if I had any problems, the conductor/station staff could call her or her boss and she would give them verbal permission for me to travel. So I finally get on a train to Sheffield but it terminated at Derby, and I noted that there was a train going to Newcastle that also stopped at Sheffield. So I got on, and showed the ticket to the inspector with the letter. He was also very nice and told me it was pointless getting off and changing trains, as far as he was concerned i had authority to travel and I could stay on all the way to Newcastle! I was so grateful to that lovely lady and gentleman - I made it home eventually and my Mum recovered. I made sure to send an email to the train company and got an email back saying that so many people complained and it was so rare to get an email of praise but thanking me for taking the time to email and that they would ensure that the respective managers were told about what these people had done to help me. I know they were only doing their jobs but they went above and beyond for me and they didnt have to.

feelingblue

I came accross this thread via Martin's email and wanted to share with you all.

This year my partner and I had the chance to take a holiday to Turkey albeit on a tight budget. It was a massive deal for us and budgeted taking with us our carefully saved spending money and one credit card - applied for through MSE advise for free withdrawals and travel insurance! On day 2 of our holiday I dropped my camera in the sea. We didn't want to lose the opportunity to take snaps and keep the memories alive so we decided to use some of our spending money to buy a new one. Not really at grips with the local costs etc, we took half of our money - 300 lira, £25 and the credit card out with us. We started to walk into a large town but coming to a sign realised it was 20kilometeres away. A taxi pulled over and we decided we would take it.

Walking into the large, busy and slightly intimidating town my hubby stopped, checked his pockets and bag and realised the wallet was missing. We had no idea whether he had dropped it in the taxi or when walking. We were really upset but having retraced our steps we knew that there was nothing else to do but get back to the hotel. I managed to explain to another taxi driver that we had no money and would pay him when we arrived back at the hotel. He kindly took us back and waited while hubby went to room to get the money. In gestures he told me that often things are left in taxi's and he showed me a pair of sunglasses and a hat that he intended to return when he had another fare to the hotel where he had collected those passengers. It was nice of him to give me hope but a wallet is a bit different and besides, we may have lost it in a busy street and we had caught the taxi a fair way from the hotel we were staying at so there would be no way of finding us.

Whilst talking to him in the foyer, the manager of the hotel overheard and said he would ring a taxi rank that his friend ran. He was told they had 73 taxi's but he would send out a message. In the meantime we cancelled our credit card and felt sorry for ourselves for a couple of hours but decided it wouldn't ruin our holiday and consoled ourselves that hopefully someone needy had found the wallet and our lost money would do some good to someone!

Well, I am sure you have guessed the outcome as per the nature of this thread! Two days later we had a call from reception to say a taxi driver had found our wallet and was in reception. The driver spoke no English but our manager translated. It transpired he found the wallet as soon as we left the taxi but could not identify us in the busy street so he kept it safe. He was not part of the the taxi rank the manager had rang but had overheard another driver talking about an Englishman who had lost his wallet, found out where we were staying and immediately came to return it - not even waiting until he had a fare.

We could not believe his kindness and honesty! After much thanks and hand shaking we insisted on giving him 100 lira. He kept refusing but after explaining that as far as we were concerned we had gained much more he humbly took the money and thanked us!!! After he had left the manager explained that 100 lira to him was a huge amount of money and that we were very honourable to have given him this. We didn't feel honourable at all - just incredibly grateful and wanted to show our thanks in the only way we could. We spent the rest of the holiday with a warm feeling and told anyone who would listen. This act of kindness really restored faith in human nature and it really made our holiday.

Now secondly I have a problem which I hope that MSE'rs may be able to help with so that I too can offer an act of kindness to someone else. A few days later we were on a trip where there was a lady travelling alone. She spent time with us and at the end of the day the 'photographer' sold his photos on a disc. We bought ours (as we had not replaced our camera) but the lady said she wanted to save her money. As she was in many of the photo's I said I would forward her a copy when I returned home. She was so grateful and gave me her email address. I put it somewhere safe - inside a book - but stupidly forgot and gave the book to another holiday maker when I had finished who had expressed an interest in it!

I would dearly love to trace this lady and forward some pics to her. All I know is her name is Diane and she works as head chef/cook in a large nursery (the type that sells plants) in Plymouth. She used to be a chef in the Navy, lives in Cornwall and I would guess in her late 40's/50's. Can anyone help? I have emailed a couple of nurseries but to no avail. If anyone could help I would appreciate it if you could PM me. Thank you.

I have always lived by the motto 'do unto others as you would have done unto you' and believe in Karma. This thread is lovely to read and to inspire us all to help others just that little bit more. God bless you all.

thisisace

TwelveStopsThenHome wrote: »

I remember a girl of about 17 who said her purse had been stolen and needed bus fair home. She was very genuine and was panicking like mad. I gave her the bus fayre home and £10. She was very made up, and gave me a hug.

Be careful: I have seen this used as a money-making scam at lots of bus and coach stations! :eek:

LittleMissKitty

This thread is awesome! It's reminded me of something that happened that I'd not thought about for years.

When I was 5 I was (eventually - it took nearly a month!) diagnosed with glandular tuberculosis. I ended up in Belfast district hospital while the medical types tried to work out what the hell to do with me. I was put on the children ward with three others, opposite me was a 14 yr old boy who'd had a piece of glass stuck in his foot. My Mum was only allowed in on day visits(!!!) so I was stuck in there with the other children, talking and playing. I developed a bit of a crush on the boy in the opposite bed and it never occurred to me he'd leave so when I got out of theatre I was devestated to find he'd been discharged. It was only when my Mum went into my bedside cabinet to get me some clothes that we discovered he'd filled it with all of the sweets and fruit that he'd been given and left a card to say he hoped it'd help me to get better so I could come and play with him one day. It was the most romantic thing to ever happen to me

Kaz2904

thisisace wrote: »

Be careful: I have seen this used as a money-making scam at lots of bus and coach stations! :eek:

But as pointed out earlier, even if it's an obvious scam, sometimes that person just needs the money far more than you do and it's a RAK in itself to give the money knowing that it's not for bus fare.
Keep them coming peeps

tronski

I got married earlier this year, we were already on a budget but then I fell pregnant so the budget was slashed even more. I decided that I wouldn't be able to have any flowers and was posting on a wedding forum about other cheap ideas to decorate the venue. One very kind member (who is a fabulous florist) offered me all of her acccessories free of charge and even drove a couple of hours to me to drop them off and help set them up. I even managed to get some flowers from her in the end which were just at cost price. I was and still am so touched by it. We'd never even met before that day.

I've helped someone on mse before (about a year and a half ago now). He posted in employment that he was out of work but had managed to get an interview, but was unable to get the money together for the bus fare there. He lived in my town so I offered to pick him up and take him, then bring him back. He got the job!

We always give our parking tickets to other people if there's some time left on them.