Acts of kindness

geoffky

I was driving with my wife and noticed four Chinese/Korean chaps pulling suitcases looking completely lost and it was snowing badly..where i live we do not have many people from Asia or the far east and it was obvious they where businessmen so i pulled up and asked them where they were going.

Through very hard to understand language it transpired they were trying to find the holiday inn which was 7 miles away.
Anyway i took them in my 4x4 and all their luggage..while on the way they handed my wife this little package that was what looks like a good luck charm and to this day we have it hanging in our car...

my wife asked me why i stopped to help. I told her of the many many times i was abroad in the merchant navy and people had gone out of their way to help me in a foreign port..It felt good to be able to help after all the help i have recieved.

Angry_Bear

Loving this thread!

I really do think you get what you give. We moved into our current place last year just before Christmas and one neighbour in particular seemed a bit grumpy. When the snow came down and I was clearing our path, I just carried on and did up to our neighbours’ (several of them) doors also. Now they always leave room for my car, take my bin up if we’ve left for work before they come and say hi when we see them. Amazing how much difference making a tiny little effort makes.


On the same lines, when I was a student I worked in my local for years, I often gave a drunk regular a lift home at the end of the night. For my regulars’ part, turn they ALWAYS made sure I was never left to close up alone when there was a stranger in. And come Christmas or New Year, there were always enough drinks left behind the bar that I could have a cheap night out .


On a side note, when I was a kid we were climbing Ben Lomond and we stopped to take a family photo by the marker stone. Some very nice guy going past (yep, it really is that busy up there0 offered to take the photo for my Mum. It was only after he left she confessed that just as she was handing it to him she noticed that there was no film in it. She was so grateful for his offer that she was too embarrassed to admit it to him LOL.


More recently: It’s amazing how often (not always, see Martin earlier in thread) it’s the people with the least who seem most ready to give. I play with a Brass Band and this time of year we spend a lot of time outside supermarkets playing carols for charity (50% for band funds and 50% for a nominated charity usually). Even though things are difficult for everyone at the moment, we’re still taking in loads, even from people who are clearly struggling (I’m nosey, I cant help looking in their trolleys ) – thank you to every single person who donates! It’s really easy to forget the little RAOK, but they all add up to make the world a much better place.


Also, thank you to anyone who takes the time to stop and say how Christmassy we make them feel – that’s what makes blue fingers and numb toes worthwhile for us :T

Sally_A

So glad this thread is still going.

Out Christmas shopping, I told a Big Issue seller I had no change, just to get past really, said I'd pop back when I had some, saw the "Yeah, right" look in her eyes, went into Smiths and my lying words were eating into me as I bought stuff, mainly filler presents. Guilt got the better of me, I felt like a right lying b1tch, and I trotted back up to buy a copy - "said I'd be back when I had some change" I commented, whilst my conscience was hitting me with a big hammer; had a little chat, and found a couple of dog treats in my bag. Not really a good deed as I shouldn't have lied in the first place, but I felt better as I walked back up town to fulfil my promise.

Found a phone in the shop today - flip, it's the same as my knackered one - I dropped it down the loo which boggered it, and I could easily have snaffled the battery. Nope, handed it in behind checkouts like a good 'un.

Please keep this thread fresh, as it reminds me to do the correct thing .

psychopathbabble

I was driving to work one day, I go across a busy roundabout on the M11 to the airport... I saw an elderly man trying to jump on buses etc as they drove past, nearly killing himself in the process. I went round the roundabout and back to pick him up. I only took him to the police station at the airport, but I would never have forgiven myself if he had been run over. Not sure what happened but glad he got off the motorway safely!

I always try and give my car parking ticket on to someone if it has time left on it. Small but welcome!

odwyer1980

I'm at that stage now, and unfortunately in need of a miracle similar. Some it happens for and some it don't. The ones that it doesn't happen for, probably lose a good portion of their life whilst trying to find a way out of the darkness they are in.

Keeping my fingers crossed anyway.

psychopathbabble

Gosh, reading this thread is not only putting tears in my eyes, it also shows me how much something small and insignificant to yourself can make such a difference to other people!

Just a shame that the minority of people are selfish and aren't prepared to help (for reasons of their own).

ericthekidstoner

Reminds me of Bernard Hare's story. Heart warming.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12043294

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

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.

missladyannie

ericthekidstoner wrote: »

Reminds me of Bernard Hare's story. Heart warming.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12043294

Oh wow what a lovely story, brought a tear to my eye x

bravobeastie

Almost 9 years ago, I bought myself a little px Ford Escort. I was a single mum with a 2 1/2 year old daughter and a few weeks after I bought it, my mum and I dropped my daughter off at creche and decided to go to town to do some shopping. We parked the car in a little car park at the back of a baby shop and came back after just a couple of hours to find it had been stolen.

We went into the baby shop in shock and asked if they had had it towed or something as we had parked there but not used the shop (as I said we were in shock lol) the chappie who owned the place offered to let us use his phone to call the police and also drove us back home so we could get my mums car to pick my daughter up from creche. Before we left though, the manager (owners nephew) gave me his mobile number in case he could be of any help.

Almost 9 years later, I have been married to the manager for 6 years and we have a lovely little boy together, he is also a number 1 dad to my little girl. I always say I would shake the hand of whoever stole the car that day, even though I hadn't had it long enough to even have the log book back lol.

So 2 acts of kindness really, 1 from the shop owner and 1 from the car thief

bravobeastie

Oh, I would like to add that I do pass it forward, I have friends who sometimes struggle but always know there would be a hot meal waiting for them, I also look after a little girl 2 days a week from school so her mum can work, nearly always let people out when driving, hold open doors (though this is just good manners) and I also have a slightly curved ear...it has been bent an awful lot