Random acts of kindness this christmas

sooty&sweep

Hi
I remember hearing that kindness is contageous, if you are kind to someone it puts them in a good mood and so they're more likely to be kind someone else.

So please be kind & spread it around !!

jackomdj

I am on the school PTA and last year we were lucky to get a donation from Tesco's via a parent who works there. We sold the items at our school Christmas sale, we stored them for a year and sold them again. Rather than storing them for another year I passed them on to our local vicars who will pass them onto relevant groups. It was mostly hats, gloves, scarves so will help people who need to keep warm.

LEJC

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Gosh...

I am not uncomfortable about people sharing their experiences of random acts of kindness... I just prefer to hear from the 'recipient' rather than the 'giver'.

and you will note in my opening post I have indeed asked for the experiences of people as the recipient so it became a balanced thread.
Its kind of come across to me in your previous posts on this thread that you were suggestive that my examples and possibly other posters examples were boastful and done only with the intention to impress....both strong words chosen by you to describe actions.
Now that you have however stated your preference of hearing responses from the perspective of the recipient,maybe someone will offer that view for your perusal...


I'm always very grateful to receive an act of kindness...and yes I even count an act of kindness to be as simple as a fellow member posting a freebie notice on one of the boards that enables me to print off a voucher to claim a product or service for free, its always welcomed and thanked by myself....


Acts of kindness come in all shapes and forms from the monerty to the time to the words....but you cant receive an act of kindness without it first being given by someone else...

anxious_mum

I like this thread, it's nice sometimes to get the chance to share what you're proud of, although I have to say if I do something it's because it kind of jumps out at me as the right thing to do.

Me and my mate went on a late sunshine holiday a couple of weeks ago, and at the airport on the way back we were queuing up to exchange the local currency back and got chatting to a really sweet Indian gentleman who was standing behind us. He was quite elderly, but very funny and interesting, obviously travelling alone - we found out later that he'd just lost his wife. We also found out that he lived in the same county as us, and we chatted about various landmarks that we both knew.

When we got on the plane, I had a seat free next to me and was surprised and delighted to see that this man had the seat number. We didn't really chat much during the flight as I wasn't feeling 100% and dozed, but when we landed he mentioned that he'd got a three hour wait for the National Express bus back to our home town where his son would be picking him up. It was about 19:00 hours, so would have been quite late. I didn't like to think of him standing in the cold waiting at Gatwick so suggested he have a lift with us to a well known service station on the M1, if his son could pick him up from there instead

His eyes lit up, he rang his son and explained that he would be a lot earlier than expected, and we all hopped into my car and headed north. Bless him, he was so grateful, and why would I not have given the old dear a lift? I refused all of his offers of payment, I was going that way anyway. Sometimes I think people don't think about other people, it's not that they're not being 'kind', they just don't think outside their own bubble any more.

paulineb_2

My mum and her classes at school have raised a lot of cash over the years for the red cross, dogs trust and oxfam as well as street kids in Peru. Think they raised about £800 a few years ago for the red cross

To be honest the things Ive appreciated that people have done for me have been things like giving me lifts, in the days when I had a heavy sound system, I have a portable one now. I used to give the girl who helped me out like that a free exercise class.

My mums class also helped me out when I had to video a group of kids for my level 2 fitness asssment, teaching childrens fitness and in return I went and taught a metafit class for them and went back to the school this year and taught a 4 week block for them, didnt get paid and didnt expect it, also did a block for another of my mums colleagues class as well.

The teacher gave me a plant and a card to say thank you. I also went into a local high school a couple of months back and did a day of teaching metafit to the first years as it was health week, I did get my lunch though.

My brother takes over money for a cat neutering programme in Turkey when he goes every year.

I always try and give something back, no matter how small, even when I dont have much (most of the time).

OrkneyStar

I read a thread like this previously and was a bit wary of 'boasting' but feel like this is in the right spirit so will join in.
Last week our local food bank was collecting and I got them a bag of shopping when doing mine, also was in the next day and DS and I chose something for him to donate too. He felt very proud doing it.
Yesterday, I was in two charity shops and both times told them to keep the change (it was not much, less than a £ in both cases, but being on a low income it is what I can offer!).
We don't have homeless folk on the street here, as we live in a remote area (island), when I was south I didn't give money to beggars, though I did help at a homeless drop in centre where we gave food (soup, sandwiches, tea) a couple of times a week- this was all year though.
We are not well off but we give what we can.

sacha28

My OH is a crew member of our trust patient transport service and on Wednesday he picked up an elderly man for an outpatient appointment. He asked if his wife was coming with him, to which he replied she was currently an inpatient at the hospital he was going to due to having a below knee amputation. He also mentioned that he hadn't seen her in 3 weeks, since she went in, as he couldn't get there to see her.

When they arrived, he bypassed outpatients (phoning to say they were stuck in traffic and would be late) and took him to the ward his wife was staying on. He had no idea this was going to happen and only twigged when he got to the door. The couple were in floods of tears when he was wheeled through to her bed. My OH and his crew-mate were also wiping away tears.

I am so proud of my thoughtful man, he's probably made their year

I love this thread, reminds me how wonderful humans can be!!!

paulineb_2

Id just like to say if anyone can bake and wants to send me a cake, Id be most appreciative. Just because someone mentioned theyd be interested in hearing what the recipients felt like. Id be quite happy to receive a cake.

Youd be helping someone who cant bake to save her life. Trying to think what I could offer in return, I cant knit either, or sew.

Id think of something.

jackomdj

anxious_mum wrote: »

I like this thread, it's nice sometimes to get the chance to share what you're proud of, although I have to say if I do something it's because it kind of jumps out at me as the right thing to do.

Me and my mate went on a late sunshine holiday a couple of weeks ago, and at the airport on the way back we were queuing up to exchange the local currency back and got chatting to a really sweet Indian gentleman who was standing behind us. He was quite elderly, but very funny and interesting, obviously travelling alone - we found out later that he'd just lost his wife. We also found out that he lived in the same county as us, and we chatted about various landmarks that we both knew.

When we got on the plane, I had a seat free next to me and was surprised and delighted to see that this man had the seat number. We didn't really chat much during the flight as I wasn't feeling 100% and dozed, but when we landed he mentioned that he'd got a three hour wait for the National Express bus back to our home town where his son would be picking him up. It was about 19:00 hours, so would have been quite late. I didn't like to think of him standing in the cold waiting at Gatwick so suggested he have a lift with us to a well known service station on the M1, if his son could pick him up from there instead

His eyes lit up, he rang his son and explained that he would be a lot earlier than expected, and we all hopped into my car and headed north. Bless him, he was so grateful, and why would I not have given the old dear a lift? I refused all of his offers of payment, I was going that way anyway. Sometimes I think people don't think about other people, it's not that they're not being 'kind', they just don't think outside their own bubble any more.

Your post reminded me of my Dads visit to America earlier in the year. My Dad and Aunty (his SIL) went to visit my Mums other sister. Their flight was diverted, initially they were sat on the plane waiting to find out what would happen, then they all had to disembark and wait for a bus, which was going to be a few hours.

Whilst waiting they got chatting to a couple of soldiers, the two young lads told my Dad and Aunty that they would drive them, and took them all the way to my other Aunty's house. Also they would not accept any payment towards the hire vehicle or petrol.

DigForVictory

Last time I was trying to park at the hospital, a bloke helped with a few calm gestures & then handed me his ticket. I nearly wept - he'd made a rotten situation just So Much Better.
I now hand on my car park tickets whenever possible.