Random acts of kindness this christmas

Newly_retired

Recently I moved house to another town. Went to church today, got chatting to a lady, told her I had just moved in.
She asked me "Are you OK for Christmas?" And explained that she is originally from abroad and has no family here, and didn't want to think I would be on my own in a strange town.
I was very touched by her kind thought, but as I have moved to be nearer family, I will not be alone at Christmas, thankfully.

sassyblue

Newly_retired wrote: »

Recently I moved house to another town. Went to church today, got chatting to a lady, told her I had just moved in.
She asked me "Are you OK for Christmas?" And explained that she is originally from abroad and has no family here, and didn't want to think I would be on my own in a strange town.
I was very touched by her kind thought, but as I have moved to be nearer family, I will not be alone at Christmas, thankfully.

That's nice, l hope she finds someone to spend the day with too then. :cool:

Tiddlywinks

Newly_retired wrote: »

She asked me "Are you OK for Christmas?" And explained that she is originally from abroad and has no family here, and didn't want to think I would be on my own in a strange town.
I was very touched by her kind thought, but as I have moved to be nearer family, I will not be alone at Christmas, thankfully.

sassyblue wrote: »

That's nice, l hope she finds someone to spend the day with too then. :cool:

My very first thought as well...

Mrs_Ryan

I've had a lot of kind acts done for me recently. I'm using crutches as I've got something wrong with me that the doctors don't seem to know what it is but it's causing me chronic pain and I'm struggling to walk.
We had a tyre blow out in the middle of a busy road yesterday and we took the car to Kwik Fit after the AA had fitted the spare wheel. One of the kind staff helped me up the steps to the counter and when they'd fitted a new tyre they brought the car round and took me down the ramp into the workshop where the car was waiting so I didn't have to struggle with the steps again.
A kind bus driver held the bus for me when he saw me struggling to catch it on Friday and checked that I knew the time of the bus back.
The hospital staff that helped me on Wednesday when I had to go for my check-up (I know its their job but they were really friendly and helpful when I was struggling)
There are so many other small acts of kindness that I'm very grateful for and I think when I finally do recover I will be more conscious of what it's like to be incapacitated in some way and I will try to help when I can..

Tiddlywinks

Reams wrote: »

Doing great/small deeds? Keep it to yourself.
..............

I don't see all this as this as giving, but being a decent citizen.

I agree with this.

It's great to help people but you shouldn't do it and then feel the need to tell anyone else about it.

Some people do have less than others and are grateful of help BUT do we need to say 'bless him' or 'he was so grateful' or 'her face lit up' etc - it's can come across as a bit condescending.

I help when I can because I am part of society and I would hope that others would do the same for me if need be... it's just a given.

Turn the tables... if you were one of the people visiting a foodbank and overheard all of the 'oh, they were so grateful for the help' comments how do you think that would make you feel? Smaller? Embarrassed?

Just do it because you want to... and then whistle on your way content that you did what was right... no more, no less.

Georgiegirl256

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

I agree with this.

It's great to help people but you shouldn't do it and then feel the need to tell anyone else about it.

Some people do have less than others and are grateful of help BUT do we need to say 'bless him' or 'he was so grateful' or 'her face lit up' etc - it's can come across as a bit condescending.

I help when I can because I am part of society and I would hope that others would do the same for me if need be... it's just a given.

Turn the tables... if you were one of the people visiting a foodbank and overheard all of the 'oh, they were so grateful for the help' comments how do you think that would make you feel? Smaller? Embarrassed?

Just do it because you want to... and then whistle on your way content that you did what was right... no more, no less.

Totally agree. As my Mam (who is always doing things for other people, she is one of the most thoughtful people I know ) always says, "always try and help people, do something nice for them, because one day there might be a time when you too need help" and "if I can help anyone out in any way possible and do something that makes them happy, then that makes me happy", she's so kind, helpful and lovely my Mam. She doesn't do all these lovely things just because she wants thanks for them, she does them purely just because that's the kind of person she is, and that's the way I was brought up too, to always try and do good by people.

Gingernutty

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Totally agree. As my Mam (who is always doing things for other people, she is one of the most thoughtful people I know ) always says, "always try and help people, do something nice for them, because one day there might be a time when you too need help" and "if I can help anyone out in any way possible and do something that makes them happy, then that makes me happy", she's so kind, helpful and lovely my Mam. She doesn't do all these lovely things just because she wants thanks for them, she does them purely just because that's the kind of person she is, and that's the way I was brought up too, to always try and do good by people.

I'm sorry, I'm sure this wasn't your intention, but you last post brought to mind this song.......If I can help somebody....

Doing good deeds shouldn't be posted or boasted about - you just do them because you want to not for the "well done"s or the "that was lovely"s.

There is a Good Deed Feed in the free Metro newspaper where people write or text in to publicly thank those who have done good deeds. I do prefer reading that.

LEJC

Gingernutty wrote: »

Doing good deeds shouldn't be posted or boasted about - you just do them because you want to not for the "well done"s or the "that was lovely"s.

There is a Good Deed Feed in the free Metro newspaper where people write or text in to publicly thank those who have done good deeds. I do prefer reading that.

As the original poster...I feel its time to reflect on the way the thread went...


It was never set up as a means of being boastful.....I did it to highlight to good that can be done for people by small acts of kindness..
Its great that so many of you have posted experiences of both being the giver or being the recipient and in reading some of yoour stories if its made one person think of doing something kind for someone else then I consider it to have been worthwhile.
I fully acknowledged in my opening post that kindness takes all forms and should be distributed thoughout the year...but I think its something that tends to be thought about at christmas perhaps more so than the rest of the year...but it is an ongoing aim and should always be considered.

i also think I consider acts of kindness not always to be based upon something of a charitable need...I certainly agree that its well received to give to charity,the homeless the elderly,animals,whichever one strikes a chord with you...but its not always about financial abilty to give...something like blood donation is so very needed and has no financial bearing on the giver or receiver nor even the ability to say thank you for.

I think in myself ive become more thoughtful to others as ive got older and experienced things in my life and I guess as well the ablily to give also depends on the confidence to do something ...I believe everyone has something to give and everyone is capable of receiving.


I probably expected the split of opinion over whether its right to post your acts of kindness for others to read...but my opinion is that if someone takes the time t read the theread and it gets them thinking about "passing something on " then thats a good thing. Something as simple as talking to your elderly neighbour might not mean much to you and only take a short time but it might cheer them more than you will realise.


So I will now thank you for reading the thread and wish you all seasons greetings....if you receive an act of kindness I hope you are able to pass one on....if you give one I hope its received as intended and that both your days are brightened momentarily.

paulineb_2

Why shouldn't they be posted about? Would people prefer to read a thread saying I kicked a homeless person up the bottom.

Or I stole someone's wallet? There's a big difference between posting and boasting.

God, some of the threads you see on here where human beings treat one another like crap and someone posts a light hearted thread and all of a sudden people are boasting or being self indulgent .

I'd better go and watch the grinch that stole Christmas and give myself a slap.

LEJC

paulineb wrote: »

God, some of the threads you see on here where human beings treat one another like crap and someone posts a light hearted thread and all of a sudden people are boasting or being self indulgent .

Totally agree with you pauline.
probably airing on the light hearted side here ...


OK so yesterday I was out shopping and went through the self scan....in the change pot someone had left their change 63p...random act of kindness or just too busy and flustered and forgot to pick it up...but it brightened my day momentarily...the self indulgent in me could have used it to buy a bar of chocolate...the right thing to do may have been to hand it in to the checkout supervisor,I could say that I popped it in the sally army collection box as they were playing some lovely christmas music in the foyer...


Make your own mind up as to what I did with it...I wont boast either way....but maybe thats a whole new thread to consider what is the best thing to do with "found change".