Acts of kindness. Come share your experiences please to cheer me up.

I was in Windsor today and someone in front of me gave a homeless man a bottle of Tropicana, he was so happy, the biggest smile on his face.

It was heartwarming and sad in equal measure though.

Just after the Referendum, I was near Kings Cross and saw a white man spitting on a black man. I had to dial 999 and physically stand between them until the police arrived, when the white man ran away. A local dry clean employee offered to clean my dress got free (it was covered in spit).

A lady using a walking frame was struggling to pay for her parking at the hospital I work at. A young lad came over and helped her pay and walked her to her car, chatting away to her. They were complete strangers, as the people he was with came out of the building and asked him if he knew the lady and he said no she just looked like she needed a hand. I had a warm fuzzy glow after that, it restored my faith in humanity!

Today DH was taking his elderly sister to meet up with very old friends of her late DH. To get there you have to go up a country lane and only one car width wide but has passing places unfortunately DH hit part of the kerb that was sticking out and the front tyre was torn. Within minutes of it happening two cars of youngsters pulled up to help in no time they had the car jacked up tyre off and spare time on. DH was so grateful for their help they wouldn't accept some money to get themselves a drink next time they were out. I hope their parents are proud of them helping others.

Mines also a small but lovely one. When my mum was dying in hospital I went to sit in the hospital chapel. I don't really know why, I'm not religious but my heart was breaking and I felt I had to be there at that time. There was an elderly man in there at the same time as I was, no one else. We sat quietly for a while and then he got up and lit a candle. When he walked out he came and touched my hand and said that he had lit the candle for me, to get me through whatever was making me cry.

I'll never forget him.

I paid for an elderly lady's shopping today well not all of it, due to illness I'm on no pay from work so we are pretty much on our knees but the lovely white haired grandma, she looked late 70's early 80's, had to put back a packet of fingers of fudge, chocolate digestives and a packet of mr kiplings, she was just saying to the cashier "oh well it's stuff I wanted but didn't need" as she was putting it back until her shopping came to under £12, I just told the cashier to add it to mine.
The lady didn't quite understand what had happened when the cashier gave her the biccies and things back and she waited on me outside when she realised to say she couldn't take the items, I told her to enjoy them with a cup of tea.
My DM is dying (she's 64) with terminal cancer and I hope that my RAOK might just go a little way with the big man to ease our path ahead

I was in the cafe at work, and didn't have much small change. Someone paid the extra for me (the cafe staff get really sniffy if you try and use a £20 note).

Thank you Keith

(I didn't know his name at the time, I've got to know him since)

I once got a package delivered to me at work via our internal mail service. It was a beautiful box of chocolates with a note saying that the sender had picked my name off the staff directory at random, hoped they brightened my day and to pay it forward when I could.

I was going through a horrendous time and it really brightened my day. It still makes me feel warm and fuzzy now and it was five years ago!

I've done it a couple of times to pay it forward and I really hope it makes the recipients feel as good as it made me and not worry that they have a workplace stalker

I was once stood at the bus stop in pouring down rain with just a thin jacket on. A bloke in a flash car and posh suit pulled up and ran up to me and handed me an umbrella and then went on his way. It was so kind of him

When I had just split up from my ex husband and was shopping for my ds's birthday with a baby in a push chair and a huge balloon I went into a very nice chocolate shop and the lady working there asked me if I wanted any help to which I immediately started sobbing uncontrollably told her the whole story - she looked very alarmed at my outpouring but she gave me free chocolates and a hug it was the kindness of strangers that got me emotional as it had been such a long time since someone had been nice to me I'm all healed now and have since spent unholy amounts in that shop to repay her kindness (and satisfy my greedy streak )

Kiwis are bloody brilliant people....

A family member was in NZ travelling and was diganosed with cancer. The nurse looking after her asked where she would be staying once discharged and was having none of it when said family member told her she was going back to a hostel.

This lovely lady took her home and let her stay for 2 weeks to recouperate.

Debbie, if you are on here - for you

The other week I was running for the bus and saw a woman in a manual wheelchair about to attempt to wheel herself up the bridge. I said to her "I'm sure you can manage but would you let me wheel you up?" and she did

Missed the bus and my prolapses weren't grateful but it felt good to put it in my "Pay it forward" bank.

This little short lovely thread should go in to classics
Beautiful

What a lovely thread!

I know of a couple (who hate publicity and so do all their kind deeds anonymously), who realised the needs of poor children in their country town. This was before the advent of government or council initiatives to ensure that all children are properly fed. They began a breakfast club, buying food with their own money, and later getting supermarkets on board to help out. When left a considerable amount of money on the death of an elderly relative, rather than spending it on luxuries, or investing it for their own and their children's futures, with the blessing of the whole family, they bought a house, which they turned into a "safe house" for kids after school. There, kids could go for supervised care, food and homework support, if they had nowhere to go. Business and volunteers gave resources and time. People like this don't win medals and gongs - public acknowledgement goes to the self-seeking. But such people are truly the heroes of society.

I hope you're all feeling better soon. It sounds awful, but amazing to see how great the community is.

Ive told mine before, but when dd was a toddler, we were on the tube. It was getting busy, she was tired. She started crying, people were getting annoyed and moving away. I got stressed out and couldn't calm her.

Then the woman opposite me scooped her up calmly and popped her on the seat next to her. She chatted to dd and dd instantly calmed down and started chatting away. She then told me she had three girls and not to worry about her getting upset. I quietly cried with relief. Honestly she was so calm and lovely, she seemed magic.

What a gorgeous thread. No honestly, I've just got something in my eye

What a fantastic community you live in!

I like to visit Not Always Hopeless for moments of beauty and unprompted kindness. I think you'd like it.

The following day ds bought an ice-cream, and, unprompted, put all the change in a charity box. He insisted we look for a charity that helped children, as the man had said "children don't need to be unhappy."

::blub::