Can I have some "people are lovely" stories to restore my faith in humanity please?

[JocastaNu]

I work in social services. Very little surprises me but every now and again you get a case that hits hard. Today is one of those days. Can't go into any details but I'm definitely having a "people are shitheads" moment.

Could you share some stories of how people are not shitheads please? Anyone done anything lovely for you unexpectedly recently? I feel I need to hear how there is still good in the world.

Sorry you're having a horrible day OP . I hope your help makes the world a better place for someone though.

I have a happy story. My lovely NDN bought me a wee bunch of flowers today. No reason at all, she just saw them and knew I'd like them.

Co-incidentally, I'd been in to a new, very fancy bakery in the next village earlier, and had bought her and her DH cakes that I knew they would like, so we did a little swap of nice things just as I stepped out of my car! Perfect timing.

I love where I live, it's the friendliest place ever with really thoughtful kind neighbours.

This was not recently, but I find it helps me remember that even when I encounter loads of arseholes there are good people out there.

I was heavily pregnant and had SPD that made it hard for me to walk, especially up and down stairs. I was getting the train home from work one evening, with some files and a laptop in a wheeled case, when the platform for my train was changed at the very last minute. There was no working lift so I had to try to get over a bridge to the right platform. Loads of people tutted and barged past me as I tried to use the hand rail to pull myself up the stairs (including quite a few fellow commuters that I had been on nodding terms with for years). The only person that offered to help me was a very young man in baggy jeans/hoodie etc. He helped me across and insisted helping me on to the right train and in to a seat before he left me. It as probably not a big deal to him but to me it made a huge difference.

I love these threads. I needed it too. I made a mistake at work today and a lovely lady went out of her way and sorted it for me without asking. She definitely didn't have to and she saved me from getting into trouble with the managers. I don't even know her that well.

My local facebook group is FULL of people returning wallets, cards, jewellery and phones to their rightful owners. That makes me happy. I honestly think that these days your phone or whatever is more likely to be returned / handed in than nicked (my friends was handed in two weeks ago when she dropped it in a park).

@CarrieMoonbeams

Sorry you're having a horrible day OP . I hope your help makes the world a better place for someone though.

I have a happy story. My lovely NDN bought me a wee bunch of flowers today. No reason at all, she just saw them and knew I'd like them.

Co-incidentally, I'd been in to a new, very fancy bakery in the next village earlier, and had bought her and her DH cakes that I knew they would like, so we did a little swap of nice things just as I stepped out of my car! Perfect timing.

I love where I live, it's the friendliest place ever with really thoughtful kind neighbours.

Oh this is lovely. I like that you were both individually thinking of each other!

@museumum

My local facebook group is FULL of people returning wallets, cards, jewellery and phones to their rightful owners. That makes me happy. I honestly think that these days your phone or whatever is more likely to be returned / handed in than nicked (my friends was handed in two weeks ago when she dropped it in a park).

That's lovely. My local Facebook group has been awful lately, to the point that a splinter group has been set up. Social media can be used for some great things though. Currently by me there's some mass litter picks being set up via Facebook which is great.

I've got a little mental bank of them!

DD had a huge meltdown on the tube, a lovely woman came over and helped me down the stairs with my bags so that I could carry DD, and reassured me that I was doing okay.

Another one with DD on public transport when she was about 2 - she was sick, no idea what prompted it, she'd been fine to that moment. While I was frantically mopping up and trying to calm her down, someone complained to the conductor who promptly moved both of us to first class, made sure she was okay (she went straight to sleep) and brought me a cup of tea.

Lovely National Trust woman when I went into the shop in urgent and unexpected need of a sanitary towel who said sorry they don't sell them but gave me one of hers.

Someone at work realising I was pregnant before I told anyone and going out of her way to make life easy for me - I didn't know her, we only worked together for a few weeks on one specific thing.

I'm a big fan of tiktok for this type of thing. Loads of people rescuing animals to warm your heart. On the radio yesterday I was listening to a man talking about falling off his bike in London and loads of people helping him. It started to rain and people stood around while he was on the ground waiting for the ambulance holding their umberalls over him. Made me feel all emotional!

I recently split from my partner of 15 years.

Twice, friends have snuck things to my eldest so the kids had a surprise for me (he's only 10, and we live in the middle of no-where in a covid lockdown, so shops would be impossible for him alone) - mothers day I came down (having bought myself a bunch of flowers from Aldi the day before), and he presented me with a card and little bag of chocs that my friend had snuck to him a couple of days before - he was crying as much as I was! Then another did it again at Easter.

AND a neighbour I've never met, did the same after easter with a bunch of flowers, and an easter egg each for me and the kids after I asked to be added to the community whatsapp (ex was the previous liason), and she discovered the reason was there was no more DP.

I'm so grateful to be surrounded by such genuinely thoughtful people.

My neighbour put up a rail in our garden so my 2yo can walk up the steps independently. Just appeared there all hand made and perfect. People are good and kind... it's just easy to forget x

I made a slightly poor decision as a young mother, misread a bus timetable and got myself and tiny DD stuck on a country road miles from anywhere with no bus coming for days. Didn't have money for a taxi and didn't want to stop anyone in case they were axe murderers. One guy in a lovely Merc stopped, asked what had happened, offered me a lift but also said he'd give me money for a taxi if I wasn't comfortable. Took the lift (with 999 dialled ready to go on my phone in case), he was definitely a good person - especially as we inadvertently probably got muddy footprints all over his pristine car floor. I thanked him at the time obvs but wish I could apologise again knowing how much of a pain that probably was!

And I rescued some ducklings from our drain even though it was first thing in the morning and I was feeling awful health wise and it meant going out on the street looking horrendous 😆

Years ago I had what I later realised was a lung infection. I could hardly walk so shopping wasn't really on. When my lovely (now ex) flat mate found out she went out and got me some shopping plus some flowers! I will always remember that!

I made a friend on the internet in 2000, and lived 250 miles away. A random meeting on a chat room.

She now lives up the road from me since 2002. We have supported each other for 21 years now [leading our own lives] throughout all sorts of bad stuff but lots of great times too.

When I was young [and stupid], I'd had a row with a 'friend', had stormed off and was stranded and hitching a lift many miles from home. A man stopped and asked where I was going, thinking it was local not 35-40 miles away. He then drove me to the nearest train station, gave me money for a train ticket and some chocolate and told me to go home and never hitch hike again. Lucky I met a good'un.

We were walking in some woods and got lost. It started to get dark and we eventually emerged onto a road opposite a house so I asked the owner where the church was (where we had parked our car). It turned out to be a long way away and it was getting darker so he said don't worry, I'll drop you back. The two of us in muddy wellies along with a muddy dog in his beautifully clean car. So, so kind and got us out of such a scrape.

A few days later a classic car sputtered to a halt on the lane outside our house. DP wanted pay it forward so went out with his toolkit and helped the owner get the car started and on his way.

Mine is silly, I went for a walk the other day and ended up in the town centre. Popped into a supermarket I rarely go to for a drink. They had something I regularly buy on special offer that was super heavy but hugely reduced. I was carrying it home and was stopped by a teen son who was cycling home who insisted on strapping it home on his bike. I had to laugh he had wrapped it with my doormat and hidden it under the car.

In my early 20s I went to visit a friend in London, all my friends were stopping over but I had work the next day so I had to get a 2 hour+ train home.
Id had a very stressful few weeks so ended up drinking way too much and getting absolutely battered (as did the rest of my friends so I don’t think they even noticed me leave).
I somehow made it to my late train and slumped myself on the floor next to a plug so I could charge my phone. 2 members of the train staff team spotted me and plonked me in the empty first class carriage and got me a couple of free drinks. They checked in on me a few times too and made sure someone was picking me up. I’m still annoyed for how stupidly vulnerable I made myself but was so grateful for their attempts to look after me.

And also one Im proud of myself for. When I was 17/18 a few of us went to a big fireworks event and as we were leaving I spotted a girl (probably about age 13?) stood on the pavement crying quietly to herself as crowds were leaving past her. We doubled back in my car and checked if she was ok. She’d got separated from her friends and friends parents and was stood there just hoping they’d spot her as they left as she had no phone.
We let her use my phone to call her parents and all waited with her until they turned up, her mum looked so relieved when she turned up to get her.

I wish I could remember more of the nice things people have done for me as there is definitely more. Sorry to hear you’ve had a tough day x

Years ago when I was a child I had a lot if hospital appointments. Many times people gave my parents their car park ticket that had a couple of hours left on to save us also paying.

More recently I happened to mention to my line manager I fancied a Hotel Chocolat advent calendar. 2 days later one turns up at home from her. She said she knew I probably wouldn't have ended up treating myself.

This goes back a few years when it was a really really snowy winter and I was on my way to Manchester airport on my own with my son who was nearly 1 at the time. Usually the trip is smooth, a short walk and one train. But as it had snowed SO heavily at the train station there were massive hold ups and it was freezing chaos. I had my son, suitcase and babybag/pram with me. Once the train arrived so many people came to offer help to get on. I finally felt relieved as we were on our way to visit my parents for Christmas. Anyway long story short we had to change trains 3 more times and not once did i struggle. I had people simply come over pick up my suitcase or the pram and help me to the next train even if they were not headed my way. Without all these people who i didn't get to thank properly i wouldn't have made it back to see my parents i don't think. This really has stuck with me for a few years now, perhaps it doesn't sound like a big deal but people can be super caring and on this trip i really felt it!

I made a mistake the other day and accidentally got off the tube at a station with no lift. I had decided to brave the (long) stairs with the pushchair - no sooner had I reached the bottom than a woman had grabbed the bottom of the pushchair and started helping me lug my son to the top

I left my handbag on a night bus in Whitechapel and someone handed it in, with all my money, cards, phone and a ring still in it.

Lots.

Mentally unwell lady turned up at a women’s group, extremely agitated and quite threatening. Organisers getting seriously concerned, debating police etc.

One lovely gentle older lady just walked over to her and sat down with her, sending waves of peace over her and just being a quiet calming presence. And the agitation faded and the lady was able to join in. It was such a beautiful beautiful thing to watch - I want to be that older lady when I grow up.

Last year. So many acts of kindness. We were shielding and it took weeks to sort supermarket deliveries. One friend shopped for us week after week until we were sorted. As Tesco were limiting purchases, and as she had her own family to feed too, this meant doing two separate shops in order to get the things we needed as well as the things for her family.

Taking my severely disabled, autistic, and highly anxious teen for their covid jab. The staff at the centre were just amazing! Sorted out a quieter time, greeted us by name at the door, shunted us sideways to avoid queuing, and gave the jab whilst talking about something different entirely before there was even time to worry. Amazing.

But my favourite. Elderly confused relative had been scammed multiple times by a lad who kept persuading her to withdraw cash for him. “But he’s such a nice young man.” was all she’d ever say. Police involved, young man served with court order prohibiting him from making any contact with her, not even to enter her street, etc. Relative fell off her mobility scooter and banged her head. “Nice” young man picked her up, escorted her home, let himself in with her keys - and then knowing he’d land himself in a world of trouble, called emergency services and waited with her. Doesn’t undo the money he took (he’d been waiting for her by the cash machine again) but he saved her life that day, whereas he could have just left her and taken everything she had. That was the catalyst for her moving into a nursing home. Not sure what happened to the nice young man after that.

When I was a student nurse I was really, properly poor. There was a period I couldn't afford to bring lunch in, and was just eating pasta or rice at home.

For my community placement I shared an office with a wonderful social worker. I used to pretend I wasn't eating because of a diet I was following. She used to quietly leave extra sandwiches on my desk each day, and never mentioned it.

I bloody loved her.

Sorry you’re having a shit day OP. My cousin is a SW and she’s an utter badass therefore it’s likely you are too.

Nothing major but a neighbour told me how impressed she was with DS’s manners the other day. Such a small comment but I was on a high all day.

I left my handbag with all my cards and my wages in cash in a trolley in a supermarket in Neath, South Wales. I realised what I had done when I got home and called the supermarket. A woman handed the lot in within about ten minutes of me driving away. I found out her address and sent her a massive bunch of flowers.

Here's another. I drove over a piece of metal in the road and wrecked my tyre. The driver behind me was a black man so immaculately dressed he shone! He took off his jacket, took his cufflinks out and rolled up his sleeves and changed my wheel. Luckily I had wet wipes so I could get him back to previously pristine condition! It didn't take hom long but he could have just driven on. So kind!