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Original poster

What’s the nicest thing a stranger has ever said to you?

147 replies

Magik01 · 30/10/2021 09:02

Following on from the thread about the strangest thing said, I thought it would be nice to hear some positive stories!

I was at a theme park with DS2 who was about 8 weeks old at the time. We were walking one of the character live shows and he was hungry so I sat and fed him (I’m BFing). A woman came up to me after the show and said “it’s so lovely seeing someone feeding their baby, your doing a really great job.”

It honestly made my day, sometimes it’s the little things!

OP posts:

allupsidedown · 31/10/2021 00:00

A nurse working on the ward whilst I was very sick said I had a beautiful soul and it shone out of me like sunshine. Apparently they didn't often get patients saying please and thank you instead of shouting at the staff.

Excitedforxmas · 31/10/2021 00:08

My dd on leaving nursery was given a gift. Afterwards the head teacher said to me- 20 children got a gift today and yours was the only one to say thank you . So was so happy

Bortles · 31/10/2021 00:43

A homeless woman in Rome gave me a 'ciao bella!' It meant way more from another woman.
An old lady in an airport loved my tattoo when she didn't normally like tattoos.
Lori Petty liked my hair.
A student wrote me a note about being so kind and friendly. I still carry it in my wallet.

It's harder remembering compliments than criticism though.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Breast & bottle feeding

Bortles · 31/10/2021 00:54

Oh and when I was 18 in a gay club in London a boy stopped me on the stairs and said 'please tell me you're going to have children?! You must, you must!'

mylovelymum2311 · 31/10/2021 01:00

A patient years ago, who told me they’d all been talking on the six bedded ward and that one (very seriously ill) woman’s face always lit up when I came to her . I just chattered away like a sort of hyperactive monkey, I talked constantly to patients who couldn’t talk back, but the other women said they’d noticed that she responded to my voice and no one else’s - I hadn’t realised . Made me cry after a long 12 hour shift .

Another patient who whilst I was helping him wash, looked me up and down and said he liked a woman with a bit of meat on her … ‘lovely strong legs and a voice for the home guard, have you considered signing up?’ God bless him, I was in hysterics.

LunaTheCat · 31/10/2021 01:08

Lovely stories here - sometimes I feel shy about complimenting people , and I do it a lot. This has reminded me to keep going!

MrsMadderRose · 31/10/2021 01:27

I was heavily pregnant, my 4yo DS was having a tantrum and we were in a supermarket queue and I was exhausted and on the verge of tears. A man in front of us got his shopping and then came up to us and gave DS this little cake he had bought and said “give this to your mum because I think she needs it”. I’m filling up just thinking about his kindness and how he noticed that I was struggling. I think he spoke to DS not me because he could see I would have burst into tears.

MissCruellaDeVil · 31/10/2021 01:50

That I have beautifully behaved children, from a little old lady in Marks and Sparks!

Wacadu · 31/10/2021 01:28

Was a single mum, slightly stressed, on holiday in North of Scotland with 2 young kids. A lovely couple stopped us in a car park and said my kids were very well behaved and that my daughter had such beautiful curly hair. They were from USA and gave my kids a fiver and a lolly each along with a dollar note. We still have that dollar over 10 years later.

mellongoose · 31/10/2021 01:32

The midwife who came on shift just as I was delivering my stillborn daughter after 8 hours of Labour. She asked if she could take my baby outside to show her the stars.

That was a wonderful gesture when I needed it the most.

Ticksallboxes · 31/10/2021 01:44

A year ago I saw a mum from school in a cafe I usually go to with friends. My friends had left and I was buying some bread from them before I left myself.

I had a brief chat with this mum before leaving, but as I did I heard her saying to her friend "she is absolutely gorgeous".

It was a bit of a revelation as I'm in my 50s but it was still really nice to hear!!

Ticksallboxes · 31/10/2021 01:47

@mellongoose I just read your post after I'd posted mine.

Just wow - unbelievably beautiful words from you

WaterAndRichTea · 31/10/2021 01:50

I was a nanny and looked after 4 children under 4 and a lady on the bus told me how wonderful i was.

Was nice to hear

RicherThanYew · 31/10/2021 02:17

I'm completely bald because of alopecia and started wearing wigs a few years back so people wouldn't stare at me anymore. One of the cleaners in the company that i work for saw me wearing a wig for the first time and said she couldnt get over how pretty (and glowing) I looked now, she said she didnt recognise me at all. I knew wearing one was the right idea

newfriend05 · 31/10/2021 02:38

I lived opposite a family with two young girls when my boys were little .. she come up to me years later when she was pregnant and said to me " I hope I'm like you as a mum , I use to watch you with your boys and you could just see your love and pride in them ..it's amazing what people see

Bloodybridget · 31/10/2021 03:02

@mellongoose, your post is so moving. I am very sorry you lost your lovely baby. A wonderfully kind and empathetic gesture from the midwife.

OldTinHat · 31/10/2021 03:36

Bittersweet but I've always been complimented on being 'smiley', friendly and happy. The truth is that I use that as a mask to hide my crippling anxiety and depression.

weekend2021 · 31/10/2021 07:41

I was shopping in Tesco at the height of the pandemic. Stressed, due to work, and caring for an elderly parent. Only adult child had just left home, so feeling very sad & lonely, as a divorcee of 20 years. Had still made an effort with hair/make up as I don’t have the confidence to leave the house otherwise. Just wearing jeans, sweater and trainers. A young woman (20’s?) stopped me to say “I just wanted to tell you how amazing you look, you look lovely” As washed out, exhausted 60 year old, she made my day and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you if you recognise yourself.

LunaTheCat · 31/10/2021 08:43

@mellongoose

The midwife who came on shift just as I was delivering my stillborn daughter after 8 hours of Labour. She asked if she could take my baby outside to show her the stars.

That was a wonderful gesture when I needed it the most.

Oh my goodness - how utterly perfect. What a wonderful woman. I am so so sorry for your loss,

itssquidstella · 31/10/2021 08:54

When I was a very underconfident, unpopular 14 year old, I was on a school trip to Covent Garden. I was messing around with a classmate, trying on hats, when a middle aged American lady came up to me and said "You are soooo pretty."

I managed to blurt out an awkward 'thanks', but that compliment meant so much to me and I still think about it when I’m having a bad day. So thank you, lovely American lady!

mellongoose · 31/10/2021 09:08

[quote Bloodybridget]@mellongoose, your post is so moving. I am very sorry you lost your lovely baby. A wonderfully kind and empathetic gesture from the midwife.[/quote]
Thanks to all for your kind words. She really did go above and beyond for my girl. Her compassion made the experience bearable, knowing my little girl was in good hands when we left the hospital without her.
My husband told her she was an angel walking on earth. She really was.

Milomonster · 31/10/2021 10:15

My 10 yo DS helped a mum lift her pram onto the bus (I didn’t ask him). She said to me, “you’ve raised a lovely boy. You must be so proud.” As a single mum, it was wonderful to hear. Strangers have said many kind things to me about him as he’s grown up.

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