To ask for random acts of kindness that you've carried out...

[IchWill]

I believe that kindness breeds kindness. I often carry out random acts of kindness, because:

1. If I'm able to, why wouldn't I?
2. The world would be a nicer place if we all helped others out more often.
3. It makes me feel good to make a positive impact on someone's life.

Most I go about and do quietly, genuinely not helping people for recognition or glory, but when I have shared one or two examples with friends, they've said I've inspired them.

Let's hear your random acts of kindness...

I once noticed a blind woman on a tube station feeling her way around a column. So, I offered her my arm to grab and guided her to the other line. I was heading that way anyway, but for the opposite track.

My DS was with me and was very impressed. Hopefully I've also taught him how to help blind people (not to grab their arms).

Today, it was a little thing, but on a bus queue a group of younger men were in front of me, but another got behind, apparently their friend. As the bus got full, there was space for one person to get in, so I let the guy behind me get in. It was no bother for either as there was the same number bus just behind but I felt there was no point in taking that place.

In any case, I try to help people as much as possible. Although I'm thinking of starting to charge French speaking tourists.

@anitagreen Honesty is a rare trait these days.

@Lweji It's great for DC to witness being kind.

Today I picked up a soaking wet parcel outside a house. The address said it was for the house it had been left in front of.
Knocked on the door and the bloke who answered said they had been told the parcel had been left by the bins round the back.
It was a miracle it hadn’t been stolen as it’s a road leading up to a few schools so lots of foot traffic.
I hope their item wasn’t ruined.

@anitagreen sorry I don't see that as RAOK just doing the 'right' thing 🤷🏻‍♀️

Simple things like a hot drink for the homeless. Most recently I'd bought myself a tea as I was freezing having been outside day - the gent asked for change but I offered him my tea and a couple of left over sandwiches from my kids lunch box - I knew I'd be home and warm soon, and the food would be wasted.

I once also won a food hamper and randomly gave it to a ex army gent on the street.

You'd have thought I'd given them winning lottery tickets. Little things really do matter.

Around the holiday time, I buy gift cards for the local supermarkets. I keep them with me to hand out to those in need.

Few days ago I was in the supermarket with dp and dd. The woman in front of us had an 8 and 6 y/o with her. Her card was declined, and her shopping was clearly staples that were needed (peanut butter, bread, milk, cereal). The 6 y/o started crying and asked if it was going to be “a hungry week again”. Completely broke my heart, so I paid for her stuff. The woman was so grateful that she started crying and asked why someone would do that for her. I told her any mother who could see the same situation and not intervene would have to be heartless.

I work in a hospital & have bought relatives/parents a coffee a few times in the middle of the night when there's been an unexpected trip, nobody about & you need coins. I've also left coins on the vending machines with a note to say please use these if u need them. I don't know who takes them but I'm sure it's appreciated. I also buy in special stickers/small token toys for the kids who come to my area. . They don't know I pay for it myself but it's nice for them to have something they like in the middle of hard treatments.

I live in Germany and sometimes I hear people struggling with German and I usually help them out, especially if they are speaking English as well.

When I get one of those instant win ice cream vouchers in McDonald's I give it to the nearest family with kids.

Last year, I was on a FB group that I use a lot and one guy posted that he was single and alone for Christmas and didn't have any food in the cupboard, let alone a tree. He was on benefits and had just come out of sanctions.

A couple of people who lived locally to him in London clubbed together to personally take him round some shopping.

Then I saw one lady who replied, I don't know why but I was drawn to her and she wished him luck and said sorry she couldn't help as she was in the same boat, she'd gone from being married, with their own business to her husband leaving her for another woman and she was pretty destitute.

She said it was her daughter's birthday the week before Christmas and she's already told both daughters that she couldn't get them anything and that the kids were amazing and understanding.

It broke my heart. I took a sneaky look at her profile and her info and posts were quite public, I could see from her posts and interactions with friend and family that she was genuine.

I private messaged her and asked if I could please buy her daughter's a gift each. She was really shocked, said no at first. But I said I didn't have kids yet and her daughters sounded lovely, so it would mean a lot to me to buy a couple of presents and reserve them for her at her local Argos.

She replied eventually saying she was crying at a stranger's kindness and relented and let me order some gifts.

She told me a bit more about her situation and how she was living day to day and being strong for her girls.

So I posted on FB to my friends about her (not outing her or anything) and asked if anyone else would like to help.

Well, she ended up with about 20 of my friends saying they'd love to help. So I went back to her and told her and after much crying with joy, she gave me her address.

She got two hampers, loads of vouchers for Amazon, Argos, toys, make-up and a supermarket, plus a silver crucifix for her, from my sister "to give her hope", they all sent cards and wishes to her too.

One of my well-off and generous friends sent her a £75 voucher and asked his DSD to help him write a card for the family, so that she could understand that "not all little girls were as lucky as she was".

Even I cried, at my amazing friends for all helping.

The lady was so touched and overwhelmed. It felt good to collectively make her Christmas that bit better.

Took a lost iPad to the Apple store so they could track its owner and return it to them.

@Elphie54 Aw. You made me well up.

Oh and the guy who people took food round for. I had never met him either, but I sent him £15 to get a bottle of something nice to go with his food.

If I am out for a walk/walking home from some where and see broken glass on the path/pavement I always warn the dog walkers I meet about it. I thought it was a natural thing to do, but has been informed that it is usually only other dog owners who do it and sometimes they don't even do it, which surprises me.

I always give something to the local food bank before school holidays. I can't enjoy going on holiday with my family otherwise as it isn't right that we should have a nice vacation and other people go hungry or be without sanitary products. We also sometimes give produce from our garden to the food bank, but that has more to do with the abundance of nature and not wanting to let it go to waste.

Some really lovely acts of kindness. I've done small things like buy homeless people a hot drink, volunteer at homeless shelter in winter etc. Recently, I was coming home from work (heavily pregnant) when I got off my train and realised the lift wasn't working. The station was empty apart from an elderly lady with a walking stick. I helped her up the stairs and across the bridge and back down again, carrying her bags and supporting her under one arm.

We have a lovely lady in my town and she runs a little Indian restaurant. It only seats about 12 people.

Anyway, when we had all that bad snow last winter, the roads were fooked, it was really bad.

She posted on a local FB group asking for people to message her if they knew of anyone who wasn't very mobile and not wanting to risk walking out in the snow to get food and she'd deliver her warming curries to them them in a 4x4. She dropped off 40 dishes a night and even took them to local rough sleepers. She's an angel.

I hasten to add she gave the curries and her time for free.

I picked DD up from nearest city as the bus that'd bring her home had been cancelled. It was raining buckets too. There was a middle aged woman at the bus station too, totally stranded and going to walk the 10 miles home. I dropped her off outside her front door.

“I also buy in special stickers/small token toys for the kids who come to my area. . They don't know I pay for it myself but it's nice for them to have something they like in the middle of hard treatments.”

This is such a nice thing to do and means so much to the kids.

I try but sometimes you get so wrapped up in your own little world you don't notice, which is horrible really.

I'll always take kids too and from school if people ask. I helped a toddler up the stairs and onto the train the other day because her mum was struggling with a buggy as well. Oh, and I once bought a guy his train ticket when he got to the barriers and couldn't find his any more - he did take my address and send me a cheque afterwards, which just shows most people are nice and do treat everyone with respect.

DH once told me I was weird for knocking at a neighbour we didn't know too well because I'd forgotten to cancel the milk the day we were going on holiday, and they had small children so I thought they'd make use of it. I think he's weird for thinking that's weird.

@SimplySteve

Oooh nice. I did a similar thing. Was at Hemel Hempstead for work. It's about 30 miles from where I live.

I got to the train station at 6pm to find out all the trains had been indefinitely delayed due to a fatality sadly.

I rang my boss and asked if I could get a taxi and claim it on expenses and she agreed. Anyway, while waiting, I heard two women talking on their phones to whoever they were trying to get back home to. I asked where they lived, turned out one lived in my town and another in a town just outside my town.

So I offered them a lift in the taxi, said it was all paid for. They were a bit wary, but chuffed to bits when they realised I was genuine. 45 mins later we were all back at hour homes.

Plus I make sure the kids chose something every shop for the food bank so they understand that we're lucky to be comfortable at the moment but that means we have to help out when we can.

About a year ago a woman had got stuck in traffic I think and was late to her son's asthma appointment - he clearly needed it, he was quite wheezy. I was just there for a checkup so let them have my appointment

@Xuli That's not weird at all.

Lovely thread 

I don't mean to side track at all but I noticed your username @IchWill and wondered if you're a fellow Rammstein fan?