To ask for the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

[MissSBluebell]

Feeling emotional over some help I’ve received from an “acquaintance” - Not even a friend. Someone has gone out of their way to help and advise me, when they gain nothing for doing it.

It’s made me want to step up and be kinder.

What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Years ago I was on holiday with people from work. I was very anxious, very young and the queen bee had decided to fall out with me. One of the other women came out for a walk with me and was so kind. I never went away with them again but I am still very grateful for that day.

I have received lots of little kindness all the time from DP .....

When it is icy, DP gets up earlier than usual and warms up my car and de-ices all the windows for me....

He has my breakfast ready and waiting for me when I get back from yoga.....

plus lots of other things to make my life more comfortable :)

Came off a horse and broke my back ( abs fine now ) in the Lakes on holiday with kid two cats and a dog - a mate drove up from the SE collected my brood and sorted them all out until I flew back 6 days later ( another friend gave her a bag of Clarins stuff to bring up for me )

Two things spring to mind.

First, the friend who called me after my dad died and said that she didn’t know what to say, but she’s seen the death notice and wanted me to know that she was so sorry and she was thinking of me. We’d known one another for a long time and I know exactly how hard it was for her to do that, she gets very anxious and likes to get things right.

Years later, another friend let me cry on her at Scout drop off when Ds3 was having a very rough start to school. He was biting other kids (we later found out he had ASD and very poor eye sight) and I was beside myself. She had known him since birth as we had older kids in the same year and while we were talking, she opened my car door and popped her daughter in with DS3, saying that she knew he was a lovely little boy and that this would pass. It meant a lot to me that she did that.

I told both of those friends afterwards how much I appreciated what they’d done.

An aunt who brought me dinner and would take my laundry away when I was breastfeeding. Everything would come back ironed and folded and smelling lovely. She'd then put them away for me!
I was so hungry and tired. She owed me nothing, I'm just her niece, but she's just kindness personified.
My mother on the other hand.........

Years ago on a trip to Rome we missed the last bus from a day out of sightseeing, quite far away. We asked a couple where we could get a taxi /coach etc and they couldn't speak but English and we didn't speak much Italian. They went to their car and came back to us and offered us a lift out of their way back to Rome, a 2 hour journey, 30 minute detour for them. We don't even remember their names but that was such a long gesture, I'll never forget it... Lovely people, beautiful city, one of the best destinations I've ever been to and it was partly because of this couple that we have such fond memories all these years later...

I can think of two things....

When I had my DS I had PND and my lovely friend just came around with a home made lasagne, totally understood I didn't want to spend time chatting, just brought it around to help out.

Then when my son started school last year, and I left him screaming and crying for me, one of the mum's I didn't know waited behind to check I was okay.

It's heart warming to read all these lovely things people do for others.

I was very young when I had my first and didn't drive or have much income, I walked DD to school and back . My brolly broke and the most hideous storm started, a random lady pulled over and gave us a lift 2 miles home and gave us a "spare" umbrella she had in the car. I know getting into the car with a stranger is a bit weird but she was very kind .

My friend took a week's annual leave and travelled 250 miles to help me clear my parents' house. Unbelievable.

We have had a rough fee months. Dd 3 was very poorly in hospital for a week in November with double Pneumonia, dd2 was admitted overnight in December with messentric lymphadonitis and ds fell out of his bed on Monday and landed on his head resulting in severe concussion. That's 3 children in 3 months. Some very very kind soul has decided we all need a break and has bought us a 7 night stay in Scotland at the beginning of April. Overwhelmed by her generosity x

I should say I have 4 children so will be watching dd1 very closely through February!

A few years ago I had a nervous breakdown. My exh (married at the time) was flying off to China for a week. Somehow I managed to drop him at the airport with the dc, his parting shot was "pull yourself together before I get home".

That week I got worse and my parents never left my side. As an adult I hadn't needed my parents like that for many years but by god I realised that week just how much they loved me.

I had a blip recently and my dm rang me twice a day to check on me. They are the loveliest parents and I'm grateful everyday to have their love but that week I really needed it.

Leaving a cake with I love you mummy on my doorstep for mother's day when I was having a terrible time with PND and anxiety.

I was mugged in Brazil when I was on my own, during which I fell and hurt my knee. A Brazilian lady came by shortly after and she was amazing; cleaned my knee, drove me to the police station, waited and translated for me, then drove me back to my b&b, waiting with me until the owners came to let me into my room (the keys were in the stolen bag).

I was 14 and visiting family. I had to get train home because my mum wouldn't pick me up. I had to go from one side of London to the other on the tube and had absolutely no clue where I was going.

A guy on the train (who was rough looking covered in tattoos and swore a lot). He carried my suitcase and guided me across London and looked after me. I was so so grateful and learned a very valuable lesson. Don't judge someone by how they look.

When my dd was murdered. A gentleman found her when he was returning from nightshift. He stayed with her until the police came,covered her with his coat. He never ONCE spoke to the press or gave any interviews.
He attended her funeral and every year he takes flowers on her anniversary to the cemetery.
He also had to endure the court case. I finally got to meet him properly 7mths after she died and was able to thank him in person for his kindness.
I will always be grateful to him for what he did for my dd.

Two things... a colleague, who had been promoted above me, agreed to write my reference when moving jobs because the boss who was bullying me out my role basically said she wouldn't recommend me for a second role in the career I'd trained for and really wanted because she didn't forgive me after one mistake. It was a risk - if bullying boss found out, colleague would be in trouble, but she did it and I was so grateful. And I still work in that career after 18 years!

Another was after our house sale fell through 3 and a half years ago, when my husband's job was at risk, he'd just written off our car and wewere presented with a £5k solicitor's bill for the failed sale. I was in an alleyway near work sobbing when a plummy-voiced older lady stopped and talked to me and said 'Life is shit sometimes' and her kindness really helped me so much.

Years ago, we arrived in Finland in the middle of the night after 2 days travelling, no trains to take us to our final destination for another 7h. A lovely man saw us looking lost and tired and gave us a lift (2h drive), phoned the hotel ahead to make sure there's someone at the reception. So nice of him.

I was on my arse bones trying to keep on my house after me and my DH split up. I took on an evening job on top of my FT day job, to keep my head above water. It was exhausting.

Then my car broke down. Beyond economical repair, not that I had the cash anyway. But I needed my car for my jobs as public transport here is terrible.

My friend who lives 50+ miles away became aware of my situation and she and her DH gifted me her Ford Fiesta, no strings. She'd just passed her test and get DH got her a brand new car by way of congratulations, they were going to sell the old Fiesta (worth about £500) but simply gave it to me, as they could afford to and were simply kind and wonderful friends. I had the car for two years in the end, very reliable and cheap to run too. They stepped in when it really mattered and I'm eternally grateful to them.

Was working every day in the week before Christmas (NHS) my husband took the two kids to visit his parents at the other end of the country, fell ice skating and dislocated his shoulder. My younger brother used his last time off over Christmas to fly to the other end of the country and drive my husband kids and car home so I wasn’t on my own for Christmas.
He was so busy but he didn’t blink an eye, just went and got them, I was so grateful.

A colleague bought tickets for a show for me, DH and the kids. She did it anonymously but her name showed on the tickets. I was off work with anxiety at the time and it was such a lovely gesture.

When I was a student we were burgled and my lovely Nana, who had bugger all, loaned me the black and white TV from her bedroom until we got sorted. It honked of fag smoke but at least we still got to see Blind Date.

Elderly couple once paid for replacement flights in the airport (low cost easyjet) when I missed my flight with DD and couldn't afford to pay.

I was a complete state, crying baby, panicked tears and snotters from me and they came up and said they'd love to help get me home.

Lovely. ❤️

I was given a HA property after leaving my abusive ex. I had no furniture, no carpets etc
The people at work knew but didn't really do/say much. One day they were talking about what was on TV and I reluctantly said I had no TV. The next day one woman came in with one saying she didn't need it.
I quietly thanked her but explained I couldn't afford a TV licence so wouldn't take it.
The next day the entire team had chipped in to buy me one.
It didn't mean much to them but meant the world to me.
A woman from my Mum's work who I'd never met gave me a coffee table and dining room set. They were my first pieces of furniture. Never met her and she was grateful to get rid but again it made me incredibly happy

@Parkheadparadise, that’s the most pure and golden act I think I’ve heard of for a long time. What a beautiful soul he must have. I’m sorry about your daughter, your heart must be broken. ❤️

For me, I think the kindest thing was really quite small. I had been seeing a guy for a few weeks and it was my birthday. He asked about my birthday and if I had blown out my candles in one go. I explained that I hadn’t had a birthday cake and nobody sang to me because my children were too little and everyone else had been busy, but it was ok because I hadn’t had a birthday cake since I was a kid and had become accustomed to that. Two days later, when he was back, he arrived at about 10pm and told me to close my eyes. When I opened them, he’d bought me a birthday cake with candles and sang happy birthday to me. It was such a sweet thing to do. So I kept him. DH now!

When I had dd2 I had terrible depression, was self harming and everything. Unbeknown to me, DH called an aunt who I used to be close to as a kid and she and her daughter (who had a baby 6 weeks older than mine) travelled down to see me. They didn't tell me they were coming as they knew I'd worry about the state of the house etc and tell them I was fine. But I'll never forget how I felt when I opened my door and was pulled into a hug by my aunt.

DH knew exactly who would make me feel better and they knew exactly what to do. I've never forgotten that. Should add that I have fabulous parents nearby but they would have worried and been less sure what to do.