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Original poster

What's the kindest thing you ever did and what are you most proud of yourself for??

36 replies

CarefreeandInnocent · 30/12/2020 00:55

I have just joined so maybe not allowed to start a thread but will just go and see if this posts?

I think as people we are naturally good at beating ourselves up for things but don't notice what we do well so this is a harder question to answer

I can think of one for the first one and that is I painted a portrait of a friend of her dog. Need dog isn't that young and I wanted her to have something to remember her by when her time came, if you see what I mean?

OP posts:
Original poster
CarefreeandInnocent · 30/12/2020 00:56

Her

OP posts:
pepsicolagirl · 30/12/2020 01:05

Someone drew a portrait of my dog 5 yrs ago and now that she has left us it is one of my most beloved possessions and my fave ever gift for sure. You did a great thing.

Ummm I once picked up a clearly lost child. He was bawling his eyes out and happened to be wearing the same school uniform as my child had been so I stopped and asked if he was OK. He didn't speak much English so I persuaded him to come with me in my car and I drove him to school. It transpired that he and his Mum had arrived in the UK a few weeks previously. He had been placed at my kids school but lived across town. His Mum had been poorly so he had tried to make the bus journey on his own but had got off the bus at the wrong stop and nobody would help him.

I help people where I can and I don't really tell anyone. Quite proud of my kindness really.

whoamongstus · 30/12/2020 01:06

Ahhh, this is a nice thread!

The kindest - probably housing and looking after a friend after a horrific breakup last year. They needed somewhere to stay and I took them in no questions asked, helped them to get help etc. I try and be kind whenever I can though!

What I'm proudest of is either still being alive, or a very outing work thing I did last year relating to a cause I'm very passionate about.

Original poster
CarefreeandInnocent · 30/12/2020 01:08

@pepsicolagirl

Someone drew a portrait of my dog 5 yrs ago and now that she has left us it is one of my most beloved possessions and my fave ever gift for sure. You did a great thing.

Ummm I once picked up a clearly lost child. He was bawling his eyes out and happened to be wearing the same school uniform as my child had been so I stopped and asked if he was OK. He didn't speak much English so I persuaded him to come with me in my car and I drove him to school. It transpired that he and his Mum had arrived in the UK a few weeks previously. He had been placed at my kids school but lived across town. His Mum had been poorly so he had tried to make the bus journey on his own but had got off the bus at the wrong stop and nobody would help him.

I help people where I can and I don't really tell anyone. Quite proud of my kindness really.

Being kind is an excellent thing to be proud of!

I admit to being a bit cowardly about approaching lost children. I worry their parents will start accusing me of wanting to kidnap them or something! SIlly? Yeah, probably I watch too many thrillers

OP posts:
pepsicolagirl · 30/12/2020 01:11

Haha I phoned the school while I had the kid in my car and was like "errrm this is possibly going to sound bad but..."

He was so upset tho, proper snot crying and was maybe about 8. It was only after I got him in the car that I realised how badly it could have gone.

Purplethrow · 30/12/2020 01:15

I once did a 100 mile round trip to collect a fellow mumsnetter from hospital and took her home. We’d never met before or since.

Heathcliff27 · 30/12/2020 01:17

@Purplethrow

I once did a 100 mile round trip to collect a fellow mumsnetter from hospital and took her home. We’d never met before or since.
💗
LunaNorth · 30/12/2020 01:19

I once got out of my car at a red traffic light to save a dog that was running around in traffic. I just stopped him being squashed by a lorry.

Bundled him into my car, then carried on with the journey, dropping my son off at the station.

Then drove to the local vet with him, left him there with my phone number and instructions to let me know if he hadn’t been claimed. DH and I were willing to foster him. He was gorgeous, but very smelly.

The phone rang a couple of hours later, to say he’d been claimed. He’d jumped out of a car window at the traffic lights on the way to his owner’s funeral Sad
He’d belonged to an old lady who’d passed away, but had a home with one of her relatives.

I’m proud I didn’t let him get squashed.

Original poster
CarefreeandInnocent · 30/12/2020 01:20

@LunaNorth

I once got out of my car at a red traffic light to save a dog that was running around in traffic. I just stopped him being squashed by a lorry.

Bundled him into my car, then carried on with the journey, dropping my son off at the station.

Then drove to the local vet with him, left him there with my phone number and instructions to let me know if he hadn’t been claimed. DH and I were willing to foster him. He was gorgeous, but very smelly.

The phone rang a couple of hours later, to say he’d been claimed. He’d jumped out of a car window at the traffic lights on the way to his owner’s funeral Sad
He’d belonged to an old lady who’d passed away, but had a home with one of her relatives.

I’m proud I didn’t let him get squashed.

Aaaw, I love dogs! That is so sweet of you
OP posts:
caringcarer · 30/12/2020 02:40

I had a silk wedding bouquet, not common now but s thing in late 1980,s. It cost me a lot and and I let a friend of my sisters use it for her wedding before I used it myself. I let her use my cake stand too. She got married about a month before me and my parents were furious with me. Probably the nicest thing I have done for someone I did not know well.

Brinn · 30/12/2020 02:44

When my Mum got sick, me and my sister quit our jobs to nurse her at home so she didn't have to die in hospital.

Finfintytint · 30/12/2020 03:07

@Brinn

When my Mum got sick, me and my sister quit our jobs to nurse her at home so she didn't have to die in hospital.
Flowers
chardonm · 30/12/2020 03:16

@caringcarer that was really nice of you. I hope she returned the bouquet still nice and clean?
Once a long time ago a friend lent me a fantastic dress before she had even worn it; honestly I will always remember her kindness. It was a rare occurrence for her to get a new dress too.

DramaAlpaca · 30/12/2020 03:16

What a wonderful idea for a thread. Thank you for starting it @CarefreeandInnocent - of course you're allowed to start threads, especially if they are nice ones like this Smile

As for me, I can't think of anything in particular but I try to be kind, on here and in real life.

Downunderduchess · 30/12/2020 03:47

I do try wherever possible to be kind, kindness costs nothing. I’ve lived in my house for 20 years and in that time I’ve rescued a poor cat that had been run over on my road he died on my doorstep poor love, found many birds that had been hurt (some made it, some did not), a rabbit that died in my arms before I could get it to the vet and I have taken in several lost dogs until their owners could be found. The losses greatly upset me, but I feel it is a privilege to help them. On the less dramatic side I give compliments to strangers quite often, if I see someone wearing a pretty dress or outfit, beautiful hair, lovely skin etc. I make a point of telling them. It really is a pleasure to see their eyes light up, many have said I’ve made their day, which in turn makes me happy!

OldAndWornOut · 30/12/2020 03:54

Not very dramatic, but every week I work about an hour extra a day with a couple I go to care for.

I just realise they're taking more time than I'm paid for, but I'd rather leave them comfortable.

loubieloo4 · 30/12/2020 04:07

I have done cpr a few times to the public including on a flight about 40mins from Gatwick (he survived) I am a HCP though!

Paid for lunch for a couple of young adults (16-18) at college, they were something silly like 3p short and they were struggling to understand the cashier. They had Down syndrome and she was extremely rude to them and talking very fast, pretty much shouting at them to put something back or get out of the queue. I was a poor student at the time and it meant that I only had enough for a hot drink. I would hate to think that anyone would leave my children to go hungry because they felt flustered.

On the other side

My amazing dh was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer last year at 38, our wonderful friends have gone above and beyond in the support they have given us as a family. DH's work paid for and built a garden room so he could enjoy the garden, he's not allowed in the sun and gets very cold quickly. It's had a tremendous impact on the quality of his life especially over lockdown.

Monty27 · 30/12/2020 04:40

@loubieloo4
💐

Ginmaker · 30/12/2020 05:17

Stopped for 20 minutes during a marathon to tape up the feet of a fellow runner who was sat by the side of road half way in with terribly blistered feet. I also donated my reserve socks!

Doesn't seem much but I knew it was the difference between her finishing and not. I didn't make my goal time but glad I helped someone realise the benefit of several bleak months of training.

Mylittlepony374 · 30/12/2020 05:26

I secretly made payment on my friends school exchange when we were 16. She had saved for years to pay for it and was 1000 short. She was distraught, her parents couldn't help. I borrowed it off my dad and paid her final payment. I never told her. I didn't want it to be a thing between us. Took me years to pay Dad back. Was worth it though.

JustPassingByCarryOn · 30/12/2020 05:45

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StylishMummy · 30/12/2020 05:54

My first pay packet (I was on £3.57 an hour as a Christmas temp) and I sent the lot to a local riding for the disabled charity.

I've rehabilitated a badly burned dog after she was thrown out of a moving car Sad

HumousWhereTheHeartIs · 30/12/2020 06:04

There is a woman - no idea of her age but maybe 30s or 40s - who walked constantly round the town where I live and surrounding areas. She was out in all weathers with a backpack on but often without a coat. I think she had additional needs. One day she was walking down a country road in howling rain and wind. My daughter, who was about 10 at the time, said she felt sorry for her. So we stopped the car and tried to give her my coat. She wouldn't take it but she did take an umbrella.

I haven't seen her for years and often wonder what happened to her.

TinySongstress · 30/12/2020 06:19

I was in a McDonald's late one night with my friends and an older lady came in, she looked homeless or certainly in a very bad way, had a little trolley full of objet d'art and her belongings in carrier bags. It was deep winter and she sat in a corner emptying coins out of a cup and counting them, trying to figure out if she had enough for a coffee or trying to warm up I suppose. After about 5 mins a staff member came over and told her she couldn't be there and had to leave, there was much sniggering from behind the counter and he practically manhandled her out. As I saw her eventually get together and start to wander off up the road I ran after her and gave her a £20 note telling her 'you just dropped this in McDonald's, it was under your chair'
She didn't say much, I didn't want thanks. I shot off quick.
I often wonder if it helped. I certainly hope it didn't hinder...

Choccorocco · 30/12/2020 06:49

One of the kindest things anyone has done for me...

I was in the very early stages of pregnancy and realised I was miscarrying while at work. Couldn’t do anything about it so kept working, fairly distraught, and then picked up my toddler from childcare on the way home. When I arrived home, I discovered that my mum had locked the gate to the garden and entrance (basement flat, with the front door around the side of the building), using a key that she had found, and she had gone home to another city, so I couldn’t get in. I sat on the path with my head in my hands, confused toddler at my side, and wept.

Suddenly a friendly face appeared and a lovely lady asked me if I was ok - I didn’t mention the miscarriage but just said I was locked out. She gave me the keys to her flat (she lived locally) and told me to let myself in and post the keys back, since she was going on holiday. She didn’t know me at at all, and to this day I am touched that she gave me refuge while I waited for my keys to be returned, trusting me to be respectful of her home. What a woman. Made an awful day so much better and gave me faith in the kindness of strangers.

I try to be kind in daily life although probably don’t achieve it anywhere near as much as I should. However I do tell my kids that if there is a choice between being right and being kind, it is usually better to be kind.