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

[CarefreeandInnocent]

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?

I've done some really terrible things in my life so I try to redress the valence where I can now.

A PP has just reminded me that many years ago I secretly put £1,000 in a friends account because she wanted to move to Australia with her partner (having been an amazing single mum for many years, working 2-3 jobs to make ends meet.) She just couldn't afford the flight and was going to spend a year scrimping and saving.

At the time I was a very high earner which I never told that group of friends (old school friends) as it was so out of kilter. She eventually guessed it was me but I never admitted it.

That was 15 years ago and in between as I say I did some awful things. Nowadays I foster dogs and cats, volunteer for local charities and do many random acts of kindness without telling anyone and with no expectation of thanks.

No such thing as a truly altruistic act (still a cynic, albeit a nicer one) but I try to leave the world a better place for having me in it.

The kindest thing maybe was last year when I met a young boy on a train. His parents were divorced and he was travelling down the country to stay with his dad. His mum had put him on a train without a ticket. He must have been about eight. He had to change trains at the city I was getting off at. At the end of his journey he told me, his dad wouldnt be picking him up. He would need to walk half an hour to his dad's house from the station in the cold with his heavy bag

We both got off at the city and I bought him a ticket to his final destination. Then I bought him some magazines, drinks and sweets for the rest of his trip and took him to McDonalds whilst we waited for his second train.

Can't remember any kind things I've done must try harder!

But the kindest thing anyone ever did for me was on the London underground - lost my shoe as I stepped onto the train, it went down the side of the train and then the doors closed and off we went! I'm there stood on one foot and burst into tears - was on my way to my new job! And a lady just asked me what size I was and gave me the spare pumps out of her handbag (she was wearing trainers to go home in). I took her number and have them back later (with a large box of chocolates and s grovelling thank you!) but I have always remembered it as the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for me. She didn't have to!

I don't think I've ever done a really big kindness but I try to do small things regularly, feed the birds, took in a stray cat, community gardening, give to charity. I firmly believe if you've benefitted from others kiindness you should pass it on

I saved a mans life once
I had about 15 minutes to the end of my shift in customer care and his bloke walked in
There was something about the way he walked in that set my senses off
It turned out his wife had left him for another guy and he really felt his life wasn’t worth living-he’d popped in for one last burger before he went off to sling himself off a bridge that’s nearby
I clocked off,got changed and sat with him for over 2 hours talking him down off his mental bridge
He came back the following day to tell me I’d talking him out of killing himself and he’d gone to his gp and was getting help
I asked if he’d stay in touch but he never did
I really hope he did get the help he so badly needed and has made peace with what happened
If your reading this sir-I hope you did follow through with help-your not a waste to the nhs and I really hope your happy
I also had a lady who came in and went into labour while eating her selects
I held her hand and calmed her down until her partner got to us
She went on to have the most beautiful baby boy (she brought him in to show me)
Customer care is never boring!

@Mylittlepony374

Lovely thread, thanks OP

I was in a pub once when a group of men burst in and started a huge brawl because they got thrown out earlier. One of them grabbed a guy and was about to smash him in the back with a huge iron mallet. I jumped between them and shouted ‘noooo’ as he lifted it above his head to strike. And he chose not to hit me thankfully.

More stupid than kind but he would have been killed or disabled for life if he’d have brought that down on his back like he was aiming for.