AIBU to ask about something nice someone did for you randomly

[YetMoreNewBeginnings]

Inspired by seeing an obituary for a lovely wonderful, wonderful teacher from my childhood I’ve been thinking of the times people did something they didn’t have to do, just to be nice.

It’s to easy to focus on the bad things I thought it might be nice to have a thread of nice things people did just because they could or wanted too.

I had an appalling childhood. My parents were abusive and neglectful. My teacher when I was 6 was lovely. She used to give me her “extra” bananas or snacks in the morning or break times knowing that I was often hungry.

In the week of our school Christmas Fayre she ran competitions and blatantly made sure I won a “free” raffle ticket.

On the day of the fayre, which was the last day of school before the holidays, my raffle ticket won me a mystery hamper. It was in a lovely bag and contained those little boxes of breakfast cereals, it had crisps, and little individually wrapped biscuits. She’d even sourced the little things of milk that didn’t need to go in the fridge.

my older brother collected me and when we got home he helped me hide it and it was amazing in the holidays to be able to have secret snacks when I was hungry. I was the youngest by a long way so my siblings were much more adept at stealing food.

I only realised as an adult that my winning at the Fayre and the fact that I coincidentally “bumped into” her a few times in the summer holidays and she just happened to have odd foods leftover from picnics she’d been on weren’t at all coincidence.

She was instrumental eventually in me going to live with my grandparents.

Every Christmas for my whole life I’ve thought of that hamper. It was the best present I got.

Oh she sounds amazing! What a wonderful woman. Could you write something along those lines and send it to her family?

What a lovely memory! And a lovely older brother, who presumably was also hungry, so could have made the most of your prize too knowing that you wouldn't have been able to say anything.

I was going to say someone at work bought me flowers today to say "thank you". Totally unexpected.

Wow, what a wonderful teacher and so heartbreaking that you and so many other children are in that position.

My friend is a teacher in a deprived area and she has a breakfast station in her classroom with a toaster and cereal that all her class children can help themselves to without asking when they arrive for the day. We all give her outgrown DC coats that she can magically ‘find’ in lost property to give to the children who don’t have one in the winter. She’s wonderful.

in Covid, one of my colleagues used to leave things like a bunch of daffodils on my desk that kind of thing. Just a small gesture but it meant so much.

Oh my goodness what a lovely teacher, such a treasure.
During first lockdown, when we were all feeling scared and isolated, a neighbour from a few blocks away handed in a box of chocolates. Just to brighten up our day, such a lovely thought.

thats so lovely

I cant think of anything done for me off the top of my head but im sure there have been things.
The thread put me in mind of a life experience tale that still tickles me to this day though!

It was 2017 just a couple of days before Christmas and Ive always tried to do a random act of kindness around this time. I was working on North Bridge in Edinburgh and had just gone to Starbucks to pick up an Eggnog latte. Saw a woman sitting outside with a tartan trolley on wheels thing. She was late 70s -early 80s and looked both pissed off and frozen to the bones and was still sat there as I was waiting in the queue about 15 minutes later. When I ordered my Eggnog I also ordered a large tea and a muffin.
Went back outside and took it over to her and just said "You looked cold so I got you this, have a happy Christmas"

No word of a lie, she looked me dead in the eye, drew her coat close around her and said "DINNAE THINK FOR ONE FCKING SECOND THAT YER GONNAE GET MA PURSE YA WEE RADGE C*T" and flung the tea back at me.

She makes me grin whenever I think of it.

My card wouldn't work on the bus the last week, it was raining, we were soaked my dd ( asd) was having a absolute meltdown and my 2 year old was crying, the bus driver told us to get off the bus and the lovely lady behind us gave me £2 for the bus fare home, she helped my dd bk on the bus and even gave her some crisps from her shopping, really lovely lady who has no idea how much her help and kindness ment in that moment

🤣

Many years ago, DH and I were going on holiday. We didn't have a car so were getting a bus to the station. The bus was running late and we were just about to give up and phone a taxi, when a man appeared and said he'd seen us waiting with all our luggage and did we need a lift anywhere?!

Such a good Samaritan and we made our train.

@YetMoreNewBeginnings that was so lovely of her. I hope life is better for you now

Oh my god what a beautiful person. Have you contacted her family? If I were her family I'd love to hear this story.

Your teacher sounds like an angel.

I had a similar angel growing up.

My friends mum, she knew my parents were a bit shit, she wasn't aware I was abused though. I left my house early every day to go there on the way to school (which I now realise must have been really annoying) and she always made sure I had something to eat, and a snack for school.

I started my period at age 9 and my mother just called me a slut and that was that. I was mortified.

I told my friend I had started bleeding and didn't know why, as kids do, and she must have told her mum. I asked her not to as I was really embarrassed.

I was over there the following weekend and her mum had given my friend some books about puberty and periods, and we looked at them, I now know this was done so I would understand what was happening.

She also used to put sanitary towels into my schoolbag every few weeks, never said a word, just always made sure I had some, as well as the leaflet that told me how to put them on properly.

I'll never forget what she did, and also that she respected me not wanting to talk about it, and just did everything without comment, for years.

I'll never forget her.

When I was pregnant with DD I had terrible SPD. Walking was painful and stairs were almost impossible without help. I didn't feel safe to drive as I would have struggled to brake hard in an emergency, so I was taking the train to work. One evening the platform was changed at the last minute and the only way to get there was a foot bridge (no lift option). I was struggling to get across and loads of other commuters were pushing past me, tutting etc. A young man saw my plight, shouted to a friend on the other platform to try to hold the train then helped (well, practically carried me) me across and even helped me on to the train and to a seat. If he hadn't helped me I would definitely not have made it and would have had to wait an hour for the next train home. He and his friend were very big and tough looking but incredibly kind.

Not in the sane vein but completely unexpected and so lovely - yesterday I was getting the results following breast cancer op - my DS15 came home from school with a large bag of Malteasers that he put on my bed - he said he got them for me in case it had been bad news and if not they were to crlebrate

Lady at an ice cream van got my son an ice cream when they said they only took cash. I then left an Easter egg on my friends door step as she didn’t get one and was upset!

This is a lovely thread.
One of mine- years ago, I was out for a walk. A lady came out of her house, saw me passing and said to wait. She went in and came back with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me. They were packing their car for a trip so I presume the flowers would have been wasted. However, at the time I was going through a break up and thinking that people were all horrible, so that gesture meant a lot.

How lovely Op, it shows you that there really is some good in this cruel world.

It is nice when people let me in front in a queue in a supermarket, if i don't have many items, say excuse me and don't push in front. Random acts of kindness make life lovely.

Also:

The amazing lady that made my dc who is scared of lifts feel comfortable enough to get in one!

The man who stopped and spoke to my dc who was scared to get in the swimming pool, he patiently helped him with lots of helpful advice; my dc got in!

A thoughtful lady who topped up my busfare when I was a child, so i didn't have to walk home in the dark.

A lady in hospital on the same ward as my dm. She gave me sweets everytime I went to visit (now i know it is because she felt sorry for the situation).

There are probably more examples, but those come to mind. They brighten up even the darkest days.

My parents were addicts. Us children were severely neglected. I stole a bottle of milk off a neighbours doorstep one morning to feed to my crying baby sibling. Over the next few months until we were taken into care I would steal milk most days.Then loafs of bread, fruit and cereal started appearing and I'd take them too. I was only 8. I know that lovely neighbour left us that food and after seeing ss report as an adult, that it was those neighbours that reported and reported till something was done and we went into care.

This is a lovely thread.

OP that is so lovely it brought a year to my eye. I agree that if you have any way to contact the family they would love to hear that story. Various people told me stories about my mum after she passed away, some I knew and some I didn't but it meant so much to me to know my lovely mum had touched so many lives and I'm sure they'd feel the same way

Also a small but hugely appreciated kindness happened for me in a cafe at a NT type property last week. I was trying to carry a full tray whilst pushing my tantrumming toddler in the pram and it was absolutely heaving. I had just wrestled said toddler out of a wet sandpit so we were both soaking and filthy and I had that awful feeling like I was about to just burst into tears because I felt so stressed.

A waitress noticed and took the tray off me and helped me over to somewhere nice and quiet to sit, and even checked my tray and saw I hadn't picked up a spoon for toddlers yoghurt so went back and got one for me without me asking. I sent feedback to the cafe when I got home because I was so touched by the way she just went above and beyond for me

I once went to an ice cream van and the guy said he was celebrating the birth of his grandchild and gave me a double ice-cream and covered it in sprinkled even though I’d only ordered a single!

It was so lovely of him, and I was so grateful, although little did he know that this was actually my second ice cream that day, and I ended up feeling a little sick!!

Someone I knew at school, but hadn't seen for years and years, found out my Mum was dying and sent me a care package out of the blue one day. It was full of choccies and treats. Incredibly thoughtful. Made me sob with gratitude.

What a beautiful thread, I'm crying reading them. The kind people helping those of you who had difficult childhoods especially 💔

The love!y bus driver today when dd, who is 38 weeks pregnant, and I hadn't realised that the bus that usually comes round our estate terminates early when it is the last bus of the day (3.40ish!). He told us to get back on and dropped us on our estate after all. Thank you, kind man.

Some lovely stories here. Just to add to the warm fuzzy feeling, I'll add mine.

I was holidaying alone on a very small Greek island, where I was well known by the locals as I'd been going there for 20+ years.

I had a bad fall, and was taken to the nearest hospital, on another island, for a CT scan.

got back the next day. Everyone, from the young German girl that found me 12 hours later, to the islands medics, to the tavern a owners who delivered me meals, we're lovely.

the icing on the cake of this loveliness was when I eventually ventured out. I went to my usual cafe and, because I was very hungry, ordered a light lunch, followed by cake and ice cream, washed down with a glass of wine.

came to pay the bill and was told that a couple of island visitors had a!ready been in and paid for whatever I ordered. When I asked what they looked like, so I could identify and thank them, the lovely waitress shrugged and said they looked english.

I have no idea who these people were, but I have never forgotten their act of kindness.