To think the kindness of strangers can restore your faith in humanity

[Geegeehadid]

A warm fuzzy thread please - was thinking a couple of examples recently that made me so grateful for the kindness shown. One when my husband was in hospital after a serious accident the Uber driver insisted he wanted to give me the journey for free (I insisted on paying but was so touched) and secondly when our little cat was run over someone took him into the vets so they could identify him and call us. Both sad situations but a reminder of where people sometimes just look out for others.
In this world of a lot of bad news what are your examples ?

My DS was very very poorly in hospital with a brain tumour. On the first night I had away from him (I stayed in the hospital with him for 6 months with the odd night at home to see my other DS and get clean clothes) I felt able
to drive myself the hour and half journey back to the hospital. My car broke down. The recovery man was supposed to pick me up and take me
to my garage. Instead he drove me (and the car) to the hospital and dropped me off before taking the car back to the garage - a 3 hour round journey for him. He gave me his personal number and said if I ever needed picking up and taking there either he or his wife would do so on their own time.

the total love and gentleness shown by all the staff at the hospice my DS spent the last few days of his life in. He was only 18 but too old to be in a children’s hospice. The staff at the hospice had not had anyone so young there and they went above and beyond to help him and us in those last days be the best they could be.

the man who came to move the stena stair lift from my house after my DS died. He was meant to charge me for his time/service but refused to charge me.

a stranger from Mumsnet who drove out of her way to deliver me a food parcel at the hospital.

a stranger from Mumsnet who drove out of her way to deliver me a rose bush to plant in my garden for my DS.

all the strangers on Mumsnet that made me a minihug blanket that was driven to me in the hospice for my son.

the many strangers on Mumsnet who knitted me a woolyhug blanket and the lady who drove to my home to deliver it - I treasure it in ways you cannot imagine.

the kind man in my local frame shop who would not accept any money for an item of my sons that I had framed.

I had my 6th baby at 42, it was induced and very active to get her out. Afterwards I was exhausted and sitting on a chair after having a shower. The midwife gently patted me dry and them got down on her hands and knees and dried between my toes. Something so kind and motherly, I have a big family and I do the 'looking after'. I still tear up thinking about it.

I’d just had my first baby, he was premature and I’d just brought him home for the first time. I was a solo parent and didn’t even have a pram sorted. I had to walk with him in my arms to the chemist as he needed antibiotics and a woman said something like ‘are you sure you should be out with such a small baby’. It sounded so condescending, I wanted to cry.

The male pharmacist looked directly at me and smiled and said ‘I’m sure mum knows what she’s doing’ and the look on his face gave me such confidence that he believed I could do this. It’s 17 years ago now, but I look back and still feel grateful.

What a lovely idea, it's a pity the thread is so short. I do agree with you OP that the world is full of kind people.

I could give 2 or 3 examples of taxi drivers going above and beyond for me.

But the stand out experience is when my husband was taken seriously ill on holiday and we ended up in a Turkish hospital. We were on a coach tour, so the tour went on without us, and I was on my own in a strange place where no-one spoke English (and I certainly don't speak Turkish), and very scared about my husband's health. Before they left, one woman pressed £50 into my hands, saying "you'll have lots of expenses" - that's a lot of money to give to someone you hardly know. Others took my phone number and texted me throughout the next 2 weeks - I don't know how I would have coped without their support.

Yes I always wonder when people use that expression - do they really lose their faith in humanity then easily regain it when they experience a nice situation then lose it again then regain it and so on forever

Maybe I'm overthinking it

A few months ago I went to our corner shop for some bread, as I walked in a man was walking out, with a loaf of bread under his arm. The bread shelf was right in front of me, EMPTY! I loudly said "OH NO!" the guy turned around and said "I know what you're looking for, I got the last one, here you can have mine" and handed me his loaf of bread he'd just bought!

I was do shocked and thrilled, I didn't even offer to give him the money.

We were on holiday in Argentina and my husband fell over crossing the road at a junction. The driver of the car that was about to go jumped out and helped him up. Recognising that we were tourists, he asked if our hotel was nearby and if we needed help to get back there

Absolutely! It's those brief moments which do restore your faith in humanity and if I see anyone who seems to need help, or a tissue, I will go out of my way to help.

So many stories to tell of being kind to people and reciprocated with complete strangers.

That's why it's recommended to go outdoors and not stay in your own self dwelling bubble. Have a walk, a smile and nod, interact and have small talk. Sitting at a bus stop someone can tell you their life story, meeting other dog owners and a random conversation about shared love of animals, helping an elderly person with their bags etc.

My Mum had just died, and I was leaving the hospital. I didn’t know whether to go back to her house, where I had been staying on and off, or to go home. I went home, it was quite late, and sitting on the train, it hit me and I started full on snotty crying. A woman gave me a packet of tissues and sat with me until we got to Paddington, then popped me in a taxi and paid the driver, despite my protestations.

I broke down this summer and was pulled by the side of the road a guy in a white van rolled his window down and I thought here we go and he threw me a bottle of water. Then a boy leant me his phone charger as my phone was running out of charge. Both things really helped me that day.

In lockdown, myself and my DP lost our jobs, my contract ended I had to accept a lower level role for £10k less and his job started the day before lockdown and he wasn't eligible for furlough.

So we signed up for Deliveroo. Just before Christma, my application was approved, so I went out for my first shift. Made £50 in three hours, accepted my last job and as I turned into the drive thru' car park I drove over something sharp and my tyre popped and immediately went flat.

I limped my car into a space. Cancelled the order and started ringing breakdown, when a man tapped my window. He and his teenage son had heard my tyre bang and asked if I needed them to change my tyre.

That's was amazing enough. I offered to buy their meal as thanks and they'd not accept anything. They saw my Deliveroo bag in my boot and I explained it was my first shift and we'd signed up to do it to make ends meet. I then half laughed that my first shift's wages would go towards a new tyre.

With that they changed the tyre and left me, wishing me a Merry Christmas. I couldn't thank them enough.

I then sat in my car and got on the phone to cancel breakdown and the dad knocked on my window again, he then thrust something in my hand, and said take it, get your tyre fixed and have a good Christmas.

I realised he'd given me money, I started protesting and got out my car to give it back. He wouldn't let me and then said, "Look, I own my own business, I have it to spare. You're working hard and need a bit of help. Please take it and have a good Christmas."

I started ugly crying. It was just so nice of him. Not only to change my tyre in the cold, but then to give me £60 too.

When I was back on my feet financially I paid it forward and bought a £60 food shop for someone relying on Foodbanks.

When my dog got out of my house and was hot by a car and ran off in a panic, so many of my neighbours came out to help me, it was so kind. One family took my very upset children into their house and calmed them down and fed them whilst I ran after dog, one very kind lady ran after me with her dogs collar lead so I could get him home when I caught him, the people from the end of the road who stopped the car who hit him from leaving, the lady on a moped who stopped traffic when he shot across another road, and the two gents who finally helped me corner him on their driveway. Then the neighbour who drove me to the vet and waited outside, and drove me home.

Thankfully dog was fine, just bruised, but it really restored my faith in humanity watching my neighbours come together.

I broke my ankle this week and it was interesting that about ten people passed me sitting on the kerb and three asked if I needed help. A big kindness shout out to my colleagues who scooped me up and the two strangers who helped me and my wonderful daughter when trying to navigate into the hospital from the car park which was an utterly ridiculous process.

There have been a few times where I’ve been stuck with a broken down car waiting for recovery at the side of the road. Every time at least one person has stopped to check I’m ok and if someone is coming.
Younger brother was knocked off his bike on the way to work in the middle of nowhere, big bash on the head. Shaken up but only damage to helmet and bike thankfully. Scooped up by a lovely chap in a van and taken to work to be looked after.

I know what can happen, but I believe most people are kind. I want to live in that world so I try to be that person, I know what a difference it can make.

Last year I donated blood and, despite doing everything right (two breakfasts, lots of fluids, all the snacks) I felt terrible when I got back to my home tube station, which involves 25 steps up to the level of the lifts (so no step-free access). I made it up the stairs with two pauses, and I was perched on the fire extinguisher cabinet feeling awful, when a young man got out of the lift. He looked at me and said "Are you OK?" "Yes," I said, intending to add that I'd just given blood and it was low blood pressure, but the next thing I knew I opened my eyes to see an arm in a cream sweatshirt holding me up while he pressed the button for help. I remember thinking "Oh look, an arm," and I wasn't quite sure how it had got there, until I heard "passenger ill" and then I was so embarrassed. I was the person taken ill just off the train. Afterwards I thought how rare it is for people in London to notice things like deathly pale nearly-pensioners, but also he could have just taken my "Yes" at face value and gone on his way, but he still helped. So if anyone reading this is the mother of a nice young man in a cream sweatshirt who rescues people in tube stations, you did a great job :-)

During Covid my mum was dying with pancreatic cancer , her doctor came out to see her which was so kind but he prescribed stronger painkillers . I went to get the prescription filled feeling dreadful leaving my mum just incase something happened to her ( even though she wasn’t alone ) . When I arrived at the chemist must have been about 39 people before me , a pharmacy assistant went passed and saw the the prescription and and glanced at it , she led me away and had the prescription filled quickly , she obviously could see how important the medication was , I nearly cried with relief . Weeks later I dropped off a little thankyou card and a box of sweets .

A couple of years ago, but when my mum rang me to tell me my dad was dying and to get there quick, a really nice lady walked me through the city I was in and got me to the train station. She just chatted about nothing while I sobbed and was panicking. I'll never forget how kind it was of her to do that and I try to be more kind like her every day x

I was in hospital for a couple of months in my mid twenties. When I came home I could walk but my mobility was quite badly effected due to muscle weakness and I moved with a slow, strange gait.
The amount of people who let me go ahead/moved so I could sit/carried things for me was quite surprising to me.

And there are quite a few from when we adopted our LO.
We’d obviously told friends and family but not neighbours but a week after he came home, one of them knocked our door and handed over a card, flowers and some toys. Lovely in itself but during the chat he said ‘we always do something when someone has a little one.’ Probably shouldnt mean as much as it does to me but I think it was the fact they treated me the same as they would anyone who had a baby, meaning they see LO as much our child as a birthed baby would be, really touched me.

My work did the same, flowers for me (with a card that said all new mums deserve flowers) and presents for LO.

And when LO was having a huge tantrum while we were out at a park. He was lashing out at me but also crying and clinging on to me. I couldn’t calm him down (he’d only been with us a few weeks, DH had just gone back to work and it was one of the first times I’d ventured out on my own with him) so I just moved him to a bench and sat with my head down, stressed about everyone looking.
A lovely couple came up and just spoke to me. Didn’t comment on my ‘almost crying’ face and just started chatting about how hard toddlers could be/theirs was similar/sometimes they just need to get it out etc.
As soon as LO started to calm the woman started talking to him, distracting him with a toy dinosaur from her coat pocket, and when he was finally calm and back to playing the woman told me not to worry, all parents have been there and seperately, the man commented along the lines of ‘you’re doing a great job. So many mums don’t think they are, but you are.’
Honestly, I could have cried at the kindness.

Most people are kind, and there is more that unites us than divides us.

My mother in law had an accident and wasn't able to weight bare so I had to go with her into Gloucester hospital. My dh needed some medication which was at home 40 mins away, antibiotics as he had had sepsis and had several more doses to go and it needed to be taken at set times, father in law was driving and we had a small child which dh after taking his medicine could look after. Anyway I went with mil until the hospital and waited in a&e dealing with a very frightened mil. We were starving and tbh so thirsty although I managed to sort the thirst by getting some water for dmil and myself then refilling the jug and helping others waiting to get water. About 2 hours in a lady appeared in the waiting room and asked if we wanted any food. I said i wasn't the patient just a family member. She said I'm here to give food to everyone who needs it... Do you want a sandwich or pasta. That hot pasta was the best food I've ever eaten. Literally. I never forgotten it. Dmil was panicking and in a terrible state as very frightened and I'd be keeping her calm. She managed to eat Abit of food too despite her fear. I actually wrote to the hospital to say thank you. Dmil was on crutches for weeks, still not great but at least can walk with the aid of sticks.

I work on a ward and it often warms my heart. We quite frequently get people in for long stays with no visitors, and it’s so common that a kind person visiting another patient in the bay will befriend them and bring them little gifts, or needed supplies or sometimes even do their washing for them

Saw a sweet thing in the supermarket today. A lady in a wheelchair was struggling with the till and getting her Apple Pay to work as the machine was too high to reach properly. She’d tried a couple of times and was clearly getting in a state. The lovely lady at the till closest to her stepped in and just paid for her shopping! It was less than £5 but such a kind gesture.

A few years back I was being bullied at work. I used to get a tram from a train station and there was a snack kiosk there where I’d buy a hot drink and a snack on the way to the therapist I was seeing after work once a week for the bullying. One day when I was there, he just handed me the hot drink and a muffin and refused to accept payment. I paid after that, but that one time it was really nice.

I also had another experience when I was going for a long contract interview within Government Legal Department. I really needed that contract and on my way out the head of the department was showing me out of the main exit and she said to me as we said goodbye she smiled warmly at me and said “don’t worry you have got one of the 2 contracts going”. She was lovely to work for and has gone onto bigger and better things within that field. Won’t name her as it’s outing.

So many times in my life thankfully. One that jumps to mind is decades ago we were driving late at night to get to my parents for xmas. 5 hours away two little sleeping kids in the back and our old car broke down on the motorway. A recovery van drove past, stopped and took us to the nearest hotel. Said he was coming off his shift and wouldn’t let us pay. The hotel gave us free breakfast and the receptionist helped DH take the alternator ( I think) out and to a garage he knew, fixed for 50 quid and back on the road by lunch time. Home and dry on xmas eve. We were young and looked poor probably ( we were ) and those lovely people saved us.

I find that so many people are helpful and kind in so many ways on a daily basis. I have too many examples to list here, but they are either small little quiet gestures that are like gentle stepping stones through my day, or they are much more grand gestures that take me aback in my amazement. But they happen constantly.
I most definitely believe in humanity.