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Original poster

Acts of kindness. Come share your experiences please to cheer me up.

87 replies

dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 01:06

So it's pretty crap here at the moment. The small town I live in (not in UK) has had its entire water supply infected with campylobacter(sp) and there are thousands here who are very ill. DH has been ill since Thursday and has lost 4kg, dc4 who is 23 months was up screaming most of last night as her tummy hurt, the others have temperatures. I have a fairly mild case luckily but still not good... Schools and kindys are shut, there were 360 away from school on Monday Shock

BUT in amongst this there have been some lovely moments of kindness. Yesterday we had a knock on the door and was a local cafe delivering us food for dinner for free as one of DHs colleagues had nominated us knowing we have 4 young dc and no family here. I cried! They delivered food to over 200 families out of their own pocket. And just now we had another knock on the door and was a company bringing probiotic juice drinks round the neighbourhood Smile A local store owner has paid for a water tanker out of his own pocket so locals could have free clean water as he saw so many people trying to buy water as the council didn't provide it quick enough. The local young orchards group is giving out free bags of apples later. The local sikh community is handing out bottles of water in the village centre. Its times like this you really see how amazing people can be.

Has anyone else got any tales of acts of kindness to cheer me up more?

OP posts:
HelloCanYouHearMe · 17/08/2016 22:02

Kiwis are bloody brilliant people....

A family member was in NZ travelling and was diganosed with cancer. The nurse looking after her asked where she would be staying once discharged and was having none of it when said family member told her she was going back to a hostel.

This lovely lady took her home and let her stay for 2 weeks to recouperate.

Debbie, if you are on here - Flowers for you

TangledUpInGin · 17/08/2016 22:10

When I had just split up from my ex husband and was shopping for my ds's birthday with a baby in a push chair and a huge balloon I went into a very nice chocolate shop and the lady working there asked me if I wanted any help to which I immediately started sobbing uncontrollably told her the whole story - she looked very alarmed at my outpouring but she gave me free chocolates and a hug Blush it was the kindness of strangers that got me emotional as it had been such a long time since someone had been nice to me Blush I'm all healed now and have since spent unholy amounts in that shop to repay her kindness (and satisfy my greedy streak Grin)

IveGotCheese · 17/08/2016 22:11

I was once stood at the bus stop in pouring down rain with just a thin jacket on. A bloke in a flash car and posh suit pulled up and ran up to me and handed me an umbrella and then went on his way. It was so kind of him Smile

Captainkanga · 17/08/2016 22:22

I once got a package delivered to me at work via our internal mail service. It was a beautiful box of chocolates with a note saying that the sender had picked my name off the staff directory at random, hoped they brightened my day and to pay it forward when I could.

I was going through a horrendous time and it really brightened my day. It still makes me feel warm and fuzzy now and it was five years ago!

I've done it a couple of times to pay it forward and I really hope it makes the recipients feel as good as it made me and not worry that they have a workplace stalker

OublietteBravo · 17/08/2016 22:24

I was in the cafe at work, and didn't have much small change. Someone paid the extra for me (the cafe staff get really sniffy if you try and use a £20 note).

Thank you Keith Smile

(I didn't know his name at the time, I've got to know him since)

DoloresVanCartier · 17/08/2016 22:32

I paid for an elderly lady's shopping today Grin well not all of it, due to illness I'm on no pay from work so we are pretty much on our knees but the lovely white haired grandma, she looked late 70's early 80's, had to put back a packet of fingers of fudge, chocolate digestives and a packet of mr kiplings, she was just saying to the cashier "oh well it's stuff I wanted but didn't need" as she was putting it back until her shopping came to under £12, I just told the cashier to add it to mine.
The lady didn't quite understand what had happened when the cashier gave her the biccies and things back and she waited on me outside when she realised to say she couldn't take the items, I told her to enjoy them with a cup of tea.
My DM is dying (she's 64) with terminal cancer and I hope that my RAOK might just go a little way with the big man to ease our path ahead Smile

WhatamessIgotinto · 17/08/2016 22:36

Mines also a small but lovely one. When my mum was dying in hospital I went to sit in the hospital chapel. I don't really know why, I'm not religious but my heart was breaking and I felt I had to be there at that time. There was an elderly man in there at the same time as I was, no one else. We sat quietly for a while and then he got up and lit a candle. When he walked out he came and touched my hand and said that he had lit the candle for me, to get me through whatever was making me cry.

I'll never forget him.

mowbraygirl · 17/08/2016 22:42

Today DH was taking his elderly sister to meet up with very old friends of her late DH. To get there you have to go up a country lane and only one car width wide but has passing places unfortunately DH hit part of the kerb that was sticking out and the front tyre was torn. Within minutes of it happening two cars of youngsters pulled up to help in no time they had the car jacked up tyre off and spare time on. DH was so grateful for their help they wouldn't accept some money to get themselves a drink next time they were out. I hope their parents are proud of them helping others.

Rainbowshine · 17/08/2016 22:45

A lady using a walking frame was struggling to pay for her parking at the hospital I work at. A young lad came over and helped her pay and walked her to her car, chatting away to her. They were complete strangers, as the people he was with came out of the building and asked him if he knew the lady and he said no she just looked like she needed a hand. I had a warm fuzzy glow after that, it restored my faith in humanity!

ChaChaChaCh4nges · 17/08/2016 22:46

Just after the Referendum, I was near Kings Cross and saw a white man spitting on a black man. I had to dial 999 and physically stand between them until the police arrived, when the white man ran away. A local dry clean employee offered to clean my dress got free (it was covered in spit).

Original poster
dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 22:48

It's really cheered me up in the midst of a pretty rubbish situation frock, always lovely to hear about the best in people

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LittleMissUpset · 17/08/2016 22:51

I was in Windsor today and someone in front of me gave a homeless man a bottle of Tropicana, he was so happy, the biggest smile on his face.

It was heartwarming and sad in equal measure though.

Original poster
dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 22:54

Missed all the posts after frocks, just read them and I have something in my eye now.... Wonderful people

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NaturalRBF · 17/08/2016 22:59

Today after DD screaming and refusing to go in her pram I had a cry at a DLR station...a lady came up and asked if I was ok and said that being a mum is super hard. She made me feel a million times better. I was trying to get DD to the childminder so I could go to work.

Thank you kind lady. You made a shitty day a bit better

Original poster
dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 23:00

It's actually made me remember some. When I was teaching in the UK I was on my way to work and there has been huge floods the night before and a lot of the roads were cut off. I managed to go through a deep puddle in my little fiesta at the same time as a truck came through in the other direction splashing water underneath the car and cutting the engine out, leaving me stranded in the middle of this almost lake. Two men in the van behind stopped, got out and waded through to me. They insisted I stay in the car whilst they pushed me out. They got drenched but they were so kind and helpful.

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Rainbowshine · 17/08/2016 23:02

It's threads like this one that make me wish MN had a tissue picture to stick in a post, as I bet you're not the only one with something in your eye. I have a bloody great eyelash in mine right now, honest...

BoaConstrictor · 17/08/2016 23:06

About 20yrs ago, I spent a few months working in NZ and it was only later that I appreciated how extraordinarily warm & welcoming people were. A friend of a friend collected me from the airport & let me stay with her for a few days by which time she'd found me a flat share with another friend of hers, one of the secretaries heard I was moving into an unfurnished room &, as her daughter had just moved to England, got her husband to meet me at the flat on the day I moved in with the daughter's bedroom furniture, all of the junior staff were always inviting me to drinks, parties or just over for a movie & the senior staff who had kids of about my age (21) were getting them to invite me out with them. There was a bank holiday weekend whilst I was there & I have never had so many invitations.
It was only when I was working in London a few years later & we had loads of NZ, Oz & SA staff that I realised they arrived & we just left them to it. On the whole, they were fine as they often had family or friends already here but I always made sure I asked what they were doing for bank holiday weekends (inc Xmas and Easter) and invited them to come & visit us if they didn't have much on, offered to lend various household & personal items (I haven't skied for 10yrs & my ski kit just lives in the office now as it gets borrowed by at least one colleague each winter!).

Original poster
dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 23:18

Yy to a tissue emoticon rainbow. And kiwis are indeed a great people in the whole boa at least in a lot of my experiences. There are a lot of very friendly caring people about.

We've actually just had very bad news that at least two of the safe water tankers provided have just tested positive for ecoli and to dump the water Shock. We haven't got any from them but I've rung round and posted to try and get the message out. BUT I will counter this with the fact I've just read one multinational company are currently sending down 14400 bottled of water from Auckland to us and my dcs school has just had two trucks worth of water delivered free to the school from another company. For every bad bit of news there is more examples of kindness coming through and this keeps us all going Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 23:35

I love all the examples you have shared, thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
dontevenblink · 17/08/2016 23:40

Sorry, me posting again, but I just read that the v big company who sent all the water down actually asked not to be named as they just wanted to help, reminded me of the pp saying the best kindness comes from those who are not self seeking.

OP posts:
SargeantAngua · 17/08/2016 23:59

I've also experienced the kindness of kiwis. I was on my gap year, 18, alone, travelling in NZ when I was in a really nasty road accident. I was 'just' bruised/cracked ribs/v bad whiplash, but very very shaken up (I had some horrible flashbacks months later and still struggle with the memories sometimes- there were fatalities in the vehicle I was in). I was looked after by the family of a policeman and then by people who worked for victim support over there for a couple of weeks while I got straightened out and was able to sort tickets home. Sometimes even at the grand old age of 18 and independent enough to be getting on ok on the other side of the world on your own you just need help and support and hugs and to be looked after when everything comes crashing down. I remember very clearly one morning when I was upset and the lady I was staying with pulled me onto her lap, hugged me and (with my permission - she had a strong faith that I don't share) prayed for me.

I can never thank those people enough for what they did for me. My parents went there on holiday a few years later and met and thanked them too.

Original poster
dontevenblink · 18/08/2016 00:19

That's so lovely you got looked after sargeant and that you kept in touch.

I've just had a little sob as a friend has just brought us round two big boxes of water she's been to collect for us as she said we'll be your whanau (maori for family) and look after you. All out family are in the UK so this means so much.

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AhCheeses · 18/08/2016 00:35

Dolores what a lovely thing to do. Thinking of you and your mum tonight... I hope life goes easy on you both Flowers

LittleMiss some of the homeless guys go to the treehouse cafe in Windsor.
If you go in there you can pay for a suspended coffee or sandwich. A cup will be set aside and if someone comes in who can't pay, or someone is just having a shit day and needs some kindness they'll be given a free drink or food. It's one of the most uplifting places I know.

Funnily enough, the story I wanted to share happened in Windsor too...
I was in the cafe of the big department store and I'd just sat down with a pot of tea while I fed a very young DS and I watched an old man reach across the counter to put his change into the tips jar.
As he did so the lady next to him said 'oh your hands are so cold! Here, let me warm them up' and she took his hands in hers and gently stroked them and warmed them up.
His face beamed at her kindness.

It really is the little things that make the biggest difference sometimes.

AhCheeses · 18/08/2016 00:37

Donteven, it's so lovely to hear your friends are there for you.
I hope it's all resolved quickly and your town starts to gain its strength back. It sounds like a very special place Flowers

FantasticRik · 18/08/2016 00:40

Sorry to hear of the situation you're in OP. Hope you all recover soon - thank you for starting this thread.

Mine is only a small one too, but was so lovely. I was in Tesco buying some odds and ends, and at the till realised I didn't have my bank card. I managed to scrape together a few pounds and asked the cashier to remove some of the items (including a little car DS had chosen).

I turned and began to apologise to the lady behind for holding her up when she handed me a £10 Tesco gift card. She said she'd had it in her purse for ages and would like to give it to me - I tried to politely decline but she asked me to take it, and to pay it forward when I got the chance.

It was so lovely of her. The next time I went shopping I gave £10 to a chap collecting for our local animal rescue charity.

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