One of the most interesting questions that have been debated by various philosophers for hundreds and hundreds of years is whether humans are inherently good or evil. Should we listen to English philosopher Thomas Hobbes who wrote that, deep down, all humans are selfish and unsociable? Or should we believe in the thinkers like Rousseau saying that every single person is essentially good? In all seriousness, let’s admit—we’ll most probably never reach an unambiguous answer to this difficult question.

But whatever the true answer is, after reading such things like this viral thread, I can’t help but believe that all humans are pure and gentle-hearted beings. In this thread, strangers are sharing some of their most wholesome secrets they’ve been keeping from others. With that being said, Bored Panda invites you to scroll down and look through some of the most heartwarming ones.

#1

Without revealing too much information, my previous job had a major perk: a lottery system in which the winners got to accompany a group to various locations in the world for a hybrid vacation/work trip.

I won the lottery one year and was selected to go to Istanbul.

I heard a coworker talking to her spouse on the phone about how bummed she was she did not get it (she was selected as my backup, but did not know who she was backing up). She had hoped to visit a long lost family member. She is a quiet, sweet, helpful person. Very behind the scenes, rather underappreciated.

I gave up my spot due to a “prior commitment”. She got to go instead. I had a great time looking at her pictures.

#2

I secretly drop pennies. For many years, my Uncle used to bend down and pick up every penny he came across, which was maddening to my Aunt who was worried the neighbors would see him and assume they were poor, needing every penny the could find. They used to tease each other about it.

My Uncle got cancer and passed away after a very long struggle. After the funeral we were walking to the car and my Aunt saw a penny, and said, “Oh John is thinking of me. He left this penny for me today.” So whenever I am around my Aunt, I purposely drop pennies on the ground for her to find. I haven’t been caught yet, and I hope I never do.

#3

I’ve had my cat for 18 years. I’ve had my husband for 3 years. He always wanted a cat and never had one.

Their love is strong and true, but obviously the cat is slightly more attached to/familiar with me.

My husband loves that cat so much, and gets a little bit of a thrill out of the idea that the cat loves us equally even though I had a 15 year head start.

What my husband doesn’t know is that I sometimes intentionally annoy the cat so that he will go snuggle with my husband instead, because it is so damn cute how giddy my husband gets about it.

#4

I’m probably late so this’ll get buried, but when I’m in the car with my military-hardened dad, he will occasionally go on long rants about how much he loves, respects, and appreciates my mom for everything she does, and he’ll start saying these things completely unprompted and out of the blue, and my mom has no idea.

I’ve started recording these with my phone without him knowing, and plan to throw them all together into one big file and play it for them on one of their anniversaries.

#5

My best friend’s mom passed away from cancer 4 years ago on Easter Sunday. She was like a second mom to me. She was very religious and always dreamed of going to Jerusalem.

When she passed away, my best friend became reckless and would try to drown his feelings in booze and cover up the dark with the bright lights of clubs and women. This went on for a couple years.

Eventually, my best friend hit beyond rock bottom to where he was living in his car with only a backpack of clothes and his mom’s ashes. I let him stay with me and he turned it around. He stopped going to bars. He started caring again. He started saving money. He decided he would spread his mom’s ashes in Jerusalem.

Well, he got into a car accident last month and totaled his car. Not his fault. Someone plowed through a red light. Medical bills and attorneys fees drained his savings. But it’s okay. He told me how there was a bank error and someone deposited $3000.00 into his bank account. He’s all set to be in Jerusalem around Easter and my Hawaii trip was postponed.

#6

Me and my friends once bought a valentine for a boy who wasn’t very popular in our class. We didn’t put our names on it, but he was so happy to have received one, he kept turning it over and over in his hands all day.

#7

Not about me, but it’s a secret that nobody knows except me. My dad walked out on me when I was 14, but he kept in touch with my older brother. He bought my older brother a car, a $3,000 DSLR camera (when they were a new thing), took him on trips, etc. He hasn’t said a word to me since I was 14, though. It’s f***** up. Anyway, when I turned 16 my grandfather went out and bought me a car. He’d have me over a couple weekends every month to help him around the house, help work on the boats with him, etc. At the time I thought he just needed help. I thought my problems with my dad were my fault for misbehaving for something, and that nobody in my family knew about them except me and my mom. The older I get, the more I realize my mom must have gone to him over the way my father was treating me, and he stepped in to help raise me. He was the best man I ever knew.

#8

I’m taking my science geek housemate to Switzerland to go to CERN at the weekend.

I’ve tricked him into taking Friday and Monday off work, stolen his passport, slowly been stealing his clothes from him when he’s hung them up to dry.

I’m an expert packer so I’ve fit all we need for the weekend in one backpack so it won’t look unusual when we leave for our ‘day out at the beach’ on Friday.

I was ill for a while and he was practically my nurse so I owe him. I LOVE surprises.

#9

On my dog’s 10th birthday, I anonymously donated $1000 to the shelter where I got him from. I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want to cheapen it. Frankly I wish I could have donated more; he’s my best friend and he walked me down the aisle at my wedding. He loves unconditionally and drools uncontrollably.

#10

When I was a kid I used to always twist the quarter machines on the way into stores just in case. Got lucky a couple of times and a few free toys. Now that I’m grown if I’m leaving a store with them I like to drop change into them if I have it and leave them half twisted.

#11

I’m taking my daughters to McDonalds and the movies after school today.

They have no idea.

They think we’re going home to do spring cleaning (which I already did).

I can hardly contain myself, I’m so excited.

#12

I’ve been saving up money for my parents retirement since I was 16. We lost almost everything in the 08′ crash including their savings accounts, their jobs, and our home, but they’ve tried their hardest to not let it impact my and my brother’s lives.

It’s not a lot right now, but it’s the least I can do.

#13

I’m a male ER nurse, with tattoos, muscles, and gruff voice. The L&D nurses sometimes send for me to calm down babies that cry a lot because I’m so good at it. My friends in my band, nor the guys that I box with know that.

#14

Saw a man in a wheelchair sitting in the rain. Asked if he needed help and he did. Pushed him to his destination, about a twenty minute walk.

Went home late and got scolded by parents who didn’t believe me.

I guess it’s a secret that it’s true!

#15

When I was 17 years old my BFF and I decided to take the snowmobiles out for a ride in the blizzard. We thought it would be amazing to hit some fresh forming powder and drifts. The visibility was low so we stuck to the main roads.

We ended up on a desolate road with two homes and acres and acres of farm land. As we got close to the homes we noticed some lights and went over to see what was going on. It turned out that the old couple living there had ventured out to the store to get food in case they got snowed in. They made the long drive and everything went fine (they had to have hit several drifts that were 1-4 feet tall). Things only went wrong when they slowed down to turn into the drive. They didn’t dare leave their car out because they feared a snow plow would hit it. My friend and I in full snow gear, helmets and face masks dug the car out and shoveled the driveway and made sure they got the car in the garage.

I thought that was the end of the story. I didn’t even mention anything to my parents. Lo and behold the next day at church this couple was there. Our church gives time for the congregation to get up and talk about their beliefs/faith building stories. Sure enough the old man gets up and starts telling about their trip to the store last night. He talked about getting stuck and worrying he would never get his car unstuck and destroyed by a snow plow. He then said two angles appeared, barely spoke, unstuck his car and disappeared as quickly as they arrived. He said that he had been pleading with the Lord for some help but figured it could never arrive because no one ever travels the road. My mom looked at me and knew it was me. She didn’t say anything, I didn’t say anything.

#16

I’m learning french, but i’m trying to keep it a secret from my french speaking dad so i can surprise him.

#17

My almost 16 year old thinks he’s saving for a car. He’s actually saved about $11,000.

He doesn’t know I’m going to buy him a car and he can use that money for something else.

#18

When I see two girls walking by and one is clearly more beautiful than the other I keep the eye contact with the less attractive one and smile. In school I was not very attractive, not very athletic and not very popular. There was a company of popular girls and a couple of them would always say hi to me, although they were not friends with me, congratulate me on my birthday, invite me to events. These little gestures can mean a world to people with low self esteem. Those small tokens of attention from those girls inspired me to get my s*** together in college, do sports, socialize more, pay attention to details, and not be an a******.

#19

A friend of mine has problems with paying his bills. His parents don’t support him that much and he can’t get a good student loan because of stupid regulations. He often containers food at a local super market and then invites me to dinner and to hang out. He is about to get his bachelor degree, and has to be in lab almost all day, thus he cannot work more than a few hours a week. I sometimes leave behind 5-20€ randomly lying around in his room to support him. He wouldn’t take the money if I gave it to him directly.

#20

I’m ten years older than my youngest brother but we’ve always been close.

When he was 5 he decided to test out whether or not Santa was real so he told our parents that he wanted Lego’s for Christmas when really he wanted a giant teddy bear from a store we go to a lot. (The only reason I knew about his test is because I overheard him talking to his friend when I was babysitting the two of them)

The bear was pretty pricey for a 15 year old without a regular allowance or a job that wasn’t babysitting but I got the money together and on Christmas day that giant teddy bear was sitting next to the tree with a tag that said ‘from santa ‘ on it. He was soooo happy 🙂

He 14 now and still has that giant Teddy bear.

#21

Every year for my mums birthday when we go on a night out, i give people money to buy two shots. One for them, one for my mum. I just ask them to go over and wish her a happy birthday and give her the shot. It’s great watching her talk about it to everyone that will listen, how so many people knew it was her birthday and she got all these free drinks, how special she felt. Its worth the money just to see her face light up and get that sparkle back in her eyes

#22

During the middle of my junior year of high school a girl transferred from another nearby school because she was bullied and sexually harassed both in person and online (ah, the days of ask.fm and formspring..). After a lot of digging online, I found her old ask.fm and eventually used a variation of her url to find her tumblr. After scrolling through her blog, I found out she was actually super into singing and that her idol was Haley Williams, the lead singer of Paramore. So one day in class I causally said that she reminds me of “this singer from a band I like” and the look of absolute joy on her face when I said Haley Williams from Paramore was absolutely incredible. After that, she was visibly way more comfortable and confident and she even got a few people together to rehearse as a band! They played at our school’s talent show senior year and the first song of their set was by Paramore. 🙂

#23

I leave quarters/dimes in gumball and prize machines at the grocery store in memory of my little girl. Only once have I managed to see a kid find the money and he was Christmas morning levels of excited about his good fortune. I bawled like a baby the whole way home.

#24

When my husband is out of town, I let the dog sleep on the bed. He’s not keen on letting her up on the bed, and therefore always wash the duvet cover and put on clean sheets the day he gets home. I think he thinks I just want to impress him with a clean, nice smelling bed but really… I have to hide the evidence of letting my furry 80lb snugglemuffin up for cuddles all night.

#25

One time when I was like 14, on my dad’s friend’s land, I was sitting on my quad parked next to my dad and his friend T. T’s nephew (9) and stepson (13) were riding their motorcycles around about 100 yards off when we hear a loud crash, and the kids yelling.

T drops his last beer, gestures to commandeer my four wheeler and he and my dad take off over there. I notice that the beer tipped over, so I pick it up, brush all the dirt off of it and sit it back up right where he dropped it. After everything’s said and done, scrapes and bruises accounted for, he comes back to find his beer standing upright. The look on his face was priceless, he thanks the ale gods for saving his beer, and told the story of his magic beer.

I decided I’d never ruin it. I’m the beer god. Sometimes I swap the almost empty beers in friends’ coozies out with fresh ones without them ever noticing. Nobody’s sure who does it. Gotta keep the magic alive.

#26

I once anonymously had 20 pizzas delivered to a local homeless shelter

#27

Back in college I liked to do special things for my friends in my dorm for Valentine’s Day. One year I taped chocolate boxes to their doors, and the next year I taped bags of heart shaped cookies. My friends would find out that it was me one way or another, but it was still nice to do something nice for the people I care about.

The next year, after the majority of my dorm friends had graduated, I still wanted to do something nice for the people in my dorm. I created about 150 little paper envelopes, to cover everyone that would be getting a special surprise. At around 2 a.m. I set out to taping these envelopes to all the doors on my floor (2 people per room) as well as all the RA’s on all the other floors. I then filled every tiny envelope with a few heart shaped Reese’s and Snickers candies. It probably took about 2 hours to completely finish. I know a few chocolates really aren’t that big of a gift, but I wanted everybody to feel some love on Valentine’s Day.

The next day, some of the RA’s posted about it on Facebook. They were saying that we had the best residents. It made me feel really warm and fuzzy inside, but I never let any of them know that I was the one that did it.

#28

An old lady was buying food for her pets, but she was about 7 bucks short and started sorting out what she could keep so that she could feed her pets and lower her bill. I knew the cashier and said put it all on my bill. The old lady started to cry, the cashier started to cry. Later the cashier told me the ladies husband is bed ridden and that little bit of help was probably a miracle to her.

#29

I read a news story about a valedictorian who made a fake Instagram account and wrote positive comments to people from his school so I did the same.

#30

I carry my dogs to bed when they fall asleep on the stairs so people don’t trip over them.

#31

When I can afford to, I tuck extra $20s in my parents’ and boyfriend’s wallets, so they think they forgot they had extra money. They’ve done so much for me, including covering my bills when I wasn’t able to, and none of them will let me pay them back, so it’s my way of secretly thanking them for their help and support.

#32

My dad is a car enthusiast, and has always said that he’d like to go to Cuba to see the old cars. He’s supported me and sacrificed so I could go to a good school, and allowed me to live at home during college. I graduate in May and have a job lined up and little debt. He turns 60 in October, and I’m planning on sending him and mom to Cuba for vacation.

#33

I work at a grocery store and a woman and her little girl went through with a cart full of groceries. It was the first week of the month and she was using her EBT card. For some reason is was declined and she started crying. She thanked us for trying it a few times and she didn’t understand why it wasn’t working. It was pay day and I didn’t make a whole lot as I was only a part time worker. However I went over to the bank in the store and cashed my check. I went to our customer service desk where she was on the phone with the bank and gave it over quietly. My coworker paid for the rest and we didn’t make it a big deal. She wasn’t paying attention and was just handed the receipt and told to go home and enjoy the day we took care of it. She cried harder and thanked everyone and asked for a manager and was telling her little girl that this was a miracle. We had to tell her to not get a manager because where I work giving money during your shift is grounds for suspension. I will always remember her gratitude.

#34

I start conversations with random people on the bus if it seems like they’re having a bad day. One of the most notable people was a Russian woman who seemed proud of having a pacekeeper and an elderly Japanese woman who I had to help navigate the bus system with my limited Japanese, ended up skipping class to make sure she got to her son’s place.

#35

My girlfriend thinks I’m going to miss her graduation this year since I go to school in a different state. But my last final is the day before her graduation so I’ll be landing back home just in time for it.

#36

Once I saw an old lady rummaging trough the trash looking for some food. I asked her what could I buy her and after insisting she asked me some meat to make some broth. I went in the nearest supermarket and gave her, and she thanked me profusely saying that she would remember me in her prayers (I’m atheist but obviously didn’t tell her, I thanked her). I’m a poor student and that week I ate a little less than usual, but it felt good. Happened 3 years ago and I never told anyone until now.

#37

My friend got his car smashed with a brick, windows smashed, and his camera stolen.

That camera was his life. He was one of our youth leaders at church, so a lot of the kids got together and bought him a new camera. I gave my entire two-week McDonald’s paycheck. A few years later, he asked if I was the one who gave their whole paycheck. I lied and said I didn’t and I didn’t know who did.

I’m not sure why I lied about it.

#38

Aunt was gonna be short for her rent. I paid the landlord and told him to say that she paid it earlier in the month. She was so happy about it. Made steaks for supper and paid extra on other bills so she’d be ahead of them.

#39

When my girlfriend and her kid come to visit, I don’t order pizza because I’m feeling lazy. I order pizza because it makes the kid super happy. I always make sure to get extra pineapples, because that’s the kid’s favorite, even though her mom and I don’t really care for them that much.

It’s worth eating pizza that is mediocre to see a 4-year-old beaming because she gets pizza.

#40

When Ask.fm was a thing, I used to spam the Question boxes of girls who had low self esteem with nice compliments.

#41

After getting a $100 tip t my catering company, I gave it to a family in front of me at the grocery store who’s cards were being declined. Felt good to do so.

#42

Have a really poor friend. Wear the same size clothing. I give him my old clothing but what he doesn’t know is I go out and buy new clothes just for him and I just say they’re stuff I got lucky with at thrifts stores, on super sale, or just stuff I got and didn’t like enough to wear more than once.

#43

Before my father died of cancer, he used to like to walk the Florida beaches every morning combing for nice new shells. My wife and I conspired to purchased a nice shell at a beach shop and distract him while one of us planted it in his projected path so he could find it. Probably the kind of thing he would have done for me when I was a kid.

#44

Bus tickets here have vouchers printed on the back of them, and I can get a ticket to the next town for £1.40 with my SU (Student’s Union) card. Whenever I get a McDonald’s (which is pretty often now that the monopoly is on) I use the voucher to get a big mac meal for £2.99 (iirc, it’s around there), and my SU card to get a free cheeseburger which I give to the homeless man sat outside. He’s getting a hot free lunch twice a week from me when I’m on my way back from the gym.

#45

One time my best friend and I went to a comic con and she dressed as a super obscure character that nobody knew about and she was getting sad that nobody recognized her costume, so I bribed a stranger with candy to pretend to recognize it.

#46

When my father died I anonymously sent $750 to my mother along with a condolence letter. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to all the medical/funerary expenses but I figured it’d at least cover minimum payments for the month. Taking that one to my grave

#47

I always sit next to and talk to homeless people on the subway. Lots of people avoid them, but I love their stories and seeing them light up after we talk for a few minutes.

#48

I offer people I know lifts home even if they’re totally the opposite direction to where I’m going, because walking home in the cold and dark sucks way more than an extra ten minutes in the car, and it’s nice having a chance to get to know people in that setting.

#49

My wife is under the assumption that our apartment is high enough that it doesn’t get cockroaches. I’ve killed a few to keep it this way. She must never know.

#50

There’s a certain place in my town where the homeless guys and girls go. I save £100 a month and spend it on essentials for them. Most of them are addicts and probably won’t ever get back into a stable place. So I just wanna help them live the life they have, however I have helped a very few get into night and day shelters, which in turn they got the help they needed. Of course, I’ve never told a soul other than you guys. The guys and gals I help think my name is Justin. I love seeing them smile every other Friday that I visit them.

#51

I secretly use my Dad’s loyalty card numbers wherever I go, but never the benefits. He is always super happy to have an extra 15% savings when he buys clothes, or 30 cents off per gallon of gas.

#52

I’m trying to write a book, and I haven’t told my family so that if it becomes big I can just suddenly pay off all their debts.

#53

I’m about to have “the talk” with my girlfriend’s dad before I propose. He’s a huge hockey fan, so I bought two tickets to the blackhawks’ first playoff game. He’s only had daughters so he’s never had the bonding dude experience of a few beers and live sports. Screw a casual get together, we’re going big.

I’m so excited to just show up at the house and be like “GET UP, GET YOUR GEAR AND LET’S GO I HAVE TICKETS”.

It’s super secret but I have to tell someone.

#54

I have 2.

I am currently helping a homeless guy I met on reddit get back on his feet. When I first met him he was dead broke and living in a shelter. In the past month he’s gotten on a provincial disability program which will give him an income while he looks for a job and as a result just signed a lease on a place to live. He’s still got a long way to go but in the next 2-3 weeks he’ll be stabilized in his own place which is amazing.

The second is that during the first year my wife was off work after my son was born I used to slip an extra $20-40 into her wallet a couple times a week somewhat randomly. She used to gush all the time about how well she was handling her money while she was on maternity leave, which always gave me a private chuckle. One day I’ll tell her.

#55

I tell people my animals don’t like others so they feel special even though my animals are super cuddly

#56

My kids have bank accounts into which I deposit their Christmas and birthday money. Sometimes their mom and I will agree to use some of that money to buy things for them, but I actually pay for it out of my own money and let their savings build up.

#57

I had a crush on someone and they once told me their favorite flavour of gum. From then on I would only buy that flavour so that I could always offer it to them and start a conversation when I got the chance

#58

When I’m playing Mario Kart with my dad I sometimes “accidentally” fall behind (Maybe I run into an obstacle or get hit by an item) so he can catch up to my brother. It makes him so happy and in turn, that makes me happy. Love you, dad!

#59

I love going prowling with my cat out in my street, he loves it so much and is so delighted to have me there, but i’m always terrified of being seen loitering outside my neighbours gardens at night without a good excuse/

#60

I help out homeless people who don’t have signs.

#61

When my mom was a professor I used to put a couple of positive ratings on ratemyprofessor.com at the end of the semester, that said exactly what she would have wanted to hear.

#62

my friend started a podcast and I would send him anonymous fanmail saying how much I enjoyed listening. I knew not a lot of people listened but I always did

#63

My wife thinks I share my food fairly with her. Joke is on her; she gets the best pieces/the larger slice.

#64

My partner has been working so hard on his weightloss (over 40 kg/ 80ish lbs) but I don’t want him to think that I only care about his weight loss. So when I compliment him on it I always make sure to add a compliment about him as a person too.

#65

My then best friend had her birthday money in her locker in middle school and it got stolen ($80, yes it was dumb, I think her mom was taking her shopping after school or something). She was really upset, of course, so I dipped into my very limited babysitting savings and slipped $40 into her locker with a nice note the next day without ever telling her it was me. I think I was 14 at the time.

#66

I always tried to motivate one of my gym buddies by helping him with the last rep(s) if he clearly wouldnt make it. Him saying “wow, did you see that last rep! I thought i wouldnt make it but i actually did! Going to the gym is paying off.” really lightens up my mood. After one of those sets he finished the next set with ease.

#67

My wife and I anonymously threw an entire xmas (tree decorations, gifts, grocery gift cards) for a teacher at my kids school who couldn’t afford Xmas for her 2 year old this year with the help of some co-workers. What nobody including my wife knows, is I also helped another stranger I met on Reddit with gifts for their kid.

#68

Every once a year or so I like to load up a load of videos of surprise soldier homecomings and cry my eyes out.

I’m a 28 year old Englishman who has absolutely 0 interest in the military but they just hit me right in the feel zone. Sometimes you just want to cry!

#69

Whenever I need a reason to smile, I think about how my partner does their hair a certain way (a lock of it falling over part of their face, it’s very curly and bouncy) before Skype calls because they know I like it that way. They pretend like it was unintentional but I think it’s cute that they try their best to make me happy. I love them so much.

#70

I would occasionally buy things for people who had wishlists on Tumblr who I followed anonymously. They didn’t know me, I didn’t know them, they just seemed like nice people. I’d never tell anybody IRL as I don’t want them to know I used Tumblr.

from Bored Panda https://ift.tt/37HqCzO
via IFTTT source site : boredpanda