Some folks tend to get more cynical as they grow older. After all, life often comes with all sorts of pitfalls and unexpected problems that can leave a person feeling like the universe is just out to get them. So it can be helpful to remember that, actually, there are good people out there.
Someone asked “What’s a random act of kindness you’ve experienced or witnessed that stuck with you?” and people shared their most wholesome stories. So get comfortable as you read through, upvote your favorite ones and be sure to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
#1
As a new mom, I had my special needs son at Disneyland when he was about 4. He had a complete meltdown. As he screamed and flailed, I got all kinds of dirty looks and muttered comments about how I should be controlling him, he was spoiled, he shouldn’t be there if he couldn’t behave, etc. It was extremely stressful for both him and me. He couldn’t control his dysregulation, I had him in a safety hold and was unable to do anything more than keep him physically safe.
Then a mom came up and said “do you need a juice box or some goldfish crackers? I have extra.” She even stuck the straw in the juice box for him. He was immediately able to calm down and regulate. I could have cried. All of those people walking past us giving us looks and comments, and one person recognized that he just needed some sugar and carbs to get through a rough patch. Now that my kids are older and I’m more experienced, I always look for ways I can help other parents in distress. It takes a village, but I wouldn’t have thought I’d find that village from a random stranger at Disneyland.
#2
I bought a dining room table off Facebook marketplace after my ex took ours during the separation. It was a tough season. Went to pick it up and there was no way I was fitting both the table and chairs into my vehicle. I also failed to bring bungee cords. The FB stranger, knowing very little of my situation, immediately loaded up her van with the chairs, helped me secure the table into my car, followed me home (all the way across town, tailing me to make sure the table didn’t fall out on the highway,) and helped me move the new furniture into my dining room.
It was one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me. I sent her a hand written thank you note and gas money, but there is no way to adequately express the gratitude I have for that person and her kindness.
Image credits: Lalalala_Mama
#3
My daughter came upon a teenage girl sitting on the edge of a bridge over the highway. My daughter pulled into a parking lot and walked over to the girl. She talked with the girl for about an hour and was able to convince her to get off the bridge. They got coffee and spoke for a while longer before the girl was picked up by friends.
Image credits: 1127_and_Im_tired
#4
This was about 10 years ago. I vaguely remember trying hard to hold back tears on the subway one night coming home from work. Someone walked past me and made a quick movement to leave something on the seat next to me — it was a tiny origami crane folded from a paper transfer ticket. That little act instantly changed the trajectory of my evening. I still have the crane in my jewelry box!
#5
We had an older couple that was quite well off (as in could have bought the dinner house I worked in) come in usually every Friday. If it happened on prom night they would watch all the highschool couples come in and choose a couple and buy their dinner. It was never the popular kids. It was the couple that was dropped off by Mom. Probably on a first date, a little awkward. They always left with a bit more confidence, grace.
Image credits: shappa357
#6
I went to Cook Out once in college. I was in a really bad spot because of a horrible TBI, and I had been crying in bed most of the day but finally ventured out that night for some comfort food. My voice must have sounded pretty horrible over the speaker, because as the guy at the window handed me my food, he said, “Hey, it sounds like you’re having kind of a rough day, so I put some extra caramel in your milkshake and extra cheese on your burger. Hope that’s cool.”
That was probably twelve years ago and I still think about him because it was just such an unexpected and sweet gesture. If you read this, Cook Out superhero, I’m sorry I started crying again after you said that- that was probably super awkward- but you are a wonderful human and I hope life has rewarded you richly for it.
Image credits: GinAndDumbBitchJuice
#7
My wife bought something off of FB marketplace and found out the lady selling stuff was a single mom moving out of state and had no help. My wife went over to her house every day for a couple of weeks and helped her pack up her stuff.
#8
When I was 16, I was at an employment provider appointment(they help you look for work if you’re getting unemployment payments in Australia). I was living pretty rough back then, all I wanted was for somebody to give me a chance. Lynda came out to me after the appointment, put $20 in my hand and whispered “please, get yourself something to eat”. It wasn’t a secret that I was in a bad spot, I was clearly malnourished, covered in bruises, and wearing donated clothes. I bought as much food as I could with that money, and cried while I ate it in a parking lot. I’ll never forget her.
Image credits: Scary-Educator-506
#9
I was working in a kiosk at a mall. I had just gone through a pretty rough break up that left me feeling worthless after I had been cheated on. I must’ve been pretty bad at hiding my emotional expressions because a random stranger walking by stopped and asked if I was okay. I surprisingly felt compelled to tell them I wasn’t. Which is out of the norm for me with a stranger. They asked if I wanted a hug and I agreed. I cried on a stranger’s shoulder and didn’t even explain why. They said that I will be okay and it’s okay to not be okay and that they hope I feel better soon and walked away after I thanked them and apologized. A complete stranger made me feel like I wasn’t alone anymore by hugging me and letting me cry on their shoulder. It really helped me.
Image credits: scrubberducky93
#10
Some time ago, I witnessed an act of kindness that left a deep impression on me… I was in a small coffe shop when an elderly lady reached the counter and, upon trying to pay, realized she had forgotten her wallet. She clearly felt uncomfortable and embarrassed, nervously apologizing. Just as the situation started to become awkward, a man who was further back in the line stepped forward, and without saying a word, paid for her coffee. He did it so naturally, as if it were something he did all the time. The lady tried to apologize, but he simply smiled and said, “Don’t worry, we all forget something from time to time. Enjoy your coffee”
What impressed me the most was the simplicity with which he acted, without seeking any recognition. It made me think about how the simplest actions, those that seem small, can have a profound impact on someone else’s life.
Image credits: bonbon_kelly
#11
I was in a coffee shop in denver downtown. There was a homeless guy in bad shape as well in the shop sheltering from a snowstorm. A stranger came in, saw the guy and went back to her car and gave him a package that said “homeless kit” , which I think had some packaged food, blankets, some papers and other things that I couldn’t see. Honestly, it was really cool to know something like that exists, and I genuinely think it helped him in the short term.
Image credits: bbrk9845
#12
My boss and I closed up the restaurant and he stuck around with a homeless guy. Sat down with him and they ate food together.
We were the last one’s out, so like 1am. Didn’t say anything about it, just walked over with a bag of food, sat down and ate with him.
Something so delicate about the simple stuff that makes us human.
#13
It was a hot summer day, and I was working minimum wage at the time. My card got declined, trying to buy a one gallon jug of water. The lady behind me goes, “Aww baby, don’t worry I got you. I started to tear up.
Image credits: Traditional-Jello-95
#14
I buy 5 or so Ikea umbrellas and keep them handy when driving around in the rain. Sometimes there’s a perfect opportunity to roll down the window and ask a pedestrian if they’d like an umbrella.
Recently a student leaving his class said his umbrella was just stolen and he seemed thrilled with the timing of the umbrella offer!
#15
A few years ago I needed to buy food for my kids and I for a few days. I had about $48 in my bank account. I was having a bad day and was in a hurry. I stopped by Walmart on my way home and started rushing through.
A man and a Walmart employee were talking in front of the last item I needed. I was impatient and they were talking for a while. Finally I removed my headphones (I was listening to music) to hear what they were saying. The man needed cabinet liners.
The employee didn’t know where they were so I interrupted and said I would take him. I rushed him to the other side of the store and pointed out the different cabinet liners. (I try to do random acts of kindness as often as possible)
I rushed back to the aisle I needed and grabbed my last item. I rush to the self checkouts and scan my items. It came to $36 and some change. I start to take out my card and the man taps me on the shoulder and insists on paying.
I will never forget what he did for me that day. Did he watch for me or was it an impulse when he saw me at the registers? I will never know the answer. It still brings tears to my eyes. He saved me that day and I can never repay him. He was my angel that day.
#16
When I was homeless and still with my ex, we would camp out at McDonald’s to use their wifi, and if we were lucky get a deal on food through the app.
It was close to Christmas time and we were there doing our usual thing, and a man got up and dropped a $100 bill on the table as he went out, not saying anything. I barely had time to say thank you as he went out the door.
Image credits: Oragami
#17
My mom was pick-pocketed at a Walmart. A few hours later a woman called saying she found the wallet – the thieves threw it on the side of the road. We met the woman to get the wallet. My mom offered her money for returning it; the woman refused and just asked her to pay it forward.
A few years later I found someone’s pet cat and arranged to return him to his owners. The owner offered me money for caring for the cat until she could come get him. I did the same as the woman who found my mom’s wallet, and refused any money and asked them to pay it forward when you are able.
#18
I was in Kerala, South India, trying to find an ATM on a busy motorway as my taxi driver had to a do a loop as there was no where to stop. A bunch of people figure out what was my issue and I was grabbed by the arm and helped to cross this insane motorway to an ATM on the other side of the road.
One of the guys watched my back as I painfully looked outplace. I didn’t think I needed help but as I was an obvious tourist they helped me cross again and we convene with my taxi. I was expecting they wanted some money but they wanted nothing to do with it.
They just saw a foreigner who was panicked, sweating like a waterfall, in a high stress situation and chose to help him.
Image credits: RighteousRambler
#19
Today the librarian must have noticed my 2 year old was reaching his limit of staying-quiet-and-not-grabbing-all-the-books and offered him a sticker just in time. I didn’t even notice she was there until she saved the day!
Image credits: Bombadil54
#20
May 2005 I was driving from Atlanta to Chattanooga. Car in front of me was pulling a trailer. A wheel came off and got lodged under my car. I was on the interstate and my car started spinning. My car went backwards down a hill until it hit a tree.
A woman who had seen it happen pulled over and ran down to my car to get me. She’d seen sparks under my car. It hadn’t rained recently and she risked her own safety to help me get out of my car. My door wouldn’t open, so I had to crawl out the passenger door. My shoe had come off and she told me, “Forget the shoe!” When we got to the road, she hugged me as I cried.
I wish I’d gotten her name. I’ve never forgotten her and like to think of her as my guardian angel.
#21
I once saw a AskReddit post asking what people wanted for Christmas. I said a InstaPot. Some stranger on reddit messaged me and sent me one via Amazon. That was like 5 years ago and I still use that thing every week. Thank you again fellow redditor!
Image credits: AceValentine
#22
I work at a coffee shop in a bad part of town. One of our regular customers rides his bike to one of his jobs, he stops in every morning for some coffee, well one day his bike got stolen, his only means of transportation. A customer overheard the hubbub and went out and bought him a bike, we had it waiting for him in our backroom the next day. Bike lock included.
#23
Actually it was my kids when they were nine. An older lady fell down in the supermarket parking lot and they both ran over and helped her up and made sure she was ok.
Image credits: 2nd_Pitch
#24
Standing in line at the packed grocery store, I waited in line. A teen stands in the back of a line one over, holding flowers. A middle aged guy in that line sees him and goes over to him, offers him a short introduction and a handshake then pays for the guy’s flowers. It was so random and so sweet. Right around homecoming time.
Image credits: prettysouthernchick
#25
ONE TIME, I was at a café, and a stranger paid for an elderly woman’s coffee without her knowing. When she found out, she smiled so big and said, ‘I guess there’s still magic in the world.✨’ It was such a small gesture, but the joy it brought her was unforgettable. 😊It really made me realize how a tiny act of kindness can ripple through someone’s day in the best way.🌟.
#26
ONE TIME someone did the pay it forward in the McDonald’s line in front of me. One. Time. That moment stuck with me so much (I was living in my car and 17 at the time) that for the past decade I have not stopped doing it when I can. I forgot to for a while. Maybe a year. I was “busy” so something in my gut said “just leave the change for the next person” last time I hit the drive thru. Man. I never look back for reactions but this time I did and this man (BIG MAN) had this beaming smile and I swear, I just hope I had a big smile like that when it first happened to me cuz those people deserved to see that. I was full of joy and so was he and it was a wonderful moment. We should all keep paying it forward every day even in the small ways.
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Image credits: Recycled_beaver8
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