Random acts of kindness

StinkyMunkey

Another thread reminded me of this situation.

Have you ever helped or been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness.

Was in Cyprus many years ago, rented a moped out for a few days. Anyway I went for a spin along the coast one day, got a good few miles into the journey and the moped cut out. I'm standing there scratching my head in pretty much the middle of no where. This car pulls up shortly afterwards and a couple of youngish guys get out (locals). The ask what's wrong, I didn't know. They looked at the moped and tried staring it, discovered after a few seconds it was out of petrol. The guy go's to the boot of his car and comes back with a canister of petrol, puts some in the moped and happy days. I offered money but they refused. Love the Cypriots.

One day I'm driving home on my bike towards Balbriggan, I see a guy pulled over standing beside a vintage motorbike. I turn around after passing him and pull up behind him. I ask is everything ok, he asks do I have tool kit in bike, I gave him the generic tool kit that comes with a lot of bikes that under the seat. Long story short, I give him a lift home, then return to put lock on his bike.

Love Karma tbh.

actuallylike

I used to sometimes pay for the car behind me on the M50 toll, whoever it may be. I'd never acknowledge them, just drive off and leave them wondering. Always felt that that would put a smile on someone's face.

They've made it harder to do it now that's it's all automated and you drive through at 100kmh. I keep throwing my €2 at their windows but I'm not getting the desired effect.

ITS_A_BADGER

One time this guy stopped me and asked me for directions, So I gave the guy directions, even though I didn't know the way. Because that's the kind of guy I am

nocoverart

I have never come across any of these "Random acts of kindness" you fondly speak of. I meet nothing but basterds! I often opened doors for people and not a thanks weather it be Young/Old Male/Female, now I just slam doors in you basterds faces. LOVE KARMA!

reap-a-rat

Was having a bad day a few months back. Was on a complete downer, had a fight with a really good friend, fecked up an important exam and just felt like absolute sh!t. So I'm walking home trying not to burst into tears but I can't hold it in. I stopped the canal side of the Salmon Weir bridge in Galway (for anyone who knows it) opposite the back of the courthouse and sat on a wall and just cried to myself. Kept the head down but couldn't help crying. I was trying to decide if I should just end all the sh!tiness once and for all, to be honest.

Next thing, I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see a woman about 50 looking down at me. "Are you ok, pet? You seem upset, if you want to talk you can. If you don't mind, I'll sit down next to you for a while. What's your name?" She kept asking questions and didn't really intrude - she told me of some of her woes etc. She was such a warm person, so kind. She made sure I had tissue to wipe my tears and then asked me if I'd like to grab a coffee.

We had such a good chat - I think it helped her to open up about her fears and it helped me to feel like even a stranger can help me even when I'm low. I can't really explain it much more, the conversation just helped so much. When we parted, it turned out she had been made super late for a meeting with a friend because she stopped to comfort me. I am so grateful to that woman, I don't know what I would have foolishly done that day but for her kindness.

I only half remembered her name but from a few other details, I managed to find her in the phonebook and I sent her a thank you card and letter and perhaps a poem just to let her know how much it meant to me that she stopped to be my shoulder to cry on when I couldn't have needed one more. I think of her often and I wish her all the happiness in life.

Random acts of kindness are the bestest. I've commited quite a few and had plenty in return. They don't have to be big - putting smiles on faces doesn't take much effort at all.

I'm so stealing the toll one!

SouthTippBass

Changed a womans flat tyre for her in the car park of M&S. A very manly thing to do by the way :cool:

cartell_best

OP, Karma is the business. A good few years ago, I was in college and as I was boarding a bus in Bus Aras to head home, there was a girl in front of me. If memory serves me correct and from what I could hear from the bus driver's loud voice, he was stopping the girl from boarding the bus because she had a student return ticket and couldn't support it with the USIT card (at the time, she was heading home on the return journey). The girl was explaining why she couldn't produce it (to this day, I honestly don't know why), but can remember her saying that she needed to go home and that she hadn't enough money with her (we were actually from the same town and I didn't know it, I'm one of those people who sinks into a seat with head phones on and the world shuts off).
I know the bus drivers have a job to do and they could have an inspector jump on the bus at any stop. But this driver was having none of it. He just wanted the girl off the bus. As she turned, I could see she was upset. Like a lot of ye, I hadn't a huge amount of money. I stopped her as she tried to make her way down the steps and just gave the bus driver the difference. I never told the girl my name or anything. Sunday evening when I got back to my digs in Dublin, I received a call from my Mam saying someone called to the house and dropped off what I think was something like £4.00 at the time (that's how small the amount was and the bus driver carried on like a fool over it). It turned out that I went to school with her brother and he recognized me when he collected her that night she arrived back home, but I was gone before she had a chance to say anything.

I think that's just the first selfless act I can remember doing. Ever since, that genuinely stays in my mind when I encounter situations that needs empathy or compassion (that you realise is someone or something that needs that little bit of help and not a pi*ss taker). Since that, I haven't done things for reward or self gratification, but knowing that some day when I'm stuck in a position I need help, someone will do the same.

racso1975

I posted on here a while ago about my wallet been stolen and my money for the week with it. I honestly could not believe it when people pm'd me offering money etc. It more then restored faith and I actually cannot describe how great it made me feel. Now I did not accept the offers but the thoughts and generosity was just astounding

If you guys are reading this thanks again. It meant so much.

As for my acts of kindness........well i dont like to brag:D

SouthTippBass

racso1975 wrote: »

........well i dont like to brag:D

I do, did you read my one about changing the tyre? Awesome :cool:

racso1975

SouthTippBass wrote: »

I do, did you read my one about changing the tyre? Awesome :cool:

True but it's like that saying give a man a fish...........you should of stood over her a directed proceedings so she'd never be stuck again :P

fingerbob

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_Me

Rich11

actuallylike wrote: »

I used to sometimes pay for the car behind me on the M50 toll, whoever it may be. I'd never acknowledge them, just drive off and leave them wondering. Always felt that that would put a smile on someone's face.

They've made it harder to do it now that's it's all automated and you drive through at 100kmh. I keep throwing my €2 at their windows but I'm not getting the desired effect.

so it was you who cracked my windscreen:pac:

Musefan

Was walking down o'connell street with some things I had just bought in the "euro general" store. I'm a student and I was trying to kit out an apartment for things like tupperware, soap dispensers, cleaning cloths etc etc. It was raining and the paper bag was getting increasingly wet. It split on the pavement and I was scrambling to pick everything up, upset that all the new things I had bought would get ruined.

A man saw me and came out of the "bag shop" with a very pink zipp-able bag with a bright yellow smiley face on it. He handed it to me and I thanked him and asked how much it was. He waved me away and went back into the shop. Always thought that this was so nice

EoghanIRL

ITS_A_BADGER wrote: »

One time this guy stopped me and asked me for directions, So I gave the guy directions, even though I didn't know the way. Because that's the kind of guy I am

That happened before . I was walking the dog with my dad and a guys asked for directions to a town . My dad sent him off on the complete wrong direction by a mistake

monkeysnapper

It's happened to me a few times where I'm about to buy a parking ticket and someone who's leaving car park stops me and gives me there's which still has a hour or so on it. Really nice ,

I once found a neighbours dog that had been missing for a few days, they have a little girl who was missing dog like crazy , I remember feeling really happy with myself as I'd run across a river, got bite, covered in muck . And lost both my own dogs in the process as I just darted off after theirs,

I did find mine thank god and little girl brought me over a box of chocs and bottle of wine. Found out later the next week mrs gave my bottle of wine away when she went to a friends house. The bint!!!

mickdw

monkeysnapper wrote: »

It's happened to me a few times where I'm about to buy a parking ticket and someone who's leaving car park stops me and gives me there's which still has a hour or so on it. Really nice ,

!

Ive done that a few times but I half the time I got an odd reaction so I dont bother anymore.

mountai

Years ago , I had a business hiring out Boats on the Shannon. A family asked me could they take a boat out for a spin as a celebration for their Sons big day (Communion) . Having agreed a price , off they went and when they returned I refused to take the money as I knew they werent exactly flush so to speak . "You are a deacent man" I was told. If I"m that deacent ---- Why do Mods keep admonishing me and closing my threads !!!!!

Super-Rush

A nice random act of kindness would be for someone to use the search function for a change.

Wattle

I used to live in Tralee and loved visiting the West Kerry / Dingle area. Anyway I'm driving out Slea Head direction one day when the car breaks down. It was winter so there's not too many people about. I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere. I can't call the AA as I'm not a member. I have absolutely no idea how i'm going to get myself out of this jam other than trudging for miles to get help. I'm standing there about 5 minutes scratching my head and wondering what to do when this local guy pulls up in his battered old car. He gets out and asks me do I need some help. He tells me he knows a bit about cars and has a poke around under the bonnet. He tells me he has this mechanic friend who has the part I need. He drives about 15 miles to his friends house gets the part, drives me back to the car, fits the part and makes sure the car is running ok. I offered him money for the part but he refused to take it. All in all the whole thing took about 2 hours out of his day. He didn't have to do it but he just did it out of the goodness of his heart. I felt pretty humbled by the whole experience.

fasttalkerchat

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote: »

A nice random act of kindness would be for someone to use the search function for a change.

Boo!

cartell_best

Wattle wrote: »

I used to live in Tralee and loved visiting the West Kerry / Dingle area. Anyway I'm driving out Slea Head direction one day when the car breaks down. It was winter so there's not too many people about. I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere. I can't call the AA as I'm not a member. I have absolutely no idea how i'm going to get myself out of this jam other than trudging for miles to get help. I'm standing there about 5 minutes scratching my head and wondering what to do when this local guy pulls up in his battered old car. He gets out and asks me do I need some help. He tells me he knows a bit about cars and has a poke around under the bonnet. He tells me he has this mechanic friend who has the part I need. He drives about 15 miles to his friends house gets the part, drives me back to the car, fits the part and makes sure the car is running ok. I offered him money for the part but he refused to take it. All in all the whole thing took about 2 hours out of his day. He didn't have to do it but he just did it out of the goodness of his heart. I felt pretty humbled by the whole experience.

That chap is sound out! fair play to him. Karma!

pushkii

A few years ago a little girl was walking her dog on a lead with her mum the dog broke free from the lead and ran across the road with oncoming cars i ran across the road and saved the dog from being hit by a car and brought him back to the little girl. The mother didn't even thank me! :-(

monkeysnapper

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote: »

A nice random act of kindness would be for someone to use the search function for a change.

All this lovely fluffy wuffy stuff and a mod comes in and gives us a shake and tells us to pull ourselves together . Boo boo to you indeed mr ferguson

GRMA

Not me, but a family friend was in the north years ago in the early seventies. Anyways internment had just started and he was involved with the NICRA and was staying in another members house who he didnt know. The guys wife was heavily pregnant at the time and the next morning the husband had gone out to do something or other and it was just the friend and the wife in the house.

While the husband is gone the army show up and are lifting people all over the shop. They smash the door in and start asking names, they were looking for the husband. As you can imagine they are very aggressive and the woman is going mad upset, so partly to stop them trashing the gaff more and harassing the woman and partly so the husband would be there for the birth he says he is the husband.

Gets lifted and got the ****e kicked out of him for about a week when he was getting interrogated before they finally let him go. In the meantime the husband and wife bailed south and she gave birth. Named the kid after the man who took his place.

Always thought that was a great story especially seen as he barely knew these people and was just sleeping on the couch

SuperGrover

Back there before Christmas I was on the train coming home from town with my wife and kids. Got chatting to this chap. Turns out he was destined for Carlingford but was getting off at Drogheda and hitching as a mate of his was supposed to wire him money owed but failed to do so. We chatted a bit about his best chances for getting a lift. I realised it was getting dark and Drogheda to Carlingford was some distance to be hitching.

So, I offered to bring him to our gaff (much earlier stop) to have a bite to eat with us and I'd drop him up to Carlingford after. He accepted. Awful nice fella, had a good chat on the hour's drive up. He was very grateful and he got home safe and warm with some food in his belly.

All's well.

2rkehij30qtza5

I paid for a family of tourist's car parking a while back. They were on front of me in the queue for the machine and when they got up to it they discovered the machine didn't take €50 notes, which is all they had. So I just gave them the money (€8). They were delighted and I was glad to be able to help.

black & white

Received: Driving to a funeral in the middle of nowhere in Roscommon last year and got horribly lost in Ballinasloe (little or no signposting), A local taxi driver spotted me and insisted on driving in front of me until I got on the right road, wouldn't take any money.

Gave: You have to be very careful with this one but a good few times I've been in the queue behind kids in shops when they're short some money for sweets and have told the shopkeeper I'd pay the difference. Done it twice for a pensioner when getting their groceries as well. Only a Euro or two so it's no hassle for me but the look on the kids faces is priceless.

CrazyRabbit

Thinly veiled "I'm a great person" thread.

I was in Tesco's queuing at the till and the OAP in front of me was rooting around in her purse for exact change to pay for her food. After nearly a minute of watching her, I just plonked down a fiver and told the cashier to use it for payment and give the woman the change back.

Not really a random act of kindness...I was just feeling very impatient.

Oh, and I stopped to help a motorcyclist who had a flat tyre. I had a bottle of tyreweld on me (bought and used a half bottle earlier that day) and a foot pump, so was able to repair the puncture.

About 2 years after that, my trottle cable snapped at around midnight on some backroad near Dublin Airport. Another motorcyclist stopped and between us we were able to hook up a temporary trottle system..albeit with a max speed of about 20mph I was very lucky as there are feck all vehicles on that road that late at night.

EDIT: hehe..snap with Black & White

Found this story and thought I'd add it here.
http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/12/19/inenglish/1355928581_856388.html

on December 2, Spanish athlete Iván Fernández Anaya was competing in a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre. He was running second, some distance behind race leader Abel Mutai - bronze medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the London Olympics. As they entered the finishing straight, he saw the Kenyan runner - the certain winner of the race - mistakenly pull up about 10 meters before the finish, thinking he had already crossed the line.

Fernández Anaya quickly caught up with him, but instead of exploiting Mutai's mistake to speed past and claim an unlikely victory, he stayed behind and, using gestures, guided the Kenyan to the line and let him cross first.

who_me

Had a kinda crappy final year in college (was a bit messed up with depression, and father who also suffers from depression attempted suicide a few weeks before my finals), so I deferred my exams for 1 year.

When I re-sat the exams the following year, the course had changed substantially; so I pretty much went on what I could remember from the previous year and ignored the new course content (I never, ever was a good student). Managed to somehow pass anyhow; but on my graduation day, a stranger ran up to me and my parents as we left the college just to say "You might not know me, but I'm one of the markers from the exam. I just wanted to say fair play, you obviously didn't study any of the new material but you answered well enough on the old material to pass. Well done". Don't even know how he recognised me, but funnily it was the highlight of the day.

Earlier on the same day, a complete stranger came over to help with my cape/sash for the graduation which I was obviously struggling with. Funny how even the tiniest thing can have a big impact, especially if you're already feeling low. Then again, I'm a big mushy dope.

Sirsok

I was on a train in Sydney when this homeless guy came up to me asking for change for a drink... I replied an alcoholic drink? He assured me no I said are you sure he said yes....said sorry mate can't help you have no change.....he sat down anyway silently after a few minutes I reach in my backpack and pulled a six pack of beer and said here ya go, opened the bottle an gave him a few smokes an got off at my next stop....guy was delighted and frankly so was I

scdublin

monkeysnapper wrote: »

It's happened to me a few times where I'm about to buy a parking ticket and someone who's leaving car park stops me and gives me there's which still has a hour or so on it. Really nice

That's the first thing that came into my head, I've done that a good few times where there's been loads of time left and ran over to someone just about to pay. They usually look really confused but then they're grateful when they realise what's going on so it's nice I haven't had anyone do it for me yet, probably because I park very early but I'm sure I will someday.

wobzilla1

Walking from a village back to my town one day and I heard a rustling in the ditch beside me.
Went to investigate and there was a cat there trying to walk on it's 2 front legs and drag the rest of it's body along.
I assumed it got hit with a car and had a broken pelvis or something. There was a tag on it's collar with an address on it from the village I was coming from.
I'm allergic to cats and hate the little bastards anyway but I was in a good mood so I picked the fat **** up and walked all the way back to the village and knocked up to the house on his collar.
Turns out he'd had a brain aneurysm and most of him was paralysed from it.
He ended up dying a few hours later but the owners kept thanking me for letting him die at home.
Got a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine too

itac

As several other posters have said, something that you consider a small act can easily be the saving of someone's day I honestly think that paying for shopping someone who's stuck/lost their wallet/is just a few quid short can make such a difference!

Had it done for me once when I lived in Newcastle, just arrive back after my Gran had died, & had £15, which was all the money I had left until I got a job. Had been told that day a job that I was gonna get was gone, and had no idea when I might get one. Walked back home depressed as feck, went in to do my shop, picked my food cautiously, and went to pay to discover the fiver had gone awol and I was short £2.50. I was trying not to cry and rushing trying to figure out what I should leave behind when the old woman behind me put in the 2.50 for me. I'm not kidding when I say it made my day, I would've cried all the way home (without my 2.50 worth of food!) and probably for the rest of the following ****ty week were it not for her.

So now if I'm in a shop and have money & someone's struggling I do the same thing. Did it for some students here in Maynooth last year, who were short a few quid and occasionally I leave my change in the vending machine at work & the parking meter in Sligo.

It's not a big thing, but then life is made up of lots of little lovely things, and the more often people do little things for one another, the nicer life tends to be!

itac

itac wrote: »

life is made up of lots of little lovely things, and the more often people do little things for one another, the nicer life tends to be!

scdublin

itac wrote: »

As several other posters have said, something that you consider a small act can easily be the saving of someone's day I honestly think that paying for shopping someone who's stuck/lost their wallet/is just a few quid short can make such a difference!

Had it done for me once when I lived in Newcastle, just arrive back after my Gran had died, & had £15, which was all the money I had left until I got a job. Had been told that day a job that I was gonna get was gone, and had no idea when I might get one. Walked back home depressed as feck, went in to do my shop, picked my food cautiously, and went to pay to discover the fiver had gone awol and I was short £2.50. I was trying not to cry and rushing trying to figure out what I should leave behind when the old woman behind me put in the 2.50 for me. I'm not kidding when I say it made my day, I would've cried all the way home (without my 2.50 worth of food!) and probably for the rest of the following ****ty week were it not for her.

So now if I'm in a shop and have money & someone's struggling I do the same thing. Did it for some students here in Maynooth last year, who were short a few quid and occasionally I leave my change in the vending machine at work & the parking meter in Sligo.

It's not a big thing, but then life is made up of lots of little lovely things, and the more often people do little things for one another, the nicer life tends to be!

I don't know if I'm just highly emotional, but this made me...well, highly emotional!!

hattoncracker

I did work in a mobile phone for 6 and a half years, and I did love to help people out... 2 things that stick out in my mind..

I had a customer call the store one day saying her son was on a foreign trip and he needed credit to receive a call but she couldn't get through to customer care to top up and could we Do it for her. We aren't allowed to key cards so I took his number and sent him credit from my own phone.

Another lady was a mature student, she's doing a degree, and got a High end handset on a contract and we had a good chat about life and everything. She came back a few months later and had had her phone stolen while she was in queuing to sign for her btea for the year.. She was really really nice, but kind of broke down a bit and got upset. I arranged to meet her the next day and gave her my old phone, and I keep in touch with her to see how shes getting on! If I hadn't left I would have sorted her out with a new phone in time for Christmas.