When was the last time a stranger did something kind for you ?

[steve2470]

I'm still waking up, but what REALLY sticks out in my memory was the time a complete stranger bought me a can of FixAFlat, for use with my flat tire. She had obviously overheard me lamenting my plight to AAA on the phone, went into the store, bought it, handed it to me with a smile.

Impressed the hell out of me! I'm sure there's something more recent.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

[Sherman A1]

1. A great topic

especially today which is Giving Tuesday.

Nothing comes to mind right off hand that was directed to me, I have on several occasions put a few gallons of gas into vehicles for those who needed help when stopped at the local Quik Trip.

[steve2470]

5. very kind of you! nt

[easychoice]

2. Thanksgiving day

My neighbor who is from Chile invited me to share dinner with her family.She knows I live alone and me not having family around disturbed her.
She is a lovely woman.

[elleng]

3. Last that comes to mind, last Christmas,

at friend's house, friend was out with his church friends, I wanted to make chicken soup so went to grocery for an onion, a necessary ingredient, but guess what: Christmas Day grocery stores are CLOSED!

In parking lot, I met a woman and her husband who were making a similar quest. I confirmed the store was closed and mentioned what I was looking for. They invited me around the corner to their apartment, where they gave me an onion for chicken soup, a lovely Christmas gift!

[steve2470]

4. Corollary question: When was the last time you did something kind for a complete stranger ?

I told a woman the other day she was excellent at her job. She smiled and said that made her happy.

[Number9Dream]

6. I reunited a lost dog with its owner

This happened a couple weeks ago. I was getting out of my Escape, after work, when I noticed a medium sized brown dog sitting in our side yard, just looking at me. I'd never seen the dog before. I held out my hand and talked to it, but it wouldn't come to me. After putting up the garage door, and going in, I turned to find the dog was now in the garage with me. Its face was white with age, and I could tell it was cold. Noticing a collar, I was able to find a tag with a phone number on it, and the name, "Sadie". I put the garage door down to keep the dog from disappearing, and phoned the number. I left a message on their answering machine. Fortunately, the man called back after fifteen minutes, saying he too had just returned from work. Thirteen y/o Sadie had apparently sneaked out that morning. He lived about a mile away, and came over immediately to retrieve her. He thanked me profusely.

We've done a number of good deeds over the years, including bottle feeding 3 week-old, abandoned kittens.

We've never been the recipients of any "good karma". That's one reason why I don't believe in what goes around...

[steve2470]

7. very kind of you! nt

[orleans]

15. i have never believed in that karma idea (what goes around comes around)

and for a very simple reason: years ago my dear, sweet, lovely, young friend was violently murdered when she was seventeen, her body was found several days later, no one was ever caught or charged with this crime. the lives of those who loved her were never the same.

since then no one has ever been able to convince me that "karma happens" and "what goes around comes around" because that would leave her deserving of what happened and that is absolutely impossible.

i've had people try to tell me it was something that happened in her past life that brought this about--which i also believe is a crock of shit.

i believe you do these acts of kindness for others because you are able to and you know it is the right thing to do--you have the ability to show and use compassion. you don't do it thinking you'll be rewarded at a later time. you do not have an ulterior motive in mind (by hoping to be rewarded later) and that makes you a genuinely kind and caring person, and those who know you are better because of it.

what you did for sadie (and the man she lived with) was wonderful. (and, of course, those kittens.)

[Arkansas Granny]

9. Over the weekend. I noticed a wooden crate behind an empty business not far from my house that

was apparently being used as a temporary shelter. There was a bicycle parked against it, plastic over the top and I could see a sleeping bag and a couple of plastic bags inside. Later that day, I fixed up a bag containing warm socks, a couple of wool hats, a pair of gloves, a fleece throw and some food items that don't require refrigeration and don't require heat to prepare and placed it outside the makeshift shelter. No one was there at the time, but when I checked back later, the bicycle was back and the bag was not in sight.

There are many people who cannot go to the homeless shelters, for one reason or another. Sometimes it's because they have a pet with them that is not allowed, sometimes they can't meet the no alcohol/no drugs policy of the shelter, some don't feel safe at the shelters. Living alone, I can't invite a total stranger to stay at my house, but I will keep an eye on this spot and help again when I can.

[steve2470]

10. awesome! nt

[Bertha Venation]

27. A woman after my own heart. n/t

[NJCher]

28. I love this story

One reason is that it has this element of anonymity in it. I like the idea of putting that package together, tucking it inside, and wondering how the person who was the recipient looked when he/she found it.

Very clever, imaginative, and caring. Hugs to you, Arkansas Granny


Cher

[Arkansas Granny]

31. I have to admit that one of the reasons I wanted the anonymity is because I

know absolutely nothing about this individual. They could be someone who's just down on their luck, someone with a criminal record or mental illness. All I know is that they are apparently living rough right now, for whatever reason, and it's cold outside. I don't necessarily want them to know who I am or where to find me. I live alone and have learned to be cautious about things like that.

[CBGLuthier]

13. I walked four miles yesterday to return a stranger's stolen wallet

While walking the dog I found the scattered remains of a stolen wallet. This included two bank cards, a consular card, and a SNAP card. I took it all home and went through all of it until I found one card with a phone number and address on it.

I thought the house was closer so I walked to it but it turned out to be about two miles away due to having to detour around the highway and such. I walk a few miles every day but when i set out I thought it would be a light day.

The woman it belonged to was very happy to get it back but she did not speak much english. She seemed to be indicating that someone at a neighbor's house may have stolen it.

I am trying to build up cosmic good will as I am flying ten thousand plus miles in a few weeks.

[steve2470]

14. kudos! nt

[Le Taz Hot]

8. Yesterday.

The physical therapist currently treating my shattered right elbow was nice enough to treat my left side yesterday. Seems I've been overcompensating with my left arm and managed to pull a muscle and was VERY painful. Anyway, he didn't have to do it and I'm guessing workers' comp. won't pay for it. I thought that was pretty cool.

[steve2470]

11. that was cool of him! nt

[Scuba]

12. Yesterday, going to my guitar lesson, carrying the awkward case, and a fellow held a door for me.

I also had someone wave me ahead at an intersection yesterday. Plenty of nice folks around.

[orleans]

16. on monday--a five year old boy

was walking with his mom & older brother, they had just left a building i was headed into. i passed them on the sidewalk, not really noticing them. i was carrying a ton of stuff and this little boy ran back to the door, ahead of me, and pulled the heavy door open and held it for me so i could get in.

his mom didn't ask him to go back and do that for me. he did it on his own which, because of his age, made the gesture all the more wonderful.

as i made my way through the door i looked down at him and smiled. he was smiling up at me. and i warmly said "thank you, very much." and as i was thanking him, and he was beaming happily, his mother--who had turned around to see what her kid was doing--began loudly praising him ("oh, that was a very nice thing for you to do, etc.&quot and took away some of the special moment where i, this stranger, was expressing my appreciation & gratitude to this boy.

note to his mom: next time, wait until someone has the chance to thank your child for his kindness and thoughtfulness before you loudly (and rather obnoxiously) interrupt to shout your praises at him.

[NJCher]

29. well, yeah, but...

Maybe that's how the kid got to be that way in the first place?


Cher

[RebelOne]

17. A couple of weeks ago, my car overheated.

I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store and when I parked, I saw steam coming from under the hood. I called AAA for a tow truck because I was afraid to drive the car and was told that someone would be there in about an hour. I waited an hour and called AAA again and was told 20 minutes, so I waited and no one came. I was getting thirsty and went into a burger shop for a soda. I happened to mention to the girl behind the counter that I had been waiting for an AAA truck for over an hour.

She told me she would send one of the guys that worked there to look at my car. He did and saw my radiator was almost totally dry. He had two jugs of water in his car which he put into the radiator that was enough to get me home since I only lived about 1-1/2 miles from the store. And while I was watching the guy check out the radiator, a lady walked up to me and asked if I needed a ride. That was a wonderful offer from that lady, but fortunately my radiator had water and I could make home.

[steve2470]

18. very cool nt

[LiberalLoner]

19. I love this thread. I just posted something similar. We could start a movement,

I'm sure of it, if we did our best to be kind to someone whenever we have a chance. Even if it's just smiling at someone who looks tired and downcast.

[steve2470]

22. at the risk of sounding all 1945 corny.....

why not be kind, when you can ? Yea, sometimes I'm in a bad mood or sick, etc, and being kind is just too much, I can barely be civil. There's no such thing as too much kindness. IMHO.

[LiberalLoner]

24. You are awesome, Steve. :)

[steve2470]

26. you too!

[LiberalLoner]

34. Thank you!!!

[NJCher]

30. Yep

There actually is a nice side benefit to being kind as much as one can, and that's that you can go around in the illusion that the world is a kind, lovely place. I'd like to think it's like that, although reading the NY Daily News at night kind of blows that idea up in my face.



Cher

[Arkansas Granny]

32. "What goes around, comes around" doesn't just apply to the bad things a person does.

If you do good things, good things come back to you. If more people tried that, this would be a much better world. If nothing else, it makes you feel better about yourself.

[steve2470]

33. yep I agree nt

[mrmpa]

20. Last month...........I posted......

that a neighbor had given me $500 http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018682028

Last Wednesday, she did it again. I found an envelope had been slipped under my door, it contained $500 in $20 bills. There was a note enclosed, saying that I had saved a life.

Per suggestions from the original post, I have reached out to her brothers, however they have not contacted me.

[steve2470]

21. very very cool

Eta: It's too bad she probably can't afford to do that. It's one thing to be generous, another thing to impoverish yourself.

[LiberalLoner]

23. I think that some are really awakening now to how poisonous our culture is becoming, and so

You see a person here and there doing kind and or generous things.

I think 1945 corny is glorious!

I watch "it's a good life" every year and love the lessons in the movie....

[steve2470]

25. yea I'm all about 1945 corny, totally dude :p I like that movie too nt