Random acts of kindness

[NuclearNed]

I think most of us agree that evil, injustice, and suckage in the world are at an all-time high. It also seems like there are a lot of posts in ATOT devoted to anger, hate, and revenge (among other bad things). It doesn't matter if you have a religious background or not, it seems pretty clear that the only way to make the world better is to get off our asses and work to make it better.

So post an act of kindness that you have done. If you can't think of one, lets hear some pledges from people about specific things you will do either today or in the next few days.

Here's mine:
Yesterday as I left the gym, a couple of young foreign guys drove up and asked me where the nearest campground was. Even though their English wasn't real good, it was apparent that they were doing some cross-country touring, needed a place to stay, and were hopelessly lost. My buddy and I tried to tell them how to get to the nearest one, but we couldn't make them understand. So finally I volunteered to drive several miles to it and let them follow me. They were very appreciative, and relieved to find some help in the middle of rural Tennessee (I'm sure they were certain they were going to be raped and killed by banjo playing hicks).

It wasn't much, but it was something small I could do to help someone out.

my prediction: this thread doesn't last through lunch
my hope: people get a little inspiration to make things quit sucking quite so badly

 

[Lola]

I try to do unexpected this for random people just because i think it might brighten up an otherwise dull day for someone.

I always hold the door open for anyone.... even if they are several steps behind me.
Just recently, a customer (and somewhat of a friend) of ours who is quite housebound needed to get a rental car but she had no way of going to the rental car place. I set up the car for her and went to get her on my lunch break so she would not have to take a taxi.

Also, when i see an older person in the parking lot of a grocery store loading their bags into their car, i will offer to take their cart back/put it away for them.

Nothing earth shattering, but i enjoy helping people, even if it is a small act.


Good thread, BTW!

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
I think most of us agree that suckage in the world is at an all-time high.

If that were true, the world would be a happier place.

 

[loic2003]

I fairly frequently stop at bus stops and pick up people who are waiting. Of course, you can only offer lifts to men as women will think you're some kind of hyper-rapist, which I'm not, pretty much.

 

[SirChadwick]

I work w/ a guy who is 85 yrs old and refuses to retire. He still types w/ a hunt and peck style and barely knows how to navigate on a PC. But he knows his job like the back of his hand. I saw him in the break room one day trying to get a Hershey bar and it got stuck... he shook the machine but was just too weak to get it to drop. I shook it for him, but still no luck. He finally just gave up and walked out saying I guess God doesn't want me to satisfy my sweet tooth today. I ended up swinging by the store on my lunch break and picked him up a Hershey bar and put it on his desk. I know it's not much, but I would rarely do that for anyone else except a raging pregnant woman. Sometimes old people get to me I guess. It seemed to really brighten him up and made his day.

 

[SirChadwick]

I also love to give stuff from the Wendy's 99 cent menu to homeless people. I won't give them $ to buy booze, but I'll gladly fork out some change and drop off some food.

 

[John P]

My wife was at the Starbucks drive through several months ago and the car in front of her paid her tab. The cashier said people do it all the time. Anybody else ever encounter that?

A few months ago my neighbor's dogs (Thai Ridgebacks) got out of their yard and one got hit by a car. I didn't know them (the neighbors) very well and the dogs were known to be not the nicest, one actually snapped at my kid when he tried to pet it - it was leashed and the neighbor was holding it. Anyway - I know these people love their dogs so I had to do something. Another neighbor lady lured one dog with a sandwich and I got the dog's owners cell phone number off the dog's tags. I called her and told her the one dog had been hit by a car and needed to get to the animal hospital immediately - it had visible head and hip injuries but was still walking around. She totally freaked out and started crying. It took her a good 45 minutes to get home so we wrapped the injured dog in a blanket and I talked to the dog unitl she arrived - I had called the animal hospital and they had said to not let it go to sleep. I would have taken it to the hospital myself but I was afraid it would snap at me if I tried to pick it up. If she had taken any longer to get home I would have taken it there myself. Anyway - the dog recovered and my neighbors really appreciated the effort we put out to look after their dogs - we chat on a regular basis now. On a side note - the other uninjured dog I got the phone number off had to be put down because it kept attacking the owners and the other dog - so I had good reason to be wary of them!!

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
I think most of us agree that evil, injustice, and suckage in the world are at an all-time high. It also seems like there are a lot of posts in ATOT devoted to anger, hate, and revenge (among other bad things). It doesn't matter if you have a religious background or not, it seems pretty clear that the only way to make the world better is to get off our asses and work to make it better.

So post an act of kindness that you have done. If you can't think of one, lets hear some pledges from people about specific things you will do either today or in the next few days.

Here's mine:
Yesterday as I left the gym, a couple of young foreign guys drove up and asked me where the nearest campground was. Even though their English wasn't real good, it was apparent that they were doing some cross-country touring, needed a place to stay, and were hopelessly lost. My buddy and I tried to tell them how to get to the nearest one, but we couldn't make them understand. So finally I volunteered to drive several miles to it and let them follow me. They were very appreciative, and relieved to find some help in the middle of rural Tennessee (I'm sure they were certain they were going to be raped and killed by banjo playing hicks).

It wasn't much, but it was something small I could do to help someone out.

my prediction: this thread doesn't last through lunch
my hope: people get a little inspiration to make things quit sucking quite so badly

you just helped out some guys in the Amazing Race. :Q

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: John P.
My wife was at the Starbucks drive through several months ago and the car in front of her paid her tab. The cashier said people do it all the time. Anybody else ever encounter that?

no.

but i have seen that on a commercial.

 

[ModeEngage]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: John P.
My wife was at the Starbucks drive through several months ago and the car in front of her paid her tab. The cashier said people do it all the time. Anybody else ever encounter that?

no.

but i have seen that on a commercial.

The stupid ford commercial, yes.

On topic: Does bumping this thread so it doesn't die before lunch count as a random act of kindness?

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: n30

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: John P.
My wife was at the Starbucks drive through several months ago and the car in front of her paid her tab. The cashier said people do it all the time. Anybody else ever encounter that?

no.

but i have seen that on a commercial.

The stupid ford commercial, yes.

On topic: Does bumping this thread so it doesn't die before lunch count as a random act of kindness?

I'll help!

Really though... a few months ago, our high school got a new exchange student, from Russia/Ukraine or somewhere around there. Anyway, one day me and my friend were walking home, when someone calls to us behind us. Lo and behold, it's the exchange student. um... Long story short, she was lost and we helped her get back to where she was living.

 

[pclstyle]

dunno if this qualifies exactly as 'kindness', but-

when traffic gets bad at the tolls between boston/cambridge/allston - especially with the non-ezpass/fastlane booths - i'll give the operator a 10 to cover the next 10 people going through. pretty cute, people look bewildered for a few seconds when they're waved through, till they realized what happened.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
I think most of us agree that evil, injustice, and suckage in the world are at an all-time high. It also seems like there are a lot of posts in ATOT devoted to anger, hate, and revenge (among other bad things). It doesn't matter if you have a religious background or not, it seems pretty clear that the only way to make the world better is to get off our asses and work to make it better.

So post an act of kindness that you have done. If you can't think of one, lets hear some pledges from people about specific things you will do either today or in the next few days.

Here's mine:
Yesterday as I left the gym, a couple of young foreign guys drove up and asked me where the nearest campground was. Even though their English wasn't real good, it was apparent that they were doing some cross-country touring, needed a place to stay, and were hopelessly lost. My buddy and I tried to tell them how to get to the nearest one, but we couldn't make them understand. So finally I volunteered to drive several miles to it and let them follow me. They were very appreciative, and relieved to find some help in the middle of rural Tennessee (I'm sure they were certain they were going to be raped and killed by banjo playing hicks).

It wasn't much, but it was something small I could do to help someone out.

my prediction: this thread doesn't last through lunch
my hope: people get a little inspiration to make things quit sucking quite so badly

[continued]
I then proceeeded to lead them into a secluded woods, where I met up with some of my banjo playing hicks....

 

[maximus maximus]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
I think most of us agree that evil, injustice, and suckage in the world are at an all-time high. It also seems like there are a lot of posts in ATOT devoted to anger, hate, and revenge (among other bad things). It doesn't matter if you have a religious background or not, it seems pretty clear that the only way to make the world better is to get off our asses and work to make it better.

So post an act of kindness that you have done. If you can't think of one, lets hear some pledges from people about specific things you will do either today or in the next few days.

Here's mine:
Yesterday as I left the gym, a couple of young foreign guys drove up and asked me where the nearest campground was. Even though their English wasn't real good, it was apparent that they were doing some cross-country touring, needed a place to stay, and were hopelessly lost. My buddy and I tried to tell them how to get to the nearest one, but we couldn't make them understand. So finally I volunteered to drive several miles to it and let them follow me. They were very appreciative, and relieved to find some help in the middle of rural Tennessee (I'm sure they were certain they were going to be raped and killed by banjo playing hicks).

It wasn't much, but it was something small I could do to help someone out.

my prediction: this thread doesn't last through lunch
my hope: people get a little inspiration to make things quit sucking quite so badly

you just helped out some guys in the Amazing Race. :Q

LMAO

 

[Ilikepiedoyou]

I probably should start preforming these random acts, I will from this day forward, and post about it

 

[Glavinsolo]

I keep a 24 pack of bottled water in my car constantly since I may not be home for 16 hours sometimes. Well my office is on the outskirts of downtown so we have a good amount of homeless. I'll always give them the water and any food I may have with me.
I also help Mexican's cross the border.







jk

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
I also help Mexican's cross the border.

ROFL.

Anyway, I try to be random acts of kindness whenever I can, big or small.

It's barely a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things, but to the person who's on the receiving end of kindness, it could make all the difference in the world to them... at least for that day

 

[maximus maximus]

This is a nice thread. Like to read acts of kindness. :beer: to OP.

A few days back, I saw this homeless guy begging for some food and water. He was quite young (30-35). I asked him if he was ready to do some work for me.

I took him to my house and the backyard needed a little bit of cleaning. It took him like an hour to clean it up. I then game him some food and water and some money.

He now comes to clean my house on a regular basis and I have also recommended him to a few of my friends and neighbours. I think he is doing good now.

As they say..."Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime".

 

[Mucho]

If I see a strangers at my favorite watering hole I usually buy them a beer.

 

[Glavinsolo]

The downfall on kind acts happened when the news stations got desperate. One day someone got murdered or raped when trusting a stranger and now everyone avoids everyone else. Maybe we should emigrate to Antarctica for freedom to do random acts of kindness and separate ourselves from the states making our own government and currency.

 

[DrPizza]

I retired from the pizza business a little over a year ago... I worked for a very popular restaurant, that was more or less a family run type of business - all the workers were family or good friends of the family. Well, the owner's son has his wedding reception this weekend 5 states away, so I volunteered to come out of retirement and work 75 hours in 6 1/2 days so that most of the staff (all except the high school kids working for us) could all go to the wedding. (I also volunteered the help of my two sons who are working on alternate days.)

While working, I've helped out quite a few kids who didn't have enough money for what they wanted... a couple kids attempting to pool their money together fell a few bucks short of what they needed. I tossed in the rest for them.

And, I frequently give away farm-fresh brown eggs from non-caged chickens to my neighbors (value $3.50 per dozen).

Drove through a volunteer fire department boot drive; gave them all the money in my pocket. Great bunch of guys, and top of the line firefighters.

 

[Patt]

I stopped on my way into work for a woman who was stuck on the side of the road. Her tire was flat and she had absolutely no clue what to do. Although I'm generally mechanically retarded, I put her spare on for her and sent her on her way. She offered me money, but I told her instead to invest in a CAA (Canadian AAA equivalent) membership

 

[DefDC]

This happened about 10 years ago, but it still makes me smile.

While living in the dorms at college, there was a quiet guy that I was fairly friendly with, but he didn't seem to have many close friends. One evening he walked into my room, and looked really bummed. I asked what the problem was, and he said, "It's my birthday today. Nobody knows, and even my parents didn't call me." I distracted him, ran down to the vending machine, (keep in mind that all of us dorm rats were VERY broke) and bought a "Hostess Choc-o-licious" and knowing that he was a cigarette smoker, obtained some cigs and pushed them into the cakes as candles! I came back in the room with some other dormies and sang "Happy Birthday"! He actually cried! He ate the CoLs and smoked the cigs and REALLY seemed to appreciate the gesture!

 

[Glavinsolo]

Originally posted by: DefDC
This happened about 10 years ago, but it still makes me smile.

While living in the dorms at college, there was a quiet guy that I was fairly friendly with, but he didn't seem to have many close friends. One evening he walked into my room, and looked really bummed. I asked what the problem was, and he said, "It's my birthday today. Nobody knows, and even my parents didn't call me." I distracted him, ran down to the vending machine, (keep in mind that all of us dorm rats were VERY broke) and bought a "Hostess Choc-o-licious" and knowing that he was a cigarette smoker, obtained some cigs and pushed them into the cakes as candles! I came back in the room with some other dormies and sang "Happy Birthday"! He actually cried! He ate the CoLs and smoked the cigs and REALLY seemed to appreciate the gesture!

Only in America

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: John P.
My wife was at the Starbucks drive through several months ago and the car in front of her paid her tab. The cashier said people do it all the time. Anybody else ever encounter that?

haha...if I were the cashier, I would charge them both. :evil: