Random Act of Kindness

My 5 y/o old son and I were at the grocery store the other day. A mom was shopping with her 2 y/o, who was having a complete meltdown and throwing herself on the ground. My son asked what was wrong with the “baby” and I said she was just frustrated. He asked if he could show her his “cool umbrella” (it was raining) and make her happy. I told him to go ahead. He walked up to the girl, stood over her and said loud enough “Excuse me did you want to play with my umbrella?” She stopped, looked at him with big eyes, smiled and was all fascinated with his “cool umbrella”. Once she was o.k. my son walked back over to me. The Mom mouthed to me “THANK YOU” and then thanked my son. We saw them about 5 minutes later and her daughter was still smiling. =-)

I recently was going through a fast food drive thru. I got my food. Then also paid for the person behind me. I hope I made her day.

We eat lunch out most everyday.

When we see police officers, military personell, firemen, etc......... we buy their lunch as a thank you.

I just recently saw an elderly man trying to buy something at the store. When the lady swiped his debit card, he didn't have any money on the card. I purchased all of his items and he looked at me and said thanks. I said no problem. The woman at the register gave me my two items free. She said that she have not seen that in a long time.

He just kept saying thank you as I left out of the store. He just looked like he needed a break that day. :)

About 2 months ago, I was at the post office. I am sure y'all know what a chore this can be with 2 little kids, especially if there is a line...I had to find the correct mailers, address them, and the whole while the girls are wanting to touch everything in there. Finally it was my turn, and the lady rung up all my items. I went to pay...and my debit card was missing. I searched and searched... my purse was a wreck! 3 year old whining, hanging on my legs, I was totally embarrassed and stressed out, especially since I was holding up the line. The woman in line behind me walked up and very nicely asked to pay for my items. She said she knew that one day I would see somebody in need and I would help them out. It makes me about cry just thinking about it!

I work downtown and was out running some errands and I watched a guy, as he was heading down the sidewalk, stop at each parking meter and drop in a coin or two. It made me smile.
I had a gentleman in the grocery store buy me some Spam.....long story short. I could tell he was in a hurry and we were heading up the same aisle. He was scanning the shelves and becoming frustrated. He was in the wrong section! I asked him if I could help him locate something and told him where I thought the Spam would be located and off he went. About 5 minutes later he comes and finds me and has a little sack in his hand with a can of Spam for me to try. In the brief conversation we had I mentioned I had never tried it. :) Needless to say it's still in my pantry, but it was much appreciated!!
When my son picked his card off of the giving tree at church he picked a boy close to his own age. I took him shopping to buy the 2 items that were listed. A pair of jeans and a game. My son turns to me and says "Mom, can we buy him some shirts and stuff to go with his jeans? If you don't have enough $ I can give you some from my piggy bank". My 6 y/o has the biggest heart!!!

I am on a fairly strict budget, so there isn't a whole lot financially I can do, but I will leave my quarter in the cart at Aldi, open doors for people, let others go ahead in line if they have a few items...

My Mom, on the other hand, is the master. She has been paying for piano lessons for one of her former students anonymously for years, she always adopts a family from the giving tree at church at Christmas, buys clearance baby outfits and donates them to the pregnancy care center, randomly sends my less fortunate Aunt grocery giftcards. She is such a wonderful role model of selflessness! When my kids are grown and I have more disposable income, I hope to be as generous!

My mom raised us to perform random acts of kindness whenever we are able and whenever we recognize an opportunity. We truly believe that "you reap what you sow" meaning you will get back whatever you put in, but more so. You put in a seed of watermelon that grows a vine with several fruits, and how many seeds do you now have an opportunity to do something with? We were also raised that you don't talk about someone's clothes unless you're willing to buy them new clothes, don't talk about someone's car unless you're willing to fix it, etc, etc.
After hurricanes, for some reason we had water but a lot of people didn't. We let people bring their families over to shower and feel human again. There have been times when someone didn't have the money for a sandwich at Subway, or they were a little short somewhere like a gas station (counting change to pay for 1 gallon or something) or if someone tarries and is really trying to figure out if they should get some lunchmeat or not, or how to be most frugal on what to buy at the Container Store for something for her dorm.....I've been in all those situations, and I will help when I see someone trying, but in a bad situation. If someone had a basket full of ding dongs or chips, no.....but buying milk or something? I've volunteered at all kinds of charities and donated my goods, time, skills, etc. Sometimes, people need a kind word or a smile, and that is all. One day I saw a homeless man with several dogs under a bridge, and I had a few minutes that day so I swung into a gas station and got him a few sandwiches, a big drink, and some water for his dogs, and a Bible. We just chatted. I was nervous at what to say, but all that came out was "Hey, just wanted you to know that you are special, and you have not been forgotten". I felt kinda dorky. But he talked to me for awhile, and it was nice to chat to him. I saw a family of 4 on a bus stop bench and thought they might be hungry. I had an argument with myself about that, as I was walking to Sonic to get a burger (this was many years ago, and I was poor! my car was broke, I walked everywhere I went). I was like "Seriously? How lame would that be to ask and them say no? I'll look stupid" but it was really on my heart to ask. So I just walked across the street and said "Hey guys? I know this sounds stupid but I was about to get something to eat and hate eating alone, would you guys like a burger, my treat?" The mom just gushed that they were starving, had been walking around trying to get things done all morning and had just missed their bus. So I went and ordered meals and we had a nice talk. I found out more about them and more about what they were going through, and was able to refer them to some help and the local food bank. I never saw them again, but I know they did get help. I've enjoyed overhearing someone's conversation at a restaurant (though we never spoke) and bought their meal secretly as I was leaving several times, and once I was touched by some people at a book store...their daughter was about the age I was when I really got into reading as a child. The dad bought some books and very proudly said "we got her a bookshelf" and he was beaming. It's such a simple little thing, but they were proud, and it touched my heart. I gave them my number, saying that I only had boys but had some wonderful books that I'd collected as a girl, that would be special to pass on to another girl. (My original collection had been damaged to humidity and being stored in cardboard boxes in mom's garage...they rotted. It took me a year to collect them all again off ebay, but honestly, they were for 10 year olds, not adults, there was no reason for me to keep them when someone else would love them). I think random acts of kindness is a great way of life. It becomes habit and you don't really even think about it, you just do it. It feels good to get your focus off yourself, ya know?
On the other hand: I've had AMAZING things happen to me too! One day after school we had NOTHING at all to eat (water and McDonalds ketchup packets, that was all). I looked in the fridge and thought "Well here's an opportunity to see what I really believe". I sat my roommate down and I told her all the wonderful things that God had done to get me to that school (including 1st year's tuition being paid for by a total stranger that I saw once in my life!) and then I had her tell me all the wonderful things God had done for her. Then I was like "OK, He didn't prove Himself faithful all these times for nothing. He didn't bring us out here away from family and friends for us to starve." So we prayed and thanked God for everything He had done, everything He was doing, and everything He'd do in the future, because we knew we were taken care of. Then I got up and went to work with no dinner. When I got to work, my manager said someone was passing out coupons for free burgers and he saved one for me. Cool, now I had dinner. I put it in my pocket and after work, I went to get my burger. I met a lady there and we started chatting---totally innocent, it started with "Is it always this cold here?" and she asked where I was from, why did I move there, what kind of school, etc. I ended up telling her the good things God had done for me. It wasn't "please help me" kind of talk; it was "God is great and faithful" talk. She wrote me a check there at the restaurant and asked my name because I wasn't even seeing what she was doing (I was interested in my burger coming up). She gave me $50 right there and I ran home to tell my roommate we could get groceries, and she said no way! She and a friend who we were letting stay at our place until she could get her own place didn't have a job yet (we were all new to town) so they volunteered somewhere just to help out in the mail room and doing "chores". There was a banquet for some important people on the other side of the building and lots of food that hadn't been touched, so they donated it all to the volunteers (veal parmesan, lasagna, salad, bread, all kinds of things). We prayed and thanked God, then called all our classmates to come eat with us and shared it. We had plenty! And the lady I met at the burger joint went to my school to check on me (talked to the dean to confirm everything) and then she'd send the school money every month to put in my account.....my first mission trip and my 2nd year tuition were totally paid for....again, by a total stranger. (And yes, I keep coupons in a little organizer, in order of date of expiration. If I'm not gonna use the coupon or don't need an item before the coupon is expiring, I do leave it on the shelves on the item it's for). It's exciting to know that "anything" can happen when you purpose to keep your eyes and heart open for someone you can bless. You may not know what happens with them down the line, but I know from my own life and how other peoples' kindness changed my life and enabled me to help others, that it is well worth the effort.

I love doing random acts of kindness...I wish more people would, it could make this earth a much happier place.
A dear friend of mine who is not very wealthy had her car at the shop the other day. I had to take mine in and recognized her car in the parking lot. I called the shop and told them that we would pay the tab on her vehicle...they listed a bunch of issues the vehicle was having repaired and asked if we still wanted to pay it. When I said yes the woman was shocked. She then told the owner of the vehicle that "God Blessed you today and the bill was paid for." I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to have seen her reaction, but I'm certain that she and her family were grateful that day.
I often times help elderly women to their car with groceries, take the cart for them, help them find their car etc. I think we as a society should help the elderly more often.

My hubby is in Iraq right now. I have a 4 year old and 2 year old and I'm 32 weeks pregnant. I have acts of kindness constantly in my life right now and I'm so grateful for it! Whenever it snows someone comes and shovels my driveway for me. Usually I can catch the person doing it so I can at least go out and say "thank you" but I have had it happen a couple times where I wake up in the morning and it's just done and I have no idea who did it. I'm very grateful for the sweet people there are out in the world.

Well, I have given food to homeless people...but I consider that an act of humanity (meaning I don't think it's a kindness; I think it's something we should do for each other as humans). I once bought a huge piece of carrot cake for a very old man in a coffee shop who was nursing a cup of coffee and telling everyone it was his birthday. I have handed the lunch I just bought myself to an aged veteran who lived in a flop-house around the corner from my apartment (at the time). Stuff like that.

I have done the coupon thing too - a great coupon, about to expire, for something I am not buying. Why not leave it?

I have had people come up with change for ME at the store and have done the same. I have let people with kids bypass me in lines when I was alone, and I have had people do the same for me when my kids are with me.

I strongly believe we are called to look after one another. For the most part, people have been good to me.

ETA: When I gave someone lunch or dinner, it often mean I didn't get to eat lunch or dinner that day - due to finances. But I have been poor, and I can tell you, occasionally missing ONE meal is not comparable to occasionally getting to eat ONE meal.

yes! the other night my hubby ran out of gas in the car (the gas gauge is broken) normally he has gas in a gas can in the trunk but he had forgotten to fill it. it was raining and he was just outside of town and a women picked him up to give him a ride. he explained that we lived right next to the gas station and he could just drop him off here to get some cash (he only had checks on him and the gas station in town doesnt take checks) instead of doing that she handed him a $20 and just told him to pay it forward some day. what a nice person!

The other day at McDonalds a little girl was at the counter trying to by an ice cream cone. She had $1 and with tax it came to $1.06. I gave the girl the .06. I guess you could call that an act of kindness although not that big. I try to take every opportunity that is feasible to help others. I'm tall so if I see other struggling in a grocery store to reach something, I help. Things like that...but nothing too big in my eyes.

Something that I thought was nice that happened while my mom was with my girls. She was at a small grocery store when an elderly gentlemen came up and started talking to my girls. Then he handed them each a $2 bill. Said for them to put it in their piggy banks and not to spend it. Said he carried around $2 bills for little kids he ran into while out. (I thought that was cute, and will always remember that when I look into their bank and see the $2 bill.)

Hi J.
I make sure I pass on my parking ticket if there is time left on it.
Also I let people with small food baskets go ahead of me in the queue.
All the best
B.

I have been on both ends. Either way, it makes all parties feel good. It brings people closer and makes the world seem smaller and nicer. I have found and I have left coupons. I especially love leaving high dollar formula coupons since I never used the stuff and it is SO expensive!

ONe of the nicest things I saw was this Thanksgiving.
THe day before or two, can't remember.
There was this family buying a small turkey breast, a jar of gravy, and some rolls, cans of beans. It all cost about $25.
I was really oblivious until the family just stood there and had thought there was money in the account to cover it. He didn't have but a couple singles and she didn't have any. THeir plastic was denied. It was so sad to see the 14/15 yo just stand there and say "i'll take the turkey back" THen the lady in front of me whipped out her credit card, swiped it, said have a blessed day and sent them away, she didn't even tell them her name, just repeated bless you and Happy Thanksgiving.

Yes, it does happen this day and age... I believe it will happen more to the people who are kind first, what goes around comes around... You know the other day I wanted to turn in the left lane and a semi was in front of me, I tried at first to squeeze by him, however, I thought I was going to scratch my car so I just waited. He moved up a bit so I could get by. Without a thought I started waving at him. I got to the next light and was a lane over from the one going straight and the left turn lane. But the car that wanted to get in the left turn lane was trying to get by the vehicle in front of them and the car in front was really rude I thought. She had over 2 car lengths to move forward so the car behind her could get into the left lane and she wouldn't move. I felt very bless that the semi driver wasn't rude like her. I try to move up if someone is trying to get in the turn lane.

This morning, I held the door for the person who was a little behind me, I could have just keep going, but what is a few seconds to give a little kindness back. This would be a better world if we just showed more kindness to everyone we meet each day...

At least once a week I help a mom carry her stroller up or down subway stairs. So hard to do by yourself. And I always give up my seat to the elderly or disabeled. If I am crossing the street and there is a slow moving person I slow my pace as well figuring the crazy drivers barreling down the street might actually see two slow people as opposed to one. Not sure if these are acts of kindness or just being a decent person :)

every once in a while I pay for the driver behind me in the drive through ..... I will treat them and drive off. Love IT !

In college once there was a vision-impaired woman trying to get through the large glass doors, problem was she'd misjudged and was at one of the large windows trying to find the handle. There were a bunch of young guys sitting in benches on the other side of the window laughing at her. I was so appauled! As soon as I realized what was going on I ran out and asked if I could help her. She didn't seem thrilled with the idea, but followed my voice to the actual door.

I was walking out of the public library, my purse and diaper bag over each shoulder and pushing my daughter (just two months) in her stroller.
It started pouring out of no where and there was a huge crack of lightening and thunder! I'm thinking, ok- its not safe for me to be pushing her in the stroller because of the lightening and I can't carry her without putting down my bags first to walk across the parking lot and then drive back to get our things at the door- not good!!

Would you believe that a man came up and walked us to the car under his umbrella (he walked in the rain) ?! I actually hugged him. It was such a small thing to help with, but when you're a new mom overwhelmed with things to carry and a baby to worry about- it was an amazing gesture.

on a side note, things I love doing- keeping a door open for someone even when it takes an extra minute, leaving the change from my purchase in the vending machine, helping bag my groceries when there isn't a bagger in the isle, and always, always saying excuse me, please and thank you. its amazing how many people don't do that- and how far it really does go :)
:) take care!

I will open doors for people, let cars in, but on Sundays after church, we always go out to eat. My husband an i have been waiters before and on sundays no one tips at all. We guess its because people give tithes to the church. So we always give extra to our waiter.
Also we went out the other night and got such a wonderful waiter, we talked to him for awhile, and left him like a $50. tip just because.

The kindest thing I ever did was to buy a water heater for someone I didn't know. She was on one of my daycare lists and said her water heater had gone out and that she was worried about operating her daycare with cold water only. I sent her 350 dollars to cover it.

When I go to Bed Bath and Beyond I give my extra coupons to people. One guy was funny, he was very leary, purchasing a coffe maker. Both the clerk and I told him he needed it. It was cool when he figured it out. I've paid the toll for people behind me at the bridge.....

my theme for the year is "kindness costs nothing" so I've been holding doors open for people, letting people in during rush hour when I used to just be pissy on the road, letting someone with only a few items in front of me at the checkout, that sort of thing.

Updated

my theme for the year is "kindness costs nothing" so I've been holding doors open for people, letting people in during rush hour when I used to just be pissy on the road, letting someone with only a few items in front of me at the checkout, that sort of thing.

I love this question and the post about the family at Thanksgiving has me in tears.
I love doing random acts of kindness because making people feel valuable is something I never want to overlook. My nephew was 4 and he went to an elderly lady in the market and gave her a hug. She cried! He just thought she looked like she needed a hug. Some acts of kindness can't be given in a monetary fashion!
I love the quarters at the carwash idea!

Thanks for inspiring me today!

just the other day, my friend was in line at mcdonalds and when she got to the window the clerk told her the car in front of her paid for her meal. So she paid for the next car. and also, we have some friends that are less fortunate that we are, so my daughter and i fixed up some presents at christmas and wrote from santa on them. it made our day.

What a really strange coincidence!!! My oldest daughter has a blog that she invests a LOT of time on...a parenting blog...and she has started a "March of Kindness" project that she is encouraging everyone to get involved in. The idea is that you do a "random act of kindness" for someone...either a stranger, a friend, a family member...SOMEONE...each day during the month of March and report on what you have done that day!!
She came up with some great ideas of things to do for your children, your spouse or significant other, friend, stranger even yourself!!!
I am looking forward to seeing what others' come up with over the month.
Our Sunday School teacher talks about always leaving his quarter in the shopping cart lock when he leaves Aldi's...and likes to think of the pleasant surprise that someone gets when they come to get a cart and it is already "rented" for them.
My job gives me TONS of chances for "random acts of kindness"...I am a clerk in a pharmacy and over the past 10 years have come to know so many of our customers on a personal level. I am able to grieve with them when they lose a loved one, rejoice with them when a new baby is born, and offer a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear when they need it.
I am involved in our Operation Christmas Child program at church where we pack shoe boxes of goodies to send overseas and be given to children at Christmas by missionaries. There is nothing really "random" about it because I work on it all year long but I know that I LOVE the feeling I get when I think about all of those children opening their gift boxes!!
Thank you for a great question...I have already gotten a lift just from reading what the other Mom's have written.
And one other story...to maybe give someone else a smile...my 3 year old grandson ( the son of the daughter who's blog I mentioned) LOVES to comfort other children who are unhappy...or make pictures to take to the firefighters and police officers...he is really a product of my daughters love of reaching out to others and always being kind and gracious!! It is nice to see him paying it forward!!

i had a neat experience at Michael's once - when you check out, you get coupons on the back of your receipt. the lady in front of me gave me hers- she was from out of town and never shopped there. it was a really good coupon too, something like 40% off or something. so when my coupon came out, i was inspired, and the lady behind me got mine lol.

I am so thrilled to see so many of the responses you have already gotten! I do a lot of the same with the coupons, doors, etc. I've paid for meals for others before, or gave money to someone in the grocery line in front of me that was obviously short and really needed the food they were attempting to purchase. We also participate in Adopt a US soldier and send a weekly letter to an adopted soldier. But my most recent act...
My 3 year old son wanted to eat lunch at Chipotle, two young men dressed in fatigues were in line behind us. We ordered and while they were getting their orders made I told the cashier that I wanted to pay for their burritos and a drink for each of them as well. She was shocked. And then charged me for their meals. My son & I were at the door walking out when they got to the cashier and she told them that their meals were paid for. Both young men came to the door, held it open and thanked us many times. I reminded them that they didn't need to thank me, it was us who needed to thank them for their service.
Any time we feel the urge to do a random act of kindness, it is always the right choice. ;-) I explained to my son why those men had thanked us (he of course had said your welcome at the time.) :-) What a wonderful teaching moment for me as a Mom.
Love your question and to see that so many others find time to make someone else's day as well! God bless! J.

I was at the grocery store a couple years back and a mother with two older boys (in their teens) were ahead of me in the store and after everything went through the register, the mom didnt have enough money, she was going to put some things back and I said . . . i will take care of the difference. . . . I try to do random acts of kindness as much as I can . .

I love when I'm done loading the groceries or whatever in my car and someone going into the store offers to take my cart back for me!!! I try to do that for others when I can.

Yes I love doing happy acts of kindness for anyone. Once I copied my Michaels coupon and passed the coupons out while I was shopping. I love to tell people they are doing a great job. Then janitor at my gym. The teachers directing traffic in the school parking lot.

We've been on the receiving end of this a couple of times. The one that sticks out the most is the time that we needed diapers & somehow were overdrawn on our account. The guy behind us paid for our diapers. Made me cry.
My husband is actually very good at the giving end of this. He is a Hot Wheels collector & gets his buddies to donate cars at Christmas. He looks at the food banks or shelters in the area & picks one. He donates all the collected cars to that place. Last Christmas we drove 1 1/2-2 hours to Wilmington, OH to SugarTree Ministries with about 100 cars & some food. We are already working on this coming Christmas.
I, however, like the little things. Leaving my quarter at Aldi's, leaving my coupons, things like that.

Love the question & the responses. Yes, I perform Random Acts of Kindness...little things like leaving the grocery coupons on items, passing my grocery cart on to someone else at Aldi, not taking the quarter, letting people in front of me in line, or in traffic (there'd be less accidents if more people did this one), giving my last $s to someone holding a sign(whatever they do with it, I would not want to have to get money that way), lending a helping hand. I was walking down to my moms in the blizzard like weather we had a couple of weeks ago & an elderly I dont know was getting ready to take her trash bin to the curb (no way they were coming that day anyways), so I I offered to get it for her & took it out of garage & to the curb. These are things that I hope other people do & apparently some on here do. I don't consider myself great for doing these things, but it is nice to know that occasionally I have made a difference in someone else's day,maybe made them smile. A friend of mine had her latte bought by the lady in front of her the other day, another friend of mine occasionally pays for the person's fast food order behind him & then other day he was out with his son & a couple paid for their meal.

I had someone pay for my order at Sonic one day, I paid for the one in back of me, for some reason I was a little irritated that morning, but my outlook changed after that. I like to do things anonymously, would love to see expressions, but don't need it. When a neighbor moved it was months before someone else moved in, I was amazed as neighbor after neighbor mowed the yard when it needed it (my husband included). Sometimes it's simple, instead of complaining about the street in front of our house not getting plowed we've learned to throw out some ice melt into the road, our house is where most people get stuck on the hill and we can get started up the hill without a problem, why did it take us so long to figure this one out! I love that there was a coffee house here in the KC area that made it onto Good Morning America for the number of people paying it forward at their cash register's, they have even donated to charities with the money they've collected.
The biggest act of kindness I've ever witnessed was when my mom overheard some women talking after they had been in an accident, they were from out of state and didn't have anywhere to go or money with little kids. She offered them a place to stay that night, fed them, etc. Amazing because she didn't know these women, I guess I know where I get it!

haha my husband takes tickets off people's cars as a joke so they dont have to pay for it.

but real acts of kindness -- i help out a lot of people that are hungry at church, which is open to homeless people. i dont neccesarily like them or even like being around them, but its important to be kind because thats one of the teachings of the Bible.

thing is, its important and you dont have to like it. you must do it owever, because they are gods people too (i just dont want them around me), but i've done that and given money too. especially with giving money, it means you dont have to do it, which is good sometimes

I do this all the time, a very easy one is to take a cart in with you when you go shopping. You are going to be getting one any way. Especially good if you can find someone who is unloading theirs, that way they don't have to wait to take it to the 'spot' and then also the person waiting for them to pull out doesn't have to wait either.

We travel a lot. So, when I am gong to a poorer country than ours (most) I bring clothes that I am ready to pass on to Goodwill. Then I leave them hanging in the closet when we check out and I put money in the pockets. I hope one day to hear a story or see the look on the cleaning ladies faces.

And having had the horrid job of being a 'chambermaid' in Europe one summer, I always insist on leaving very large tips for the maids. They are so overworked an underpaid in most countries, especially the US.

Whenever there is s/o with a only a few items in their cart compared to mine I always invite them to go ahead of me.

you may want to check out helpothers.org they have emails you can receive and alot of good stories. I like to receive the emails and check out the website as a great reminder of how nice people can really be and it gives you good ideas you can try like "smile cards"!

I have spent over 22 years in the military and retired 4 years ago now. Everytime I see someone eating out in uniform or at a place of business in uniform, I always pick up their tab. Just about a week ago while my son was getting his hair cut a Navy officer was getting his cut and I told the lady at the front that I wanted to pay his bill, of course they thought I was crazy, but....just something that I have always wanted to do.