Random and intentional acts of kindness

[Beekissed]

There is a thread on BYC that is warming to the heart and I was wondering if, over here on SS, we also can recount experiences when someone showed us extraordinary kindness when we needed it the most. Sort of a Chicken Soup for the Soul thread.....I love those books!!!

Anyone want to tell us an uplifting story about a time when a stranger was kind to you? 'Tis coming up to the season whence Thanksgiving and gift giving are upon us once again!

 

[2dream]

I have one: As most of you know my DH has ALS - I needed a wheelchair ramp. A local carpenter and his son not only came and built the ramp but refused to let me even pay for the materials. They did a beautiful job and I doubt seriously I would have such a beautiful addition added to my front porch had I went out and found a contractor and paid for it. They went to great lenghts to make it match the existing porch all for free. My step son just happened to ask him for advice on building a wheelchair ramp as he was going to try and do it himself. This wonderful gentleman volunteered immediately. I was so humbled.

 

[Leta]

When I was 22, I was working 3rd shift and commuting an hour each way. My car completely died on US12 at 2am. I had a cell phone, but this was back when coverage was very spotty and batteries didn't last long. I was 25 miles from home, and several miles from any town with a pay phone. I got out and started walking, what else could I do?

A man pulled over. He wasn't very old, and he was alone. I don't remember his name, but he drove a Ford Focus- they were brand new at the time, I had never seen one before. I was not going to get in the car with a strange man, but I had this feeling that everything was fine.

I got in. He drove me the 25 miles home, even though it was far, far out of his way. He wouldn't take gas money from me. He had a degree in finance and worked at the Saline Ford plant, but he was going to school for theology. He told me part of his studying that week was about the Good Samaritan. He said he was "walking away from a gold mine" by trying to become a pastor, so he was trying to store up other kinds of riches.

I probably would have lost my job if it weren't for him- he got me home early enough so I could get squared away with my mom, get her to work and take her car to my job.

I still think about him now and then. I hope he became a pastor like he wanted.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll copy and paste a few of the stories I have told on the BYC thread. I have so many that it would take forever to relate them...so I won't!

(Let me preface these tales with the comment that I normally don't blab my financial circumstances to the world and admonish the boys to keep mum as well, so you can see why these things came as such a surprise~I never told anyone how poorly we were doing...how in the world did they know??? )

A few years back I was out of work, a single mother with teen boys still at home, and we were coming up to Christmas. Right before Thanksgiving a young boy stopped by the house with a box full of groceries and wouldn't tell where they were from....I cried and cried that night as I thanked God. I had been wondering how in the world I was going to do Thanksgiving for my boys that year.

Continue on into Christmas and we were still pretty narrow on money....bills were coming due, rent was due, etc. and there was absolutely no money to get the kids anything at all. I got a Christmas card from our church and it had over $200 in it....I wouldn't have missed that Christmas for all the world. As embarassed and helpless I felt about being so poor, I also felt more blessed than I ever had! I knew then that God wasn't going to let me fall down without picking me up, dusting off my knees and fixing the hurt.

When we had moved to this area, I had prayed to God and asked if He would just let me pay my bills on time, that was all I really wanted. Do you know that the time during my unemployment, which lasted several months, I wasn't late on one bill...I even had electric bills that would show a current billing of $0 owed.

We even received help from the local food bank once and I vowed that I would pay back that kindness...and I've been providing them with eggs for the past 5 years now.

All the kindness shown and God's amazing love for me just makes me want to pay it forward also....so I do, as often as I can and in every way possible. I could tell you all kinds of stories of kindness from strangers....and kindness returned to other strangers. I love the way it makes me feel to pay it forward!

 

[Beekissed]

No one else has had a complete stranger show them kindness?

2Dream, I love that story! I tried to get my former church to help do some outside home repairs for my neighbor who has ALS and the preacher asked, "Doesn't he have his own church to do that?"

Hence, the term "former" church.... :/

 

[Denim Deb]

Years ago, I went as a chaperon w/a girl's group from church on a camping trip. On the way home, I got a flat tire. At that point in time, I drove a Dodge Omni hatchback. The spare tire was in the back-under the floor. I had to take all of my camping gear out to get to the tire and the jack. I was in a fairly busy section of town. So, there I am, w/all kinds of stuff from my car piled up on the curb. I have the car jacked up, and I couldn't get the tire off! I was literally jumping up and down on the lug wrench trying to loosen up the lug nuts. It was a beautiful evening, and I was passed by several "normal" looking people walking, riding bikes, driving, etc. Not one of them could be bothered to help me change this tire. Then a car pulls up.

I will admit to feeling extremely uneasy w/the 2 guys that got out. I swear, they looked about like what you'd expect a guy to look like from a motorcycle gang! Long hair in a pony tail and covered w/tattoos. Well, they changed the tire for me. Both were very polite and not once did they say or do anything that could be considered inappropriate. It just goes to show you cannot judge a book by it's cover.

 

[Beekissed]

No, you cannot! My mechanic looks like that and he is the sweetest, most charitable and honest man I've met in my life. Good husband, good father and doesn't allow cursing at his shop....and fixed my AC in my truck this summer for free! Wouldn't take payment and told me to use the money on my mission trip!

Love that man.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Here's one someone did for me:
I was a single-mom-to-be in 1996. I had very little income, a dangerous pregnancy, and had to move back to the city where my family lived so they could help take care of me. Met regularly with some Reiki people (to give and get) and one lady particularly took me by surprise. Resting with my feet up one day, and there's a knock on my door. Pushed myself up, waddled over and opened to a huge stuffed animal. She'd gone to stores, friends and churches asking for things for the baby: toys, clothes, diapers and so so so much more. She told me it was a random act of kindness, and to pass it on.

Here's one I did:
A few years later, I was still having a bad time, financially, but my beautiful boy made it all worth it. So for Thanksgiving that year, I baked and baked, packed me, the kid and the baked goodies into the clunker, and headed to where the homeless hung out. Gave it all away. Nobody bothered me. For that Christmas, I crocheted little tiny pockets and placed pennies in them. Yellow, I think they were. Snuck into a public park where I hung the little pockets on low-hanging tree branches. Drove by the next morning and they were mostly gone. That afternoon, all gone. I know, not much, but it was something.

 

[bambi]

Remember the early 1980's? ........... It was a really bad time for my husband and I, we had sold everything we had in Texas because of the recession, so we moved to Mo. because my husband was able to get a job here ,but as quickly as he started he was layed off and I could not get work either so we tried to sustain our diet from our garden, but this year there was a drought with a
no watering order so the only thing that survived in the garden is zuchinni and yellow squash ( to this day I can not eat zuchs or yellow squash they just grow in my mouth).
I finally took a deep breath tried to hold my head high and walked into a small corner store and asked to speak to the manager or owner. I explained my desire to open up a credit line so that I could get food for my son,husband and myself , I also explained that my husband and myself did not have a job and did not know when I could repay them for the grocery's. I will never forget the mans name, Jack Mckenney he opened up account for me with no limits and no time line to pay back. He never asked when are you going to pay your bill or reminders that I still owed money to the store. This was my first priority to pay the bill when my husband and I finally found work.
Jack, was a God send to my family and I pray the Lord pays him in not 10 folds but 100 folds.

 

[Beekissed]

Any kindness is something....especially in this world today.

I love stories about kindness received and also kindness doled out....both uplift me and make me believe in basic goodness once again. I particularly love it when someone has not got a lot themselves but can still think of others. Maybe because they have been there and know how it feels?