When was the last time you were surprised by a genuine and impactful kindness towards you?

It doesn't have to be the most recent time either, could be some time in the past.

I guess the first thing that comes to mind, all the sudden, for me, is a Teacher I had in highschool. I was a bit behind in my studies, and was going through some things at the time. It wasn't anything in particular that he did; but, he cared, genuinely. If my memory serves me correct, he just, kinda of had that demeanor that, as people might say these days, says: "you got this."

The type of person that gives you that feeling that, there is something inside of you worth nurturing and putting some effort into. And not only that, but, that they believed in you, such that you felt you could believe in yourself, if only a little bit, enough to keep going, enough to see something over the horizon.

I don't even remember his name anymore... hmm.

I cannot recall ever having such a kindness towards me. I think hard, believing, "surely I must have, mustn't I have?" but if it wasn't memorable, then maybe it wasn't so impactful. Wow, that makes me a little sad, that I haven't had such a kindness, or that my memory of any has vanished. I know of many a time when I was very kind to other people though.

What a great topic...TS and one that honestly made me think.
I guess I would have to say anytime I went to the monastery.. there was a certain monk, that automatically made me feel that calm/stillness.

Last year when I broke my ankle and needed surgery.
A neighbor I hardly speak with saw me wearing the protective boot and hobbling around on crutches.
She actually offered to go grocery shopping for me.
I would never put anyone out like that, and used Instacart, but still.
Was a really nice gesture and something I will remember.

Last year probably is the only one i can recall. A neighbour of mine came to my house and bought me a tool i needed for my garden that i had been eyeing up, but i couldn't find it. That was my birthday present from him, which he didn't have to do but it was nice of him. People wouldn't p*ss on me if i was on fire 99% of the time.

Some one sent me some flowers once, for no particular occasion. It was a splendid surprise...

when people whom I never really known helped call the ambulance and saved my life the time I attempted to take my life my neighbors (at the time.) I have never been one to go places or meet new people, yet this elderly couple heard my mother's cries for help and called the ambulance for her she was too frantic. Now I visit them every other Saturday and we are the best of friends the elder man and his wife are sweethearts, and they save my life I am very thankful to them. They set me on the path I am on today to help others like myself

that was 4 1/2 years ago

Not recent but around a million or so years ago we were on a road trip visiting family. Eight kids and my parents crammed into one of those big cars of the day. We were done and heading back with just about 400 miles left before we were home.

We had just left a town a few states South of home when my father missed seeing a 'Dip' sign.



The vehicle bottomed out cracking the oil pan, disabling the vehicle.

Stuck on the outskirts of town, beside the road with ten young kids and a broken down vehicle, long before cell phones had even imagined.

A farmer and his wife came by, returning from their weekly trip to town. They stopped and I don't remember how but they got us all to their home. With all of us rounded up, my father and the farmer took the farmer's truck to go retrieve my father's vehicle. The farmer's wife, seeing an extra dozen people in her home, well it seems that her thoughts turned to "feed them". She got in their car and returned to town to pick up groceries to feed an extra dozen people.

The farmer and my father returned, towing the disabled vehicle and while they removed the oil pan and brazed it and filled the vehicle with oil, the farmer's wife fed everyone.

That couple didn't ask a thing for what they had done, the time it had taken or what it had cost them. My father did quietly slip the farmer some money to cover expenses and as a 'Thank You'.

It was hours later as we loaded into the car again and continued on.

I was a little kid at the time and have no idea what the couple's name was or exactly where we were. They still come to mind on occasion as one example of what people are, at their best.

Very, very few experiences of someone doing something nice for me without expectation. Once I was short about $1 to buy groceries and a very kind lady behind me paid the dollar. I thought that was so sweet. That was maybe three or four years ago though.

A Lady Friend of mine, came to visit me, when I was super sick with the flu. She didn't have a car; she got some people she knew to give her a ride. With no concern for her possibly getting sick or anything, she just came to be by my side, heh. She was a sweetheart and did all kinds of nice, thoughtful things like that. hmm..

Kindness? What's that?
I'm the one doing them. Not usually the one receiving them.
On this planet full of ********, it's the least I can do.
I once had a new neighbhor bring me pie.
It was weird and left me wondering at her intentions, but it was a nice gesture still.

I have recently got over a bad chest infection. A few days into it I knew I had to go to the local shop, so decided just to take it easy, go slow getting there and back.

But on the return journey I started to really struggle to breathe. I stopped by a neighbours wall to try and catch my breath, it was a worry as never experienced that before.

A neighbour appeared suddenly rushing down her steps to see how I was. She took control after I said how I felt, she phoned an ambulance which arrived extremely fast. I was taken inside the ambulance, given oxygen and a nebuliser.

Within a short time I was feeling much better so no need for me to go to hospital. The ambulance man and my neighbour helped me up my steps and into my home. My neighbour stayed with me until she was reassured I was okay.

She had only lived locally for a few weeks so that was the first time I had met her. Since then we have become such great friends and visit each other around twice a week. Without her help that time I honestly don't know how I would have gotten on.

It has taught me a lesson though as now I put my mobile phone into my handbag whenever I go anywhere locally just 'in case' anything happens to me, or even if I come across anyone needing help.

Just very recently, I think perhaps yesterday, or the day before...

I was out on the porch, having a cigarette. It was not a particularly good day, at all. As I was smoking, the mailman was doing his rounds. I was a bit ashamed to wave hello or acknowledge him, or anyone in particular, as I had just woken up and was a bit disheveled. Usually any neighborly type people seem to not be so friendly feeling anyway, whether that's my own perception, or their business. Anyway...

I decided to raise my head and perhaps offer a quick wave if he happened to drive by. It turned out to be some dude, perhaps a bit younger than me, but, he gave me one of those "Fight Club" head nods. I nodded back. It really made my day for the briefest of moments. There was a kindness in that head-nod, that... Rightly or wrongly perceived to be, I don't think is very common in my experience of people around here.

It was just the smallest of gestures, but, it made a small world of a difference. To have that feeling, to know that, even some stranger you may never know, is on your team, even for just a second.

TropicalStarfish said:

Just very recently, I think perhaps yesterday, or the day before...

I was out on the porch, having a cigarette. It was not a particularly good day, at all. As I was smoking, the mailman was doing his rounds. I was a bit ashamed to wave hello or acknowledge him, or anyone in particular, as I had just woken up and was a bit disheveled. Usually any neighborly type people seem to not be so friendly feeling anyway, whether that's my own perception, or their business. Anyway...

I decided to raise my head and perhaps offer a quick wave if he happened to drive by. It turned out to be some dude, perhaps a bit younger than me, but, he gave me one of those "Fight Club" head nods. I nodded back. It really made my day for the briefest of moments. There was a kindness in that head-nod, that... Rightly or wrongly perceived to be, I don't think is very common in my experience of people around here.

It was just the smallest of gestures, but, it made a small world of a difference. To have that feeling, to know that, even some stranger you may never know, is on your team, even for just a second.

Click to expand...

I do the "acknowledgement nod" all the time It's fairly common where I am.

okidoke said:

I do the "acknowledgement nod" all the time It's fairly common where I am.

Click to expand...

TropicalStarfish said:

he gave me one of those "Fight Club" head nods. I nodded back. It really made my day for the briefest of moments.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I exchange nods with strangers all the time, it's very common here too.

Somewhat recently, some one expressed some much appreciated sympathy towards me (by way of a particular circumstance bigger than ourselves), in an unexpected time and place. A very small gesture. The kind that's easy to forget. But it really was quite remarkable, for the circumstances.

Kind of like when you hear something, and you know what you heard, but no one else heard it. Then you come across some one who did hear it, and they're like, "Dam straight I heard that sh*t." It's a small respite, knowing...

...you're not the only one...

When I am cutting grass on hot days, women always come out with cold drinks for me. I don't like drinks with sugar, but I have to drink them.

The latest invitation to go out and socialize.

That has never happened before this year.

Neighbors offered me a couple of small yard work jobs.

Not "the last" thing as such, but when my youngest sister and her now-fiancee became a couple 9 years ago, the first time both families had a get-together and I told his mom a few random things about myself and my personal life (as you do in pure smalltalk), she has always remembered everything about me, and still does, 9 years later.
That just moves me in a way that it always catches me off-guard. I guess I don't expect anyone to actually remember anything about me? Maybe I consider myself that forgettable.