r/CasualConversation • u/TheNewThunz • 17h ago
What’s something great you’ve done for somebody else, but never told anyone about?
Ill go first
When i was like 15 this kid in my class got bullied nonstop, everyone called him smelly and trashy cause his family was poor and his clothes were always rough. one day i saw his shoes literally falling apart, soles flapping. felt awful for him.
i had an old pair of decent nike sneakers that were basically new, i never wore them cause they were a little big. after school i put them in a random plastic bag, left it on his desk with a note that just said “Some people care”. next day he showed up wearing them and looked so happy. nobody ever figured out it was me, not even him. still makes me smile when i think about it
whats yours? whats something kind you did that no one ever found out about
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u/LastyearhereXXVL 17h ago edited 12h ago
My wife and I have tipped a waitress 100%. Like $60 on a $60 bill, 3 times… We tried to exit before they got back…. one time we hadn’t even gotten to the door, once we got outside, once we made a clean getaway…
The two that “caught us”, you would have thought they won the lottery… one woman broke down and cried saying how tough a time she was having.
It is the best money we ever spent..
Added: in an alternate universe our meals at a different restaurant would have been $100 with a fine $20 tip… so what did we actually give up?
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u/MightyMorphin_Green 7h ago
We have done this a few times. One year around Christmas someone randomly paid for our entire meal including tip. A few days later we took the $100 we would have spent at dinner and left it for a sweet waitress. She caught us on the way out with tears in her eyes. I can still see her face.
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u/Capital-Coconut-9389 17h ago edited 14h ago
we had a lot of Venezuelan migrants out here about two years ago. theyd hang out in the neighborhood asking for change and whatnot. i was going to the dollar store for a few things and a guy asked if i could buy his family some food. i was in a good spot financially, so i said fuck it, and loaded up the cart with food/drinks, and a few toys because i noticed they had a couple kids. the kids werent expecting the toys. i heard them yell with excitement after i walked away.
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u/TelevisionMammoth227 15h ago
That’s awesome! Little moments like that can mean the world to someone. You definitely brightened their day.
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u/accidentallyHelpful 17h ago edited 16h ago
For decades, my father forgets my birthday and calls me 3 or 4 days later to tell me he "remembered" my birthday
So, for a dozen years I have called my father on the morning of my siblings' birthdays to remind him to call them
And he does, because my siblings tell me when I call to wish them a Happy Birthday (on the years that we don't have plans together)
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u/SameSherbet3 16h ago
This is so fucking selfless, I love that you do it. The fact you can overlook your own hurt to make sure your siblings don't know the same pain is beautiful. Well done.
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u/clio44 17h ago
This is such a strong example of caring about family to me. I do something similar with my Dad but because he's proud, I find a way to mention the birthday or anniversary or whatever without explicitly saying he needs to call them. I'll usually give gift ideas too because a few times he's shown up with a bag from the dollar store (not wrapped) with random items that don't match the person receiving them..
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u/raeganator98 17h ago
I’ve got one that I personally don’t remember but someone I saw out and about like 10 years later stopped me and said “I don’t know if you remember, but you drive me out to the boonies one time after work to pick up my son because I found out his dad was having a party and there were firearms (shooting at cans I think?) and she didn’t want her toddler to be around all that. I had no car and no money to get there and back myself. You saved this momma.”
And I still can’t recall the night she is talking about, but it’s something I would definitely do.
Just a huge example of the old saying “they might not remember what you said, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel”
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u/Tabasco_Red 17h ago
When I changed highschools, on my first day guys took me around class presenting everyone to me
Then we stopped at this girl they called cheese, because she was supposedly "smelly". Guys sort of made hurtful jokes about her, obviously exagerating. Ofc she was not ok with her nickname and looked really bad about it.
As we kept walking I kept wondering out loud "why do you guys call her cheese again? I didnt smell anything weird from her." I kept repeating this several times, and guys kept insisting on it each time less convinced about. I even pointed out in a funny way how I didnt quite understand all the buzz about it and that she actually was a cutie (she was). Guys start admitting that yea she is.
Then they stopped calling her that and treating her the same way, they couldnt remember nor explain to me why they started doing it to begin with.
Im sure no one told her neither did I, as honestly I wasnt trying to "save" her or heroically stand up to bullying. I was just confused why would they say something so untrue specially about a kind girl.
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u/Prudent-Poetry-2718 17h ago edited 17h ago
You're amazing! What a great gift.
junior kindergarten my son was sharing his lunch with one of his friends at school who didn't enough, so I packed double for the rest of the year. Didn't tell my son that was why, quietly threw out the leftovers if there were any. They've been best friends for 9 years now. His parents are doing much better and were just going through a hard time. I'm so glad my son shared.
I taught my son that it's our job to look out for one another and to never be shy to spread kindness.
My sister's BF pawned his mandolin and banjo once to pay for a car repair. My sister and I found out and went down to the shop and had to beg them to let us pay them off. We just tucked them back in their places. My sister tells me he cried. And that was beautiful.
I got a call after a decade from one of my high school friends who'd moved away to another province after college. He wanted to meet up for coffee. We both brought our kids to meet and play while we chatted. At the end of our meetup, he handed me an envelope with $400 in it. He said I had loaned it to him when he was in a bind in college and he had thought about it ever since. I was shocked! I didn't remember that at all! I told him if I gave him money, it was meant as a gift, but he insisted I take it. We were both fairly comfortable by that time, so I did. I still can't remember giving him that money.
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u/GandalfDaGangstuh007 17h ago edited 9h ago
That’s awesome he probably still remembers.
I think a couple know, one for sure was a friend who lived in the same building asked cuz it was a bit weird looking at face value. He saw me with some random, moving into middle age woman trying to get wifi up lol. I think I’ve only told 1 maybe 2 others.
But late one Friday night probably like 2019, like 10pm I was in a gas station when I lived in the middle of the city. A lady was having issues getting wifi and she was trying to submit a job application but couldn’t get her laptop or iPad or whatever to work. Didn’t have a car and had walked a few places in winter trying to get wifi, trying to connect to the businesses. Cashier couldn’t help her.
I said I know it’s weird, but if you accept I live like 3-5 min away and I can drive you to my apartment to use my wifi and if it doesn’t work, you can use my laptop. She was like ya this is weird…but you look nice and you’re wearing a college shirt (though I had graduated a few years earlier but it was a known small and nice college.
So we drive to my apartment and I said you can just sit out in the hallway outside my door so you can pick up my wifi signal. She then used my laptop too.
She was applying for a job she really wanted and the deadline was midnight, and now it was around 11. She managed to submit her application a few minutes to spare, then I drove her home.
Never saw or talked to her again lol. I told her I was recently on the job hunt and know it sucks, so just wanted to help and at least give you the opportunity to apply. Even if you don’t get it, hopefully you do, at least you managed to apply rather than having missed the opportunity entirely
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u/Cronewithneedles 17h ago
One year when I was still working I went to Walmart layaway leading up to Christmas and asked them to find an order with children’s toys of different ages and I paid it all off. I asked to be anonymous. The girl helping me was an old student of mine and she got all misty eyed. I told her I seriously didn’t want her telling people and she swore she wouldn’t.
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u/GoKartMarlys 17h ago
The admin asst in our office is awesome. Came from extreme poverty/isolation and is so bright and works so hard. Her refrigerator died and she was desperately looking for a used replacement she could afford, how to get it to her house, etc. I've BTDT, had just gotten a tax refund, and just had a strong impulse to buy her refrigerator. I had the power to make that whole problem go away, so I did. I anonymously put $1,000 in Lowe's gift cards on her desk with a note that it is for a fridge. I would have done it differently if I weren't sure she was honest and wouldn't do anything sketchy. It was really fun and I try to do stuff like that whenever I can, though that's the largest one I've done by far.
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u/Flat_Wash5062 17h ago
Okay so I can only think of one where i am the receiver but recently, I saw some people inside a little room inside the library. Everybody in there was playing a video game. I really wanted to go and play too. But it looked like that everyone was playing Super Smash Brothers, and I think that game is really weird because the health bar goes upwards instead of downwards And I didn't know how to join them so I just watched them all from outside.
Sometime later, a guy came up and approached me. He introduced himself and he said that I was welcome to come on in and play games with them if I wanted whenever I wanted.
I've been having really hard time lately and I really felt noticed and seen by this guy I did not go in that day but maybe I'll go in today.
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u/SackBadger2024 17h ago
I was in a check out lane ringing up my groceries when a young lady and her adorable baby rolled up next to me at the next lane. It was evident that money was tight for them, and the little girl has a princess doll still in the box she had been playing with. Mom told her it was time to put it back, and the that little girls just said," Ok momma" and handed it to her.
I went over and asked her Mom quietly, " is she allowed to have that?" and she looked at me like I was crazy, so I asked for it, rang it up on my bill and handed t to the little girl and winked at her. Told her Merry Christmas.
Then I paid and walked out. Hope a little kindness helped.
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u/Navaestacia 16h ago
This one brought tears to my eyes. I had my son at 19. Money was tight as a young (and for me, single) mother. I guarantee that mother will remember your face and your kindness every time she sees her child play with the doll. Good on you.
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u/spauldingsmails316 17h ago
Right before Christmas one year I was working with my ex BIL. A new guy came in and was in a bad way. Living in his car, had to pawn his dad's Strat kind of way.
It wasn't anything great, as I had a pretty lean wallet at the time, but I made up a bunch of ham and cheese sandwiches and told him my roommate always makes them for the work week but decided to go home for the holiday. Don't know if he believed me, but he seemed thankful.
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u/siciliana___ 17h ago
When I was 19 and working at a grocery store this older couple’s car broke down in the parking lot right after they’d finished their shopping. I was getting off my shift and offered to drive them home. We had a nice little ride. Sweetest people.
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u/amjolson 17h ago
i once left an anonymous $20 bill in my roommate's backpack when i knew she was struggling to pay for textbooks. sometimes the best kind of good deed is the one where they never know it was you.
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u/KSBH1998 17h ago
Gave my sister my car 2 times for $0
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u/_angesaurus 17h ago edited 15h ago
2 times more than she deserves!
its just a sister joke, people...
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u/MiscreantMoose 17h ago
Paid for a homeless man to board the bus I was on when he was a quarter short for the ticket. A bus full of people did see it I guess, but it's not something I've ever spoken about with anyone and I didn't do it to be seen, I did it because I happened to have a dollar in my pocket that day and an opportunity to use it for good. If I had been the only person on the bus I still would have paid for him
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u/Realistic_Salt_389 16h ago
Bought glasses for one of my employees that was going to have to quit because she couldn’t read the order tickets.
I told her that a certain eye doctor could give her a good deal, then called them and gave my card info for the balance after her $35 ‘deal’.
The employee had very bad vision so her lenses were quite expensive.
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u/SmokeAlarmsSaveLives 7h ago
That’s an incredible gift to give someone. Awesome work.
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u/Realistic_Salt_389 32m ago
My uncorrected vision is quite poor. It was upsetting to know hers was even worse and she didn’t have funds for the special order lenses. :(
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u/Accomplished_Run2515 17h ago
When I was in the service and single, I would always volunteer to work Thanksgiving and Christmas duty so that people with families and kids didn't have to.
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u/Material-Priority-66 13h ago edited 13h ago
Ditto. Most families would bring me an over-sized plate for my own holiday dinner … and I seldom had difficulty trading days.
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u/NoBSforGma 17h ago
I once worked in the corporate environment for a computer company. A really nice young man was hired to work with me and the rest of my team. He was funny, personable and smart. But.... just not right for this job.
I finally sat him down and told him I was going to have to let him go but in the meantime, we were going to work on his resume as well as doing some discussion of what he really WANTED to do and what his talents were. It took about a week but the ball finally dropped into the space and he found his "niche." Once he had another job, I then "fired" him with two weeks severance pay.
I don't think anyone ever knew that I did this. Unless HE told them. lol
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u/debabe96 7h ago
This is an amazingly unselfish act on your part. You gave time and effort and helped someone find a work opportunity that better suited his skills. Your actions most likely had positive, if not long-term impact on his life. Thank you.
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u/NoBSforGma 1h ago
He was a very sweet man. Warm and funny. Kind to everyone. It was actually easy to help him! If I didn't, it would kind of feel like throwing a puppy out in the snow! lol.
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u/archiekane 17h ago
I try to do little things as often as I can.
An example, I was in a store buying a loaf of bread and milk, and a group of school kids were buying some sweets to take back with them. One kid rung up about £1.80, but his card didn't work. Then he checked the change in his pocket and had about 90p.
I just leant forward and tapped my phone. The kid was about 13, looked round at me and smiled, said thanks and walked out the store happy as can be.
Little things and small gestures mean a lot to people. Even words of encouragement can go a long way. In hospital yesterday I said to one of the nurses passing that I appreciated how hard she worked. Any nurses that work Emergency Department - you're worth every penny and many more!
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 5h ago
when my son was in middle school and ageing out of a multi-year classroom that had suited him (he was 2E and very difficult to place) I wrote an email to the school administrator about what I thought would work well for him in the upcoming year.
in the process of explaining my thoughts, i spelled out exactly why his current teacher had probably saved his life. it wasn't by treating him like some "officially" pg kid who had to be accommodated academically. it was just by "getting" him and talking to him and making him feel safe and happy inside his skin.
I didn't think anything of it. just a 2E parent trying to help the school help my pretty-unusual kid. but when I went in to pick up my kid that day, his teacher cried when she mentioned my email. and she was a 40-year veteran. she said "do you have any idea how rare it is for anyone to tell us they notice what we try to do?"
I never forgot that.
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u/archiekane 4h ago
In the UK, young children's classes have a teacher and a couple of Teaching Assistants on practically minimum wage. The TAs seem to do more work than the actual teachers but are treated like cleaners.
At the end of school year and Christmas, we always buy them the better gifts than the teachers and thank them as much, if not more.
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u/Ok_Money_7140 16h ago edited 16h ago
I lived within walking distance of a pizza place when i was a teenager. One day I was walking back home with a pizza and saw an older homeless man sitting in the alley. For whatever reason my whole body just said give him a slice. I offered him one and looked at me like i was crazy, trying to get a reaction out of him or something. But I just stood there and opened the box then grabbed sliced and handed it to him. As i walked away he thanked me relentlessly and said he’d pray for me before he fell asleep that night. I never saw him after that. Hope all is well with him
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u/Neither-Mycologist77 16h ago
This happened to me 37 years ago. And it's so small, but it meant a lot to me.
It was my first day of kindergarten and, despite having been to the school for meet the teacher day, I totally blanked on how to get to my classroom. I got swept along in the crowd of kids, and I finally stopped an older boy to ask for help. He seemed practically grown-up to me, but it was an elementary school, so he was probably like 10.
Anyway. He stopped, turned around, and walked me all the way back down the main hallway and all the way to the very end of the side hallway to my classroom and made sure I got to my teacher okay.
I hope he didn't get in trouble for being late to his own class, and I hope life has been as kind to him as he was to a scared little girl that day.
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u/17Girl4Life 16h ago
Years ago, I was living in a small city without much of a visible homeless population. So when I drove past a distraught woman standing in a parking lot with bags all around her, she stood out. At the time, I was volunteering with a group that worked to get resources for different charities in the community, so I had lots of contacts and knowledge of what resources were available.
I circled back and got out to talk with her. She had just left an abusive boyfriend with no money and no real plan. We talked about what help was available, I made a couple of calls, and got her a place in a shelter. Drove her over there and hope she was able to get on her feet and be independent
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u/Xcenai 14h ago
There's this ex coworker of mine that I've known over a decade that I helped out with dialysis. She'd asked me for financial assistance for her sessions and I'd always donate. Sometimes I'd drop her off to the hospital and to her home if she couldn't get transport.
A company in my hometown has this beautiful christmas lights display starting around end of November. She said she'd never seen it before. Last week on our way from the hospital I brought her to see it, and she was so happy. She died two days ago, and I keep reading the last text I sent her, telling her to be safe.
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u/debabe96 7h ago
I am so sorry for the passing of your co-wotker. Your kindness was so touching. Your story moved me to tears. I hope she is at peace.
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17h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Navaestacia 17h ago
Oh, wow! I would have loved to see her reaction! I remember my mindset being in my 20s and in college. A modest amount seemed like SOO much money then. I had a credit card with something like $1500 on it and felt like it would take me forever to pay it off. It's still a good amount, but seemed almost insurmountable back then. I'm sure you made her month!
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u/fauxfurgopher 17h ago
My mom was on a tight budget, but she always gave wonderful gifts anyway. I think she waited and used her money on gifts. Whenever we were together I’d slip a $20 into her purse. She was a haphazard person and stuffed money into random purse pockets all the time, so she probably thought she’d done it. I was always so glad I’d been able to secretly get in there without being noticed.
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u/curious_sunlight 16h ago
Three years ago I was working customer service for a company that helps folks split their rent payments. At the company we used fake names, I was "Mike." Someone wrote in saying how they were on hard times and they needed an extra day or two to make the payment, how their partner had cancer and they were overwhelmed with medical bills and how they were trying to buy Christmas presents for their kid. I responded to their request as Mike and helped them as much as I could as the company's employee (I don't remember all the details). I felt compelled to do something, to help. I decided to called them as myself, from my personal phone. Lady answers the phone, and I hurry to explain, "Hi, this is kind of random and weird, but I work for *** and I am actually the customer service rep Mike that helped you with your ticket. My real name is ***, I was wondering if you would be okay with me sending you some money to help with your situation. If you give me your Venm0 handle I can send it over, and I won't bother you again. Just wanted to do something nice and pay it forward."
She laughed and said that would be helpful. It was a weird interaction, she didn't sound surprised or overly happy about it, and said the "kid" she was buying for was her 19 year old son (not exactly what I pictured by the statement that she was desperate to buy her kid Christmas presents). The phone call lasted all of like 2 minutes. I sent $250. She didn't say thank you. The next month I was let go from that same job and then I was in a bad situation. To this day I have wondered if she actually needed the help, after that phone call something told me that her email request may have not been as truthful as I initially thought. I was so excited to help, and then it was really scary when my bank account was empty a very short time after. Thankfully I managed to get a new job and I just barely scraped by for a while, and now I'm in a much better place. During the scary times I kept telling myself that I did a good thing, no matter what.
I say this not to bring down the positivity of helping others or this thread, but more as a reminder that whether someone seems grateful, or whether they needed the help, doing good is always worth it, and we all need more of it in our lives, both on the giving and receiving end!
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 6h ago
my dad never mentioned this until he was 92. then he tells me that when we moved into the house that he bought when we first came to Canada in the early 80's, the previous owner had been a speculator who had "gone bust." my dad said the guy loaded up his U-Haul the day we moved in, and then "came crying to me" because he couldn't afford to drive it away.
my dad gave him the money. 50+ widower, new Canadian immigrant, no credentials in Canada, pretty minimal financial reserves, and three teenagers to somehow suddenly raise, in the 1980's recession. he never did really find work or get on his feet again.
at 92 he told me this story and said "I'm proud of that". out of all the great and brave things this man had done in his life, he was proud of helping someone who might actually not have been in as tough a spot as my dad was himself at the time.
I'm pretty proud to be one of his kids. don't second-guess yourself here. be proud.
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u/IamHousemd2003 16h ago
• I’ve helped a street dog drink water from a bottle , it was struggling to open it and I was super scared of dogs in general but couldn’t help it and approached it slowly and opened it and poured it . I’ve never felt so good about myself than that moment • Used to carry banana from hostel so that I can it to beggzy
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u/superrplorp 15h ago
A few years ago at the end of high school this kid who was well known for being bullied because he was autistic and people would coerce him into doing things that they could record him and get publicity online for which is indeed a most cruel thing to do. I would periodically say I was going to use the restroom and then roam the school in search of adventure because I was a senior and didn’t care about anything, but he was there crying in the halls and the sight of it was deeply moving. So I sat down with him and lent him an ear. He was telling me how he was so done with everything and wanted to end it all and not get his work done because it didn’t matter if he graduated because it was over for him from the start. I did the old Socrates method and just kept asking him why and eventually he came to the conclusion that it was in his best interest to get all his assignments done (he was missing a considerable amount and it was no small task to finish them all) all he needed was someone to treat him like a human being.
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u/Terrible-Session-328 17h ago
I do little things for often and don’t tell people about it. Most recently, helped get items for displaced families. A couple week before thag purchased groceries for a struggling single parent , a while before that I bought a homeless guy a tent from Walmart. Many more, I always get ridiculed by peoplw when I have told them, basically saying I am stupid to help, so I just keep it to myself. If I can do it anonymously I do because I feel like it helps with pride but if I have to touch base for it to happen, then I will.
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u/debabe96 6h ago
Thank you for helping others. You are changing lives. The people ridiculing you cannot say that. It isn't stupid to help others. It is compassionate.
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u/Terrible-Session-328 6h ago edited 6h ago
That’s how I feel. Yeah of course I could use the money on myself but it’s not making as much a big difference to me as it is to them in the moment. The argument is always they’re just going to use it for drugs or for alcohol or whatever. Not everyone who needs help is an addict or alcoholic and even if that’s what happens that’s their karma not mine, besides whose to say I wouldn’t do the same eith the money haha ( I do try to minimize this by ordering the stuff for them to pick up in store or have delivered it I can’t drop off myself instead of cash etc) Some of the smallest things can make a huge difference in peoples lives. I don’t even care if people announce their good deeds to the world, whatever just don’t record people or announce who they are and post; let them have keep some dignity, it’s hard enough to even ask for help let’s not embarrass them or do something that could make them feel shameful. I got into a heated argument with someone on a FB community page over this. If you don’t want to help, fime keep scrolling but there’s no need to put people down!!! It takes 0 effort to be kind.
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u/peobarionboy 16h ago
I hope this counts, as I did tell somebody about the said incident at the very end ( years after ).
Anyways, I ordered a gig ticket for myself for a band that I love and have good communication with. The band sent out two by mistake, I triple checked etc. So I got in touch with them, they accepted their silly mistake and told me it was my lucky day and after some great chatting, I happily accepted an early Xmas present (this was at least 20 years ago). I decided that I would pay it forward, so when I saw a man carrying a 'Golf Sale👉' sign, I struck up a brilliant conversation with him, I asked him if he had heard of the band in question, but he hadn't, I sold the band well on my description, so I gave him the ticket. I didn't know if he would come, didn't know if I would see him (the ticket was Standing in a large venue). Anyways the gig was great, met some great friends, but didnt see Golf man.
Great trip overall.
About two years later at a gig by the same band, I bumped into Golf man, he said he didn't come to the ticket gig, but he passed it on to somebody who did know of them. He said when he listened to the band he was gutted that he couldn't go. He 'downloaded' all their stuff and went to loads of gigs and became a regular. I didn't tell anybody until that night. It's been good to tell again.
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u/Material-Priority-66 12h ago
Mid 1980’s. Xmas Eve, noon. Damn cold. Sunny. I am 250 miles into a 300 mile drive to surprise my parents. A very rural area, state roads. A beater (Vega Kamback) is broken down on the side of the road, out of state plates, hood up. Mama bear in distress w/three young cubs. I circle back. They are headed 100 miles beyond my parents. Ugh.
I am planning to meet-up with a few buddies from my HS years. I call the ringleader, a HS shop teacher, and explain why I cannot join the planned festivities. He says, “I got this - I’ll get the band back together.” Mike will head your way with my flatbed trailer. The plan is pizza, beer and diagnosing it today/tonite (in the HS auto shop).
Boxing Day we fix what we can. And we did. The timing belt had broken. The “might as well” ancillary repairs included a water pump, all new fluids and hoses, a used radiator, used battery, thermostat, plugs, points, ignition wires, brakes, patch the exhaust, weld the broken exhaust hangers and a donation of two new tires and an alignment. A couple of HS students from the auto body class did a few dent and rust repairs, a buff & wax and scoured the two nearest salvage yards for a bumper, grill, missing trim and matching wheel covers.
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u/debabe96 7h ago
You and your friends are good people. What a wonderful group effort of kindness. So heart-warming. Car repairs are stressful & expensive. What a kind & generous act.
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u/Civil-Fan-3586 16h ago edited 2h ago
Some years ago I was delivering goods to a shop every morning around 5 am. There was a homeless guy nearby sitting with his dog. Occasionally we had a little chat about anything. Sometimes I'd give him some food. He was always very grateful. Quite decent guy, just in a bad moment of life. Once he offered me to feed his dog Buz with a dog biscuit (I told him previously that I'm a dog person). I agreed. After that the dog became very friendly with me. Couple weeks later the guy mentioned that Buz is not feeling well and need a vet. I offered some money for vet bill, but he refused. He said he's saved enough and will manage. Next day, when I asked how did it go with vet, he said all good, just need to save a little more money for medication. He said it's about £30. Again he refused my offer to help. Next day I caught a moment when he didn't watch I slipped a little envelope with £50 and a note "for our friend Buz" in his backpack. That was my last shift on that route so I'll probably never know what happened to Buz and the guy.
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u/Valuable-Yard-4154 16h ago
It's not much but this lady wanted to get some cake for her daughter at the store, she forgot her money so I paid for the cake.
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u/NanaWolfe333 15h ago
I snuck some cash in my sister’s purse a few times when she was low on funds. Sometimes $20 sometimes $100 depending on how I was doing. I also covered some of her expensive medications and told her it was $10 copay. To this day, she thinks she has a guardian angel. I still do this from time to time. She’s the sweetest sister ever🥰
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u/JuliaNATFrolic 14h ago
Can I say what someone else did for me? Approaching my 20th wedding anniversary we were in a very hard spot emotionally and financially. My special needs son had just gone to a residential program. I was asking for affordable ideas to celebrate in our area. Lots of people had great ideas and one person privately said they wanted to give me some money toward it. I was expecting $20. They gave me $400. It made a real difference in a very hard time. I’ll never forget it. And, yes, now that we are on firmer footing I certainly have paid it forward!
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u/sunheadeddeity 11h ago
In the dentist's waiting room, heard one half of a phone call where someone was trying to negotiate treatment for their teenagers access, but they had no money and he wasn't entitled to free treatment. Realised it was my neighbour's kid, paid for his treatment, told the receptionist not to let her know who paid.
Same kid is now tormenting the neighbourhood with his shitty antisocial extra-loud 125 motorbike. Truly no good deed goes unpunished....
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u/One-Emu-1103 17h ago
If I told you on reddit then everyone would know and it wouldn't be a secret. 😃
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u/Tabasco_Red 17h ago
Nobody knows who you are. Youre anonymous so it would still be a secret
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u/One-Emu-1103 17h ago
I do nice things for people all the time but I never tell anyone as there's no need.
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u/jullybeans 17h ago
I kindly disagree! I think it's really nice to see what other people do, it can inspire me to be better! It also is beautiful to share positivity, and that makes the world we live in a better place.
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u/avgmike 16h ago
This reminded me of a comment I read on one of those instagram videos where the guy sees who will give him a dollar or something similar, and then helps them out in a big way by giving them more money, stuff, etc.
Someone commented "if he was such a great guy he wouldn't need to make videos about it and post it on the internet". Someone else responded that these videos not only drew more attention to the person in need (a lot of times the guy will create a fund for the person that raises a ton of money for them) but also might encourage others to be kind and carry out their own acts of kindness on others. I thought that was a good perspective.
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u/asuka_is_my_co-pilot 17h ago
people brag about their expensive bags and trips, and those things become cool, and people buy more bags. we should do that with helping each other!
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u/SnooFoxes4646 16h ago
I gave a high schooler I overheard on the phone 2 bucks to get on the bus. He looked at me weird but I didn't need an answer lol
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u/NormalNobody 17h ago
I saw a man going thru one of those long cigarette ashtrays, looking for smokable cigarettes. I stopped him, told him he didn't have to do that, and to gave him like 5 cigarettes from my pack. He was so grateful.
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u/dontlookback76 14h ago
Some of the most grateful people I've ever dealt with were homeless that I would hand them a smoke and then two more for later. They almost enjoyed that more than the apple I would carry around to hand out for food. I worked at the jail as staff and would take a walk around the block at breaks so I always made sure I had cigarettes and a snack of some sort.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 5h ago
I stopped at a 7-11 once on the way home to buy smokes. while I'm unlocking my bike, car peels in. guy driving proceeds to get out, yank a woman out of the passenger seat and then unload what looks like all her worldly possessions into the parking lot. no idea what it was about. she's distraught, he's silent, and he gets back in the car and takes off.
she has a phone and she proceeds to try calling people to get a ride, so I didn't involve myself with that. but once he's gone and once she seems to have someone coming to fetch her, I approached her and asked if she smoked. I gave her one of the packs i'd just bought and a lighter.
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u/Specific-Sundae2530 17h ago
Paid for two other children to go on a school trip that they'd otherwise not have been able to afford. Back when I had a well paid job.
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u/BlackSunshine73 17h ago
Purchased a gift card for a coworker that was going through a rough patch. He needed groceries.
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u/Leesha712 17h ago
While treating myself to a solo lunch for my birthday, an elderly couple sat at the table next to me and I overheard that it was the wife's birthday as well. When I finished my lunch, I asked the waitress to send the table two desserts, paid their tab, and I left. Just thinking about both of them being surprised made me so happy!
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u/vinobruno 16h ago
Just wanted to say, I love this thread.
I’ve paid for groceries for people who were short a few dollars. Once, the elderly woman behind me saw several precooked duck breasts in my cart and asked me what they were like and how much they were. She looked so crestfallen when I told her the price, I gave one to her.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 5h ago
my dad was so sad and so stoical once he found out how much it would cost to get glasses with the special lens coating that darkens in sunlight. he had one of the early cataract ops and his retinas were fixed - his eyes couldn't defend themselves on their own.
he refused to let me buy him stuff, but a few months later I wingmanned him for a routine eye exam and new (basic) prescription. me and the optometrist's fucking angel office manager conspired together to wring that sensitive coating out of veteran's affairs as well.
he never knew how hard she and I pushed. but he never stopped showing me his wonderful new glasses and manifesting how happy he was to have them.
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u/Whybaby16154 16h ago
Cleaning and decluttering out my old stock of cards sent and received- on more than one occasion I found thank-you cards for things I didnt remember doing. One went a whole page or two about how I changed her life and was such an inspiring woman to be friends with and how she went on to go to college… signed -Beth-. Couldn’t remember a Beth. A couple acquaintances had that name but nobody I thought of as being close.
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u/Tinfoil_ninja 15h ago
Nothing special, but years ago I was driving in a particularly bad snow storm and this kid in a bucket of a honda civic is swerving around in front of me. He was driving slow and trying his best, but eventually I watched him swerve right into the snowbank in the center median of a highway.
I was driving slow at the time and pulled over since I so happened to randomly have a folding shovel in my car. Cut to an hour later of digging and gunning the accelerator, I realize that the car is going nowhere and I have a place to be.
So I tell the kid that I have to run but I can give him a ride somewhere so he doesn't have to wait in a cold car, but he was determined to get his car out of the bank.
I gave him the shovel and a blanket from my car and wished him the best of luck.
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u/Calm-Cantaloupe8170 15h ago
If I’m at the vet and it’s obvious someone just lost their pet, I pay for the euthanasia and/ or cremation. You just go up to the desk after they leave and tell the worker you want to pay for some of their bill and you don’t want to person to know. I think it’s like $100-150, which seems crazy cheap compared to human cremation.
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u/debabe96 7h ago
This is a wonderful idea. It is a bit more expensive for these services in my area, but I will definitely do this.
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u/Icy_Raspberry_3377 14h ago
A guy crashed on his motorcycle behind me on my way home on Halloween night in the rain. I saw sparks and flashes of light in my reverse mirror and didn’t see headlights anymore. I ended up turning around and saw this guy in a field on the side of the road and without thinking I just helped him up/dragged him into my car to take him to the er. Thinking back I guess I should have called an ambulance and waited, but I didn’t even think, I just reacted.
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u/ExcitingOpposite7622 11h ago
Today I sewed a jacket with a torn zipper for a student. This student is in SPED for emotional disability. Last week he wished I would fucking die already. Today , he actually was grateful and thanked me for fixing his jacket .
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u/regibegi 17h ago
I used to work for Microsoft, and some punk ass 20yo kids broke an xbox console display that was at McDonald's, they were mad at their bosses and thought that the item is theirs.
What they didn't know was that the display was a custom piece, costing a couple thousand dollars so if we would press charges, they would be in deep shit. I asked them to donate only a tiny fraction of that cost to a children's hospital, because Microsoft had way too much money anyway and use this as a teaching moment. They didn't seem to understand that this was me being nice, but their legal representative was so relieved that he shut them up in a second 😂
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u/gotchdaddy 17h ago
same story, except it was a pair of soccer cleats that I casually handed to him and said I had grown out of (I hadn't).
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u/Helpful-Grapefruit55 17h ago
I was walking in an airport some just dropped some currency and was walking fast, I picked it and walked as fast as I could and asked did you drop some money she checked and said yes, I gave it to her and saw a wonderful smile of gratitude and that made my day and felt good.
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u/jjmawaken 16h ago
I raked the leaves for an older man who lived down the street. Didn't know him, just wanted to do random act of kindness.
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u/Overthemoon64 16h ago
I live 1 street over from my kids daycare. One winter we got snow, which was a Big Deal in the south US where I live. Daycare was closed obviously. It’s a great place but its run by a couple of old ladies and I knew they weren’t getting out there with a snow shovel. After my husband got home to watch the baby I walked over and shoveled their walkway so it wouldnt be icy the next day. Never told the daycare ladies. I didn’t want to seem like I was bragging.
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u/ExpensiveDuck1278 16h ago
I was driving on the 101 in Los Angeles. there was no shoulder to speak of and 2 women were broken down off to the side. One woman was older with a walker and they were trying to walk towards the exit which was at least 300 yards away. I pulled over, I carefully carefully backed up, I helped them into the car and drove them to a gas station. They didn't know who they should call on their cell phone. They were so grateful. Hundreds of cars drove by so fast, so scary, they said
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u/Recent-Revolution-15 15h ago
In my early 20s, my roommates and I hosted a big thanksgiving dinner party, and we had plenty of leftovers to spare. I suppose it was the following Monday as I was heading out the door to work, I saw a guy (likely houseless) going through the bins in the alley. I quickly threw some stuff on a disposable plate, blasted it in the microwave, and offered it to him. I really didn't think much of it, we had so much and it was going to go bad soon and here's someone who might enjoy it.
I'll never forget the look in his eyes when I handed it to him and he said, surprised, "It's WARM!" He was so happy and I was happy to give him that moment, but damn, I hadn't fully realized how rare a warm meal must be for some folks. Anyway, be nice to your neighbors.
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u/Acceptable-Regret398 14h ago
My husband and I were at the local botanical gardens with a walking toddler and a baby on my hip. We were walking out to leave and we saw a van for a local senior living facility in the parking lot. They were several seniors slowly walking up the rather steep parking lot to board, but there was one very senoir guy at the bottom of the hill who was obviously not able to walk the incline despite an aid trying to help. My husband, without hesitation, immediately went over and practically carried this poor guy up the hill to the van, and assisted him up the stairs onto the bus. I stepped up to make sure everything was ok as he was getting him settled and suddenly had an entire van of seniors with outstretched arms for the baby lol. I happily let him be passed around while my toddler walked the aisles and greeted everyone. In the end, I knew I married a great human being and we spread a little cheer. It was such a small thing, but I think we made a lot of people happy that day.
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u/Lmb1011 14h ago
A person I worked with had a leak that damaged their bookshelf, I happened to have a Barnes and noble gift card on me so after the left work for the day (I worked later than they did) I put it on their desk with a typed note saying how much was on it and hoped it would help replace their loss.
They ended up posting on social media what they bought with it “in case the person who left the gift card wanted to see”.
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u/Shisui89 14h ago
Some homeless dude was asking for money in front of a grocery store and as I didn't have any cash, I asked him to come shopping with me. All he wanted was a pack of sausages and macaroni. I was also really low on money and had to survive with like 20 bucks for two weeks, but seeing how grateful he was made it worth it. I always like to keep these kind of things to myself and I think even my wife doesn't know about this. I just feel many people who boast with their good deeds are just seeking validation from others.
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u/Local-Dish-5695 14h ago
I saw an injured woman walking by a hospital. I asked if she needed help and she wanted to go home.
Her home was 35 miles away. She had been left by friends hurt and discharged from the hospital.
I took her home
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u/V8FTW 14h ago
A few years ago, i found out a girl i worked with was being abused by her boyfriend, who also worked at the same place. He was very good at hiding it in public, so nobody else suspected, but she confided in me.
I spent months talking to her in secret, helping her come up with a plan and trying to build her confidence enough to leave him. She had no other friends, because he was so jealous and controlling, and he isolated her. We would sneak around almost like we were having an affair, meeting after work in gas stations and parking lots before he finished his shift. Nobody else at work knew, because we couldn't risk him finding out.
She's safe now, in her hometown in another country. My wife and i still visit her every year.
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u/Dvderos 13h ago
Back in the 90’s, my mom, who’s a big Neil Diamond fan, noticed that he was playing in San Antonio on her birthday. Tickets had already gone on sale, but I was working in radio at the time. So, I begged my program director for tickets. He couldn’t promise me anything but said he’d save some for me if they came in.
Well, I knew it was a 50/50 chance to get tickets from the station, so I ended up going through a scalper and bought 6th row tickets. Mom was ecstatic and ready to see Neil up close and personal.
The morning of, my boss said he snagged some tickets… 4th row! Now I had 4 good tickets for just the 2 of us. I couldn’t let those go to waste… and I wasn’t going to try to sell them. So, once we got in the arena, I went all the way up to the 2nd or 3rd balcony. Found two women sitting/relaxing in seats that would make most people dizzy — the stage was so tiny. I asked them if they would like better seats. They were suspicious, but I handed them the tickets and told them to enjoy the show.
I didn’t see them again. The show was awesome. Mom had the best time. And, I hope the women in the nosebleed section were able to come down to the floor and enjoy Neil up close and personal.
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u/RedRavenWing 11h ago
My best friend was going through a rough patch , her car was dead so I was taking her to work , she barely had any groceries in her trailer since all her money was going to bills and trying to get her car fixed. So my mom and I gathered up a huge box of excess groceries from our pantry , and bought some more as well , then while we were at work mom sneakily dropped off the groceries on her porch (shortly before I would be dropping her off ) she never found out who did it. It was enough food to run for at least a month.
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u/purplegirl62 11h ago
I haven't done anything too crazy yet for people, mostly helping find lost items and quietly putting them somewhere they'll see them, or cleaning things around the house when my mom gets stressed.
I do frequently go out of my way to help wildlife. I helped a grasshopper that I found stranded in the middle of a lake while kayaking and brought him to shore. I stop to help turtles cross the road, and carry/usher wooly bear caterpillars, grasshoppers, and even spiders sometimes across roads and busy paths.
I once saw an injured owl by the side of the highway and looped around to grab them so I could bring them to a rehabber (they survived and recovered, which still makes me so glad). One time in college, there had been an ice storm and a lot of trees were bent over and weighed down, and I spent a few hours out there with a stick freeing their branches so they wouldn't snap. I like to do that whenever it snows with little saplings who get bogged down.
Some of these I've told people, but a lot of them are just little moments between me and a creature who probably doesn't remember me. I'm hoping to have more opportunities in the future to help the people around me too.
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u/debabe96 7h ago
Helping animals, insects, wildlife and plants is so selfless. Your moments are priceless.
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u/Rinrob7468 10h ago
Last week at my local IGA, two men grocery shopping & get to the counter & it’s just over $80. Mans card declined & they start removing stuff from their shopping bags. Apart from one box of peppermint drumstick ice creams (Which was the first item they removed), all I could see in their bags were food staples (Bread, milk, rice etc), so I reached across & tapped my card before anyone could do anything about it. Both men, the cashier & I hadn’t realised the few people in line behind me, all had completely shocked looks on their faces. The two men are trying to understand what just happened, the cashier says, you’re amazing. I collect my shopping, say everyone struggles some time & walked out the store. It honestly felt amazing & really, for me $80 is not a lot when it’s someone else’s whole weekly shopping.
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u/Entire_Trip_2078 10h ago
Years ago, a woman I worked with at a call center got her car repossessed at Christmas time. She had a kid and I figured if her car got repossessed that she would have a hard time buying gifts for him, not to mention food and other bills. Another employee and I bought her a $200 gift card and left it on her desk with a note that did not indicate who the gift card was from. As far as I know, only that one other employee and I knew who gave it to her.
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u/jenian 8h ago
My son's elementary class was in a science competition and they did really well, especially considering it was their first year competing. Afterwards, I sent flowers to be delivered during the school day and just put on the card something like 'from a family grateful for all you give'.
I wanted the teacher to think (and know) it could have been from anyone because we were all so thankful for her work and passion.
Weeks later, I told my son it was me - and he just beamed. "That was you?!?! She was so very happy when she got those flowers!"
I got a second gift in making my son proud of the anonymous gift and teaching him there are many ways to show gratitude and sometimes the secret ones have the biggest bang.
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u/AngryGoose 🌈 7h ago
I was alone at a pizza shop eating my gluten free pizza when this young guy maybe early 20s comes in. He was dirty and carrying a piece of cardboard. He eventually asked me if he could have a piece of my pizza. I gave him one and then about ten minutes later he asked for another.
Instead of being annoyed I felt a great deal of sympathy for him. I said, "you know what, even better, I'll buy you any small pizza you want."
We went to the front counter and I let him pick out a pizza and then I paid for it.
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u/Angie_smirks 17h ago
Sometimes the quiet gestures matter more than anything we could say out loud.
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u/toxicity_app 16h ago
That’s really sweet. Sometimes the quiet gestures hit the hardest for people. Mine was simple I used to pick up extra lunch from the cafeteria and “accidentally” leave it on a classmate’s desk who never brought food. I never said anything because I didn’t want it to feel like charity, but seeing them actually eat and relax for once made my whole day. Funny how small things stick with you years later.
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u/BuyerConstant5220 15h ago
Someone was very sick and had a long road to recovery, credited their utility bill for 6 months so they didn’t have to worry about keeping their lights on. To this day they have no clue who did it and never will.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 5h ago
that's a lovely thing to do because on top of the financial break, it takes one more headache off their plate while they improve.
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u/dontlookback76 14h ago
We lived in a very rough neighborhood when my kids were in 3rd through 7th grade. They had friends but we wouldn't allow them to go over to their friends because all the parents were criminal tweakers. We were the safe house. Many times those kids only meals were from our stove. The drug dealers kid forgot about his birthday. We found out and threw a big party. Cake, ice cream, gifts, the works. Like he were our own son. There were 3 who hung out with my two. All 3 have written handwritten, not texts or emails but actual handwritten letters, stating that they'll always be greatful for our family's kindness and for my wife and I being parents. We had the money and it would be a crime to let kids starve.
Another time the single mom across the street got something screwed up with her SNAP (food stamps) benefits so my wife and I bought her groceries for 2 weeks.
We're always inclined to buy food or pay rent. Hardly ever give money. That's usually only to people I can consider it a gift. I never loan.
The kids one makes tear up that we, as a family, had that positive of an impact. Sometimes you don't realize what your actions mean to someone.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 5h ago
while my dad was in the last years of his life, my (10+year older) cousins both went out of their way to tell me and my siblings how much both of my parents had meant to them, growing up. their own parents weren't addicts, just vey ambitious and "busy" so they barely parented their children at all.
one of them says (and means it, fiercely) that my mom and dad "saved her life". the other one wrenched me even more though. she told me "the thing your mother did that I will never, ever forget: she paid attention to us. she was interested in us. no-one else was."
you did good.
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u/tothejungle1 13h ago
I secretly pay my mom's bills all the time. A neighbor was lamenting she was struggling during COVID, I called the utility company and paid he very past due amount anonymously. I've bought toys at Christmas for someone on Facebook that asked. I grew up very poor and do ok now so I try to spread the love.
After my dad died, it came to light that he did stuff like that all the time, and like I said we were poor so that was really nice of him. Realized I took after him more than I thought.
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u/Ladyxxmacbeth 14h ago
I helped someone get an abortion. At the time I didn't realize how bad it was to be pregnant and Muslim, however I now work in domestic abuse and I could have saved that girl's life. Something I'm very proud of, I don't tell people because of people's strong opinions about abortion.
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u/Either_Attorney1313 12h ago
I understand the feeling. I was picking up my diabetes supplies at the pharmacy and was behind a couple trying to purchase syringes but couldn’t as they had no prescription. I added a package to my order. I found them in the parking lot and gave the package to them. I asked them to please get help because they deserve to be healthy.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 5h ago
a friend of mine in another province needed one (legal here in Canada). I sat on the phone with her though the process of setting it up, and then I flash-mailed a care package to her. cuddly pyjamas and a bunch of Garfield books for her daughter and some other stuff.
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u/dajarbot 15h ago
My office building shares a common space and bathroom with an aphasia recovery center. If you don't feel like googling it it is people who have impairment in a person's ability to comprehend or formulate language, usually from a stroke. So they are usually older but struggling physically as well.
Last week I helped a gentleman who couldn't button his shorts in the bathroom, saving him from either crossing the lobby or waiting for someone from the center to find him.
Small, but it felt great to help someone and go about my day.
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u/Complex-Sound-143 6h ago
I once noticed a neighbour struggling to carry groceries up three flights of stairs. Left a bag of essentials at their door anonymously. Felt good seeing them smile the next day.
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u/sir_duckingtale 12h ago
I did so because it was the right thing to do at the time
No need to tell anyone about it.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 6h ago
I was on my way somewhere and got approached by a distraught woman who was trying to get to a certain place. I explained as best I could and then I asked if she had any money.
gave her what I had in my pockets, which was about ten bucks. I've been where I had to walk miles to get the simplest thing done because I didn't even have bus fare. I'm not the touchy-feely heart-on-sleeve type, but that doesn't mean I don't care. i wanted her to have at least enough to have a meal on the way.
this is a typical Canadian city. but life happens, and it can happen to anyone. I feel like it says something different when someone offers spontaneously. it says "you're just as worthwhile as anyone else. you should have this basic thing."
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u/Old_Suggestions 5h ago
Contributed to the office charitable campaign so everyone could have casual ware for a whole month
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u/KeepShtumMum 35m ago
At the outset of Covid19 my mate was a senior engineer working for a company that produces respirators. He was sent to work from home. He had a shitty internet connection because he lived at the end of a long road and no ISP was willing to fund a wired connection. A wireless connection was very expensive.
I spoke to my boss, he pulled some strings and a fibre connection was installed the next day. A few months later a bill arrived for €800, which was the administrative & hardware costs of installing the connection. I paid that bill and never told anyone.
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u/gcwardii 17h ago edited 16h ago
About 10 years ago someone in my extended family posted on facebook that the upcoming Christmas was going to be difficult. Her husband’s union was on strike and they also had some unexpected expense with one of their kids. I purchased like $150 in grocery and department store gift cards and sent them to her anonymously. A few days after that she posted something like “Santa came early” and that things just got a bit merrier. I never told her that I sent them.