Doing nice things for strangers

[karinothing]

I am on another message board and they had a post about doing nice things for strangers. I came across this post and I think the poster is amazing

Love this! Mine is going to sound extreme but I know it was well worth it. A teacher at my dcs school is suffering with infertility. I know this from conversations with her. I also went through years of fertility treatments before I had kids so I know the emotional challenges. She has shared with me the clinic she goes to (same one I did) through our conversations and I decided to go to the clinic and put a 20k credit on her account. Her and her husband are both teachers, living in a crappy apartment, putting anything and everything they have towards treatments. I've been blessed with a comfortable life so I never had to worry about how to pay for the treatments and I still found it extremely taxing and devastating. I can't imagine how difficult the journey would be if you constantly had to think about money as well. I've had people in my life really help me out as a young adult and this is me as an "old" adult paying it forward.

It made me realize that I hadn't really done anything nice for a stranger in a long time (in our old neighborhood I used to buy groceries for people when I could tell they were over their foodstamp/wic limit). So, it has motivatated me to pay a little extra attention to folks in hopes that I will be able to give someone a nice surprise.

So, have you ever done anything generous for a stranger?

[fuddyduddy]

Wow. What an amazing person. I imagine the recipient of her generosity is deeply touched.

I've never done anything that extreme, but I am kind to strangers on a daily basis. I like establishing connections with other people and making them smile.

[rubytue]

Never to the tune of 20K!

This is making me feel selfish. I can't think of anything I've done recently. I have bought stuff for people before, but nothing recently.

But I will tell a story from our vacation. We were trying to buy 2 magnets from the New Orleans Rum Factory, and the guy in front of us was taking forever (buying bottles of rum and shipping them). He stepped back and told us to go ahead. Then he saw we just had the magnets, asked if we were visiting. We said yes, and he told us to take them and he would pay for them to thank us for visiting New Orleans.

[Deleted]

That is incredibly generous. I hope everything works out for the couple.

I have been trying to do extra nice things for people I know lately. That seems to be all I can muster for the moment, but I at least always try to be helpful and kind to strangers or really everyone.

[cahabalily]

This is incredible!

This will sound very insignificant in comparison to the story in the OP, but not too long ago I purchased a lady's groceries in front of me at the store - she didn't have enough money and started putting things back so I just paid for them. It broke my heart...

[stingsharkruns]

Well, i've never given 20k away.. Today in the parking lot at the grocery store I yelled WHOA because two people were backing out of parking spots and they were about to hit each other.. LOL ... that's the extent of my generosity so far today.

[Deleted]

DH and I regularly pick up the tab for a random table at a resturant, but buying burrito plates for a random couple who remind us of our grandparents is nothing in comprarison to this woman. That's amazing.

[karinothing]

May 21, 2012 8:49:46 GMT -5 cahabalily said:

This is incredible!

This will sound very insignificant in comparison to the story in the OP, but not too long ago I purchased a lady's groceries in front of me at the store - she didn't have enough money and started putting things back so I just paid for them. It broke my heart...

It doesn't sound insignificant at all! IMO all these things matter.

[blackcat]

Yes, several years ago, there was a family that I went to church with (didn't know them too well) that was really struggling and couldn't make ends meet, I sent them an anonymous cashier's check for $500 in the mail.

[megs193]

That makes me want to go out and do something nice for someone.

My mom's church challeneged them to do something nice for someone recently. My mom was at the grocery store and there was a woman with 2 kids with bread, lunchmeat and milk in her cart. My mom felt compelled to give the woman money so she went up to her and explained the challenge that the church gave them and asked the lady if it would be ok if she gave her $50. The lady starting crying and told my mom she didn't have any money for groceries this week and had no idea how she was going to feed her family.

I have seen people that I think need help and I always feel awkward offering them money. I offered someone money once because I thought they were homeless and they got really angry at me. Since then I have just started giving directly to a charity.

[charminglife]

Wow. That woman's generosity is inspiring. I've never given anyone $20K, but I have paid for people's groceries before - one time it was a teen counting out pennies for two gallons of milk, so I bought those and purchased him a store GC on top of it.

Someone did something similar for my mom following her divorce and I've never forgotten it and try to pay it forward when I can.

[lindyanne]

Nothing that large but I do try to do random things here and there. That's amazing. I have this pinned to do sometime. I think it'd be an awesome day. mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358

[stingsharkruns]

May 21, 2012 11:03:53 GMT -5 lindyanne said:

Nothing that large but I do try to do random things here and there. That's amazing. I have this pinned to do sometime. I think it'd be an awesome day. mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358

THat is so cool (i'll admit i'm a little teary eyed reading her blog)

[karinothing]

May 21, 2012 11:03:53 GMT -5 lindyanne said:

Nothing that large but I do try to do random things here and there. That's amazing. I have this pinned to do sometime. I think it'd be an awesome day. mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358

What a great idea! I think I want to do it for my 30th. I love that happy birthday balloon/unlocked car one.

[Deleted]

I don't think I've ever done anything extremely generous for a stranger.

I prefer that my efforts go toward people I know and love, i.e., sure things. LOL.

[jinnifah]

Wow, that is extremely generous! Did the couple know who donated them the money or did she keep it secret?

I can't think of anything myself right now. But I did want to add that strangers have been really helpful to me since I've become obviously pregnant. People are always offering to carry my groceries (even an at least 80yr old man) and opening doors. That simple kindness is so appreciated.

[heygrey]

love that story.

h and i dream about having loads of money and how we'd give it away. some of it would go to family, but i'd love to just have cash sitting around for situations like this. it's makes me all teary just thinking about it. we try to do smaller things now, but it's $5-10, not $20k. how i'd love to give away $20k.

[karinothing]

May 21, 2012 12:26:29 GMT -5 jinnifah said:

Wow, that is extremely generous! Did the couple know who donated them the money or did she keep it secret?

I can't think of anything myself right now. But I did want to add that strangers have been really helpful to me since I've become obviously pregnant. People are always offering to carry my groceries (even an at least 80yr old man) and opening doors. That simple kindness is so appreciated.

She kept it a secret.

[fuddyduddy]

May 21, 2012 11:03:53 GMT -5 lindyanne said:

Nothing that large but I do try to do random things here and there. That's amazing. I have this pinned to do sometime. I think it'd be an awesome day. mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358

That is really awesome. I love that she included her kids in the acts of kindness. It's such a great example to set for them.

[cheese]

Wow what a nice story. It makes me feel crappy that I don't do anything above and beyond just being nice. Thank you for the inspiration!

[Deleted]

Stories like this always make me want to cry. I need to go find someone to do something for today - thanks for the reminder!

[definitelyO]

May 21, 2012 8:50:39 GMT -5 stingsharkruns said:

Well, i've never given 20k away.. Today in the parking lot at the grocery store I yelled WHOA because two people were backing out of parking spots and they were about to hit each other.. LOL ... that's the extent of my generosity so far today.

2 weeks ago - I didn't yell whoa! I watched and thought - they'll stop, one of them will stop, right? nope. didn't stop until they hit each other. in my defense - neither had their windows down.

[minniebee]

I've never given away $20K all at one time, but I try to do smaller things regularly. Always anonymously, of course.

When my brother and I were kids, every Christmas, along with our regular gifts from our parents, we were given $50 that we had to give away. My parents thought it was very important for us to learn at an early age that giving can be as (or more) rewarding than receiving. It became so fun to decide how we would spend our $50 helping other people. We were secret Santas, we never told anyone but our parents how the money was spent. I plan to continue that tradition if I'm a parent some day. A good lesson for kids to learn.

[amity]

I really don't think you can top the 20k story. That's pretty amazing.

A few months ago, the car in front of me paid for my coffee at Starbucks. Their $4 investment made me feel good for the rest of the day so I have started doing that every so often. But, its not like the people in the drive through at Starbucks are likely living in poverty or anything.

I also like to pay the tolls for the car behind me in the toll booth sometimes.

I would like to do more of this type of thing and agree that there are so many lessons that can be taught to children by including them in the planning/execution of a random act of kindness.

[spiderspray]

Some of these have me tearing up - such a sap! LOL

I've never given away $20k, but what an awesome story!

I did make dh promise me that if this Christmas we're on our feet a little better, I'd like to take out $1k in cash, and hand it out in $100 increments to random people. The guy at our local Whataburger, for example, is the most uplifting, positive person you'll ever meet. How freaking hard that must be working with the public (and fast food) all day!

I also like PPs story about giving your kids $50 every Christmas to give away. A very groovy idea, indeed.

[rex]

Wow, that's so generous. I love that story.

I've never given a stranger money. I don't have money to just throw around.

But I'll do random small things like help someone pick something up that they drop, hold doors, etc. I think the little things matter too.

[isabel]

That story just makes my heart all warm. So does the one about the woman who didn't have money for groceries. I know I tend to rush through life without really thinking about things like this. There was a homeless lady at my grocery store a while ago counting out dollar bills from an envelope. I feel terrible about not offering to pay for her things. Maybe this thread will help remind me to be accountable for my actions and do more good deeds.

[MixedBerryJam]

There sure are some kindhearted souls on this board! Mine didn't cost me a penny, so I don't know if it counts, but ...

Yesterday as I was walking into the Home Depot gardening section I saw a young couple loading their purchases into their car. It was a compact car ... I don't know cars, but something like a Corolla or a Civic or something. They were purchasing the biggest wheelbarrel I have ever seen in my life. I saw them and thought to myself, "No way" but continued into the store. I felt badly afterwards, though, and since I only had two things to buy I decided as I was leaving I'd see if I could help in any way. Of course they were still there, so I asked them where they were going, and they said the name of the town I live in. I have a minivan, so I got my car and we loaded it into my van and one of them came with me as I drove to their house. It turned out they lived right down the street from me -- literally, I took the same exit I would have to go home and turned left instead of right.

They were beyond appreciative, and it was really nothing for me. Like, literally, nothing. But it felt good to help them out.

I guess mine is more "good deed" than "generous." I've never done anything remotely close to what OP posted. But sometimes when I really enjoy a musician in the subway or in a bar or something, I wad a $50 up really tight, so that they can't see I'm doing it, but so that theu know at the end of the night, "Hey, someone gave me a $50!"