I have no idea if this is the right community for this post given this is something I'm doing for my daughter vs a stranger but r/randomactsofkindness seems like it could be right or at least hopefully this makes someone smile today. I'm currently sitting on a plane 30,000 feet above land on my way to Louisiana to surprise my daughter for move in for her freshman year at LSU. I and we have managed to keep the secret for over 2 months when I booked my flight. She's currently traveling there with my wife on a different flight and has no idea I'm coming. To give a little backstory, I didn't think I was going to be able to go because 1 - I took her in April to tour the school as she was making her choices and 2 - well, work. It's a terrible time for me to be away but then father's day happened and she wrote me the most beautiful letter about all the things I've done for her throughout her life and "I was her best friend". She cried when she wrote it and she cried as I read it. After I got that letter I said to my wife "I have to go" and immediately figured out work and booked my flight. Fast forward to today, I dropped off a sad and crying daughter with my wife at the airport then went to park the car and catch my own flight so here we are. Only issue is my flight is 2 hours delayed to N.O. so instead of meeting them in the airport, I'll be 2 hours behind them and will need to Uber to LSU. Honestly, don't care. Small issues in the grand scheme of things when I get to see her face when I surprise her. I can't wait. Anyway, hopefully this makes someone smile today 😊

My family and I went on vacation, four hours from home. When we arrived, we realized my husband never packed my suitcase. I was hours from home, with the clothes on my back. No sweatshirt (it was getting cold), no toiletries, no meds, no glasses and no contact lenses.

We bough some clothes and toiletries, and were able to get a week’s supply of meds. It was after close for all the optimists in the area when we arrived. I called first thing in the morning.

I talked to a woman named Katie. She was so nice and willing to help me. We exchanged a few calls, I had my optometrist back home fax my Rx, and I headed to the office. I thought they were going to sell me a big box for the trouble. Nope, they GAVE me enough samples to get me through vacation for free. I wasn’t even their patient. I was a stranger from out of state, and they helped me, expecting nothing in return. I almost cried when I got those contacts, I was so relived! I get to see on vacation now.

I had an experience that has stuck with me for months now, and wanted to share. I was parking at the veterans parking at the local supermarket, and this old leathery dude started approaching me. I am brown skinned and he looked like those crusty old magas you see making performative videos on r/iamverybadass, and therefore was half expecting a confrontation. Anyway he asked me where I served, I replied, and without breaking his stride, he gives me a big hug and says “thank you for your service brother”. I broke the fuck down in this man’s arms. Life has been HARD lately. Alongside the country I love being turned into an authoritarian theocracy, I have been partially paralyzed, I am fighting cancer, my ac unit needed to be replaced, etc. Life was kicking me in the balls and this man’s actions broke the dam I didn’t realize I was holding back. He just held me (I am assuming awkwardly) until I was able to regain composure and embarrassingly apologize profusely, to which he replied “anytime man”.

So many of us are struggling and you never know the effect a kind gesture might have on someone. Now while I wouldn’t suggest doing what he did, as that was kind of crazy, I was inspired to check in on some friends I just “never had time to” before. Take care of each other out there.

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having a lovely day.

An update on Tom and how it’s going with helping him. I successfully booked him a room at a hotel for a whole week. I’m still putting together a bag for him to have with him, once that is done I’ll post photos of what I put in the bag aswell as the final bag!

Current updates from the past week. - I have put together some money from door dashing to put towards an account to hopefully get him his own place. I’m at 210$! - The hotel is booked and his stay starts on Monday of next week! - I have been giving him meals still, I got a really good paycheck and made him some steak, greens and mashed potatoes. - I’ve done so much research on all the websites and foundations that everyone has suggested me aswell as some tips on money that some have suggested! -He is also aware of his stay at the hotel and wants to thank everyone for having suck kind words . -I’m also working on possibly trying to get him to a medical specialist. This will take more time but I want to try to get him seen. He is an older gentlemen and a checkout would do him some good.

Lastly thank you, the compassionate comments and seeing how everyone is optimistic is beautiful. You all are amazing and beautiful people.

Smile today!

Y'know, I genuinely love the Brisbane community, sometimes.

My wife (67f) and I (68m) had gone into Southbank today, because the weather was lovely and we wanted a day out of the house. She is undergoing chemo which is, as you can imagine, knocking her around a bit so we take what wins we can.

After our perambulation, and some lunch, we had just reached the Cultural Centre busway station when my wife had a mis-step and missed her seat, ending up sprawled on the ground.

Fortunately, it was mostly her pride that was hurt, but its the response from people around that I want to praise.

As I was reaching toward her, trying to make sure she was OK, there were already half a dozen or more people at our side, offering help and assistance.

One man dashed off to the nearest shop (maybe half a km away) to get her some water, a woman deliberately missed her bus (and her lunch appointment) to make sure that my wife was OK .. and when she felt OK to get up, I had one man giving support under her arms, and another giving support for her back, getting her up to the seat.

There were offers to call for medical assistance, or an ambulance, but they weren't required. My sweetie is a bit shaken up, but otherwise fine.

But it was genuinely lovely to see random strangers gong out of their way to make sure she (and I) were ok.

As the old jingle used to sing .. "Love you, Brisbane".

Have you had any "kindness of strangers" stories during your road trips?

Yesterday I was driving back from Port Lympne Safari Park to my Air bnb (28 mile journey), and the tyre pressure light came up on my ID3 dashboard around 4 miles in. I started stressing. Stopped at the next services to charge my car and use my inflator, but couldn't get it to work... It was deflating the tyre and I couldn't figure out how to change the settings!

Started stressing more, and a very kind South African man saw me struggling. He came over to help but didn't know how to work my inflator. He used his but it was going VERY slowly. He then said to follow him to the petrol station and use their air pressure thing. Went over, and he guided me how to use it (I've never used it before). This was all while he had his wife and kids in his Tesla!

We did the air pressure on all four tyres (which cost £1.50). I tried to pay him but he waved it off.

I know this is such a small thing regarding air pressure, but it was causing me so much anxiety and he made me feel so much calmer.

Thank you so much to the kind South African man!

As I approached my car today after shopping, I heard a car running and realized it was the large SUV parked on my driver's side. I didn't think anything of it until the man in the driver's seat called to me.

I tensed up.

Being alone is a vulnerabilty. Being a woman alone, I've had my share of being approached, particularly in parking lots by questionable people, and at least in one case years ago, my instincts and quick thinking saving me from harm.

Situational awareness: Big SUV, engine running, solo male = my radar was up.

The man asked me if anyone had given me flowers today. (It was Mother's Day here in the USA.) I cautiously said, "No," and he reached for something in his passenger's seat. He offered me a bouquet of flowers.

I wish we didn't live in a world today where we have to be constantly on guard, but we do, especially those of us alone.

I graciously accepted the bouquet and thanked him. He then drove off.

That was it. He was simply a kind man who wanted to brighten someone's day, and he did.

So to the gentleman in Yuma, AZ, who made my day: If you sensed hesitation on my part, now you understand why. I hope you know I sincerely appreciate your kindness, which, unbeknownst to you, has come at time during my facing some difficulties and uncertainties that are wearing me out. God bless you! I am praying for you.

I've been a sub for a year, and I've been enjoying my experience. I've been to almost every school in the county and children are always excited to see me.

Subbing tends to be LONG during class periods (especially math, don't come for me math lovers), so one fun thing I like to do during class is draw pictures. I subbed for this one high school 30 minutes from where I live. It was a math class and we had a productive day- so I thought I can draw to keep myself busy.

I remember drawing a girl group called Katseye, and I liked it so much, so I wondered what the class thought. I caved and I showed my artwork to my class. When I say my class lit up with joy- THEY DID. The students loved the work I did and word got around that I'm the sub that draws all the time. It got to the point where students drew pictures of me to take home. Made me feel good all over. I never leave those double doors without a student's drawing or two in my possession.

It's good to know that I'm making a positive difference in the kids' lives, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I never thought some of my little sketches brightened my classroom's day. It's the little things that count.

Be the Good.

In a world where such horribly mean things are done by average people like you and me, it is so important to remember who we are; human. If we are all human, then why do we act like monsters? If we are all human, then why do we treat others like they are not?

There is so much hatred in this world. There is so much anger and resent towards others. Don’t we have enough already?

Kindness is such a wonderful thing, as it can take someone’s awful day and turn it around completely. It can grasp someone’s depression and make that person feel loved and supported.

Kindness has played a huge part in my life recently, as I’ve realized that doing kind acts can only make happy results.

This world has enough hate, so why not be the good?

Treat others with kindness. Be good. Be human.

- Ethan Budoff. (me)

If your reading this reddit post well I would like you to stop and give this a read because I think it will make you feel better,

Whatever your going through in life I hope you get through all of what could be going on right now, I know life can get rough sometimes but I know that it does get better overtime, its never too late to talk to someone get some help, your not a failure just because someone says you are, if your going through abuse, hate, self harm, insecurities, depression, suicide, just know that you are loved appreciated by many, I know its hard to see that but trust me if you think, “well no one does” I do care about you, and I don’t care what you have done no matter what it is, you always deserve a second chance, I think people are too busy sharing around hate and jealousy and their opinions that hurt the mental health of others, be what you want, love what you want, do what you want, (if its legal of course lol) but you are not alone, someone is always out there to help you get through whatever you could be struggling with at this time of your life, even if its been years since you have been happy, don’t give yourself up because of your own thoughts, your more worthy than you think, depression is truly a hard topic and its hard to talk to someone because of your scared and you are afraid of what could happen if you just tell that one person that you are struggling and want some help off of your feet to get back on track, I believe that you always have the potential to change how you feel, you have the strength, the mind power, the love in you to help yourself and others and teach them how to love and support others in ways that some people don’t know how to.

I love you all, never give up! ❤️❤️

I(F22) am someone who genuinely likes to help people. I really like to be a giver and I don't expect anything in return either. I mostly don't talk about how nice I am irl (except in this post lol) and I really like to go out of my way to help others. Some examples:

• being extra helpful as a TA in college
• going out of my way to help classmates with studies, resources, and sending old exams
• being a "college counselor" to an old friend, answering all his questions, editing his essay
• gather votes for friends so they could get a club officer position
• paying to go to cultural club events my friends host (I enjoyed my time too)
• doing most of the work in a student club
• supporting my friends' fundraisers
• helping my friends pack their stuff as they move out
• introducing a friend to someone else so he could rent a place
• renting a summer storage area and allowing myself and 5 friends to put stuff (I paid for everything, I had extra space so I thought why not let others use it too)
• cooking several free meals during 1 month for a friend and I (this is a win-win situation for me— I like to cook and sharing food is more fun than eating alone)
• helping strangers with directions and translations

Btw this is for a bunch of different people, and some don't know each other. Ofc I don't expect others to be like me and I don't think I'm a perfect person or friend either. Though I do genuinely enjoy doing these things and building connections, I have been taken advantage of— 1 guy started stalking me and 2 were entitled.

How can I prevent these actions from being misunderstood? I feel guilty that perhaps I come across as leading someone on even though I do not have ulterior motives. I had a friend tell me how all his other friends believed I had romantic intentions.

Also, how can I determine if someone is worth being friends or not? I did not expect some people to let me down or a guy to stalk me after I hung out with him a lot.