Random Acts of Kindness on 9/11 Anniversary: Share Your Inspiring Stories

[Kitchen2u]

On the anniversary of 9/11, let's focus on KINDNESS.

What have you done to light up someone's life (without them knowing)? A random act of kindness is something you do without the person knowing you did it...you don't do it for recognition, you just want to "light up someone's life," remember Debby Boone's song?

Post your random acts of kindness here...I think we can all learn from each other. You might be doing something someone here might want to try someday!

 

[Kitchen2u]

I'll start...some things I like to do:

~ pay for the toll bridge for the 5 cars behind me
~ hide notes for people to find at restaurants..."consider yourself loved today"
~ have flowers delivered to a friend in need with a note saying, "just thinking of you," unsigned
~ cut my neighbor's lawn with him knowing who did it

That's what I can think of right now...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

The grocery stores in this area do a lot of Buy one Get one free promos - so today, DS and I did our grocery shopping, bought a bunch of BOGO things and then dropped off half for some friends of ours who are out of work, and really struggling....trying not to lose their house.

We also bought some special treats for them too.

It was so much fun, and DS had as much fun as I did!

 

[Kitchen2u]

The grocery stores in this area do a lot of Buy one Get one free promos - so today, DS and I did our grocery shopping, bought a bunch of BOGO things and then dropped off half for some friends of ours who are out of work, and really struggling....trying not to lose their house.

We also bought some special treats for them too.

It was so much fun, and DS had as much fun as I did!

AWESOME idea Becky ~ thanks for sharing...I love the feeling I get when I do it too ~ don't you?

 

[susan g]

My DH likes to pay for people behind him at the drive-thru (usually Chick-fil-A). It is really fun and brightens his day as much as the person he pays for.

 

[DebbieJ]

My friend pitches in and watches DS for me on the days when I have to leave for a show before DH gets home. Her DH is currently laid off--no work for painters right now cuz no houses are being built--so they are scraping by.The other night when DH went to pick up DS, he stopped at the grocery store and got a gift card and then left it on my friend's desk when he got inside. As he was walking out, her 4 yo daughter found it.

 

[gilliandanielle]

I have turned into a crazy coupon lady, so even if I see a coupon for cat food I have to clip it, despite the fact that I don't have a cat. I bring all my coupons with me to the store, and anything I don't use I stick on the product for someone to find.

 

[Kitchen2u]

I love reading all of these...they're ALL great!

I have turned into a crazy coupon lady, so even if I see a coupon for cat food I have to clip it, despite the fact that I don't have a cat. I bring all my coupons with me to the store, and anything I don't use I stick on the product for someone to find.

I do this too Gillian! Sometimes as soon as I do that...someone comes by and finds it and I have seen them get excited. That's cool...they haven't a clue.

I've paid for car washes behind me...once I paid $40 towards the little old lady's grocery behind me. I handed the envelope to the checker as I was leaving...he just winked at me. She probably got change too since she didn't have too much! I usually have an envelope ($20-$40) like that already written out in my purse...just waiting for my target!

Once I won a $100 gift card...put it on the car of a church friend who needed it more than me. It was fun to hear her talk about it. That was 2 years ago and she still mentions it once in a while.

 

[Kitchen2u]

Just got back from the grocery store...and left $20 for the lady and 3 little kids. She was digging coins from the bottom of her purse buying baby formula. The clerk told her a grocery angel paid for it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Just got back from the grocery store...and left $20 for the lady and 3 little kids. She was digging coins from the bottom of her purse buying baby formula. The clerk told her a grocery angel paid for it.

That's cool!

I loved the story of your friend who continues to talk about the gift card! It keeps on giving for you too!

 

[sk8rgrrl99]

I love this thread! This is great. Sometimes something as easy as holding the door for someone else makes all the difference. Also a smile and a "have a great day" can boost someone's day when they are having a bad one.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I have turned into a crazy coupon lady, so even if I see a coupon for cat food I have to clip it, despite the fact that I don't have a cat. I bring all my coupons with me to the store, and anything I don't use I stick on the product for someone to find.

I do that too!

I've bought homeless people lunch at restaurants.

 

[pampcheflisa]

I love this thread!
I love the idea of doing this at a grocery store, I'm going to do it too!
I try to be very thoughtful and generous to other people, but most of the time it's people I know and not really strangers.
I do all kinds of things for my daycare provider (my kids go to in-home daycare) and she tells me I spoil her.
I am going to work on the acts of kindness to strangers more!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oh - I know one thing I like to do that is simple and fun (but you can only do this if you are tall enough and have a good reach!)

I like to help elderly, and wheelchair-bound people collect their groceries. Sometimes, after I've reached for something for someone in an aisle, I'll have a couple other people ask if I can help them too.

 

[tlag1986]

We raise our own eggs, and I take them to church and give them to anyone who will take them.

 

[susanr613]

on DS's birthday a couple years ago, i took a piece of cake with me to work and gave it to a lady who has a begging station on one of the bridges over the chicago river. she looked genuinely surprised and happy

i like reading the ideas here - lots of good stuff to implement

thank you for starting this thread

 

[pamperedlinda]

Oh - I know one thing I like to do that is simple and fun (but you can only do this if you are tall enough and have a good reach!)

I like to help elderly, and wheelchair-bound people collect their groceries. Sometimes, after I've reached for something for someone in an aisle, I'll have a couple other people ask if I can help them too.

I'm short so I love it when people help me reach items on the top shelves!

 

[amy07]

DH & I once donated the money for a youth member to attend a mission trip that the church could not fund.

We also supplied a family with the money to finish the flooring in their house - her husband had gotten ill and they couldn't afford to finish construction on their house. Some church members who are in the trades finished the construction and we paid for the flooring. No one aside from our pastor knew that we paid for the flooring.

 

[amy07]

for the record, DH & I do not have an abundance of $$, we just happened to have sold our house and made more $$ than we anticipated, so we thought that since God had blessed us we need to share.

 

[Kitchen2u]

i like reading the ideas here - lots of good stuff to implement

That's why I started this thread...I was looking for new ideas to implement...great ones here!

That's cool!

I loved the story of your friend who continues to talk about the gift card! It keeps on giving for you too!

That sure was an unexpected one...she even kept the card and pulls it out of her purse when she tells the story!


With all the hussle and bussle of our busy and at times stressful :yuck: lives. Doing random acts of kindness brings me back to reality. I'm not rich by no means, but f I find that I can help someone, I can do without something. a few years ago, I gave up Starbucks, Jamba Juice, and lots of fast food stops...so the $$$ I saved I used it for others who are in need. I get more joy :love: when they don't know who did and they try to figure out who did it!

 

[Chef Michelle D]

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it.

Yesterday on 9/11 I took my DS to the fire statation in town and we brought a box of joe and some muffins with us. We wanted to thank the fire fighters for all there hard work and to remember what happened on this day 7 years ago. My DS was only 2 when 9/11 happened but we talk about it and I tell him about all the people that died and the brave people who saved those that needed it.

We have done this for a few years now, each year we go to a different fire station in town. Again thanks for the great thread, I got some great ideas to so some kindness.

 

[chefmeg]

my neighbor lost her husband in a tragic surgery gone bad in December of 2006....several neighbors and I got together to get a gift basket together for them in December of 2007 so that they wouldn't feel so sad on the anniversary of Gregg's death...it was sooooo much fun! We had to put a sign on their garage telling them that "Santa and his elves were spotted on our street today and you might want to look on your front porch" because they usually use their side entrance!

The next day, she stopped at the bus stop and got out of her car and hugged all of us.....we still pretended that we had no idea what she was talking about!

 

[janetupnorth]

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it.

Yesterday on 9/11 I took my DS to the fire statation in town and we brought a box of joe and some muffins with us. We wanted to thank the fire fighters for all there hard work and to remember what happened on this day 7 years ago. My DS was only 2 when 9/11 happened but we talk about it and I tell him about all the people that died and the brave people who saved those that needed it.

We have done this for a few years now, each year we go to a different fire station in town. Again thanks for the great thread, I got some great ideas to so some kindness.

THANK YOU for doing that for them!

 

[janetupnorth]

Some things I do people find out about - some they don't...on things they do, often they have NO clue who I am so I think it is still fun...1. Our grocery store has $1.00 off coupons if you spend $40 and you get them when you get gas. I get more coupons that I need so if I see someone (rich looking or poor looking - appearance doesn't tell wealth always) not using one ahead of me, I give it to them.2. I'll often toss a penny or nickel to someone digging for change at a store.3. If someone has a few items and I have a ton - I let them go ahead of me in line. It was so cool today - I went to get a bag of dog food and someone let ME go ahead of them.4. We are missionaries and sometimes know when other families at camp are struggling and we're o.k. so we've been known to give anonymous gifts.5. Last year a supporter gave us a bigger gift that we expected so we sent some off to another missionary overseas in a VERY remote area that has lost her belongings for only about the 20th time in her 40+ year missionary career. We sent it as a personal gift so she wouldn't get taxes taken out of it and could use it all.6. We try to make meals for those who have kids or have had people die.7. We are volunteer Fighterfighters/EMTs to help those we don't know.Other fun stuff to do:
1. Leave notes on peoples' vehicles.
2. Offer to return their shopping cart for them so they can get on to their next thing.
3. Look for people to give things to...clothes when the kids grow out of them, strollers, bikes, etc.
4. Leave chocolates on a co-worker's desk.
5. Plug someone's parking meter.
6. Give up your seat for someone.
7. Leave your change in the soda machine for the next person to find.
8. Visit a nursing home!

 

[PamperedDor]

hmmm - I do many things - some that go noticed and some that don't -

MY weekly RAK that we do is we have an elderly neighbor next door (just turned 80!) - we (the kids and I ) take out her garbage pails to and from the curb every g-day (3 times a week) - I also pay for her yard to be landscaped (cut grass etc) weekly while mine is done -

Some stuff I just do, not sure if it is a Random act or not - just out of the goodness of my heart.

 

[janetupnorth]

hmmm - I do many things - some that go noticed and some that don't -

MY weekly RAK that we do is we have an elderly neighbor next door (just turned 80!) - we (the kids and I ) take out her garbage pails to and from the curb every g-day (3 times a week) - I also pay for her yard to be landscaped (cut grass etc) weekly while mine is done -

Some stuff I just do, not sure if it is a Random act or not - just out of the goodness of my heart.

You have garbage pick-up 3 times a week!

 

[kcjodih]

Well I did a Random Act of Kindness today. Not a big one by any means but it sure made the lady happy which made me feel great. She was in my store today (frozen food) and as I rung her through she mentioned she had to try and find lemon juice. Seems she was given two HUGE bowls of raspberries from the neighbours bushes and her recipe for jam calls for lemon juice. What I was unaware of is that you can't buy lemon juice or lemons ANYWHERE up here right now and haven't been able to since June sometime for whatever reason.

She was VERY distressed (LOL) so I said 'hey, I don't know you but I KNOW I have lemon juice in the fridge and hardly ever use it if you're willing to drive 20 minutes to my town'. She says 'That's my town too!'. So I give her my number to call my hubby if she gets lost, draw her a map (we live in the country) and then call my hubby while she's still there to see if we do in fact have lemon juice. He checks and says yep, 1/2 a bottle. I tell him, okay then, there's a lady coming over within the hour - what's your name by the way? - okay someone name Sue will be there within the hour to pick it up. He of course thought I was nuts

She couldn't believe someone who didn't know her would give her lemon juice. But really, it's ONLY lemon juice. She was sooooo thankful it was getting quite silly and tried to pay me, then said she'd bring me a jar of jam. Whether she does or not doesn't really matter - it was awesome to see her so happy over something SO little!

 

[PamperedDor]

You have garbage pick-up 3 times a week!

Yup! Tuesday pick up is regular garbage, Wedns. is Recyclable (one week glass, plastic and metal the next week is paper/cardboard) and then Friday is Regular again - They also designate in the spring and fall 1 month that they have an extra 2 days for big items and those you don't throw away with regular trash (paint cans etc) - No wonder our taxes are so high here!

Random act of kindness today......... DH went and lined the soccer fields at 6:30 before the league administrator got there to do it, and he left a note on his car - to enjoy the morning off! Already got a thank you call!