There are still really cool people out there.

[MagsC]

Years ago I was raising five little kids by myself. It was a couple days before Christmas, I was going into the store, carrying the baby, with the other children hanging on. I had kept a cheerful face on things but my mind was going a billion miles a minute wondering how I was going to stretch the $$ to afford a little Christmas. This complete stranger walked up to me, stuffed something into my coat pocket, said "Merry Christmas" and was gone. I was completely shocked to pull out $50!
Ever since then, if I can do something for another person in need, I do.

 

[hoosier]

I was really feeling down tonight.
Thanks for all of the great stories.

 

[65browneyes]

Quote:
Having been lucky enough to be on the giving end of similar situations from time to time, I can say there is NO better feeling than this one.

 

[CATRAY44]

Thank you all for posting these- you have blessed me.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Wh yare you feeling down? do you need a good blond joke?

 

[spookyevilone]

Awww! Cute stories. I have one to share.

My brothers are all military, and all huge beasts of men (the smallest is 6'4 and 300lbs). When they're not serving, they're ..still serving - several are cops, a few are emt's and one is our local fire marshal.

I used to get to do ride alongs, because I'm baby sister and I have them all well trained

One ride along involved a call to a grocery store, for a disturbing the peace and possible shoplifting.

The perp was a tiny, confused, crying little old lady who'd just gone on foodstamps and didn't understand that they could only be used for certain foods. When the cashier wouldn't take them for the rather modest amount of groceries, a manager had been called over. He'd made such a loud, obnoxious fuss that the humiliated little old lady had tried to take her groceries and leave, leaving the foodstamps on the counter. They'd stopped her from leaving the store and called the police.

My brother whipped out his citation book, flipped it open, and industriously started writing. When he was done, he handed a check to the cashier for the amount of the lady's groceries.. and handed a citation to the manager for elder abuse.

The lady was crying harder and protesting that she could pay for her own groceries. My brother winked and said, "Sure you can! Just not here. This is clearly a low class kind of store. The manager doesn't even understand how food assistance works. We'll set you up at [other store]." She protested, the bus didn't go by that store. He said he had to go by there on his lunch break anyway and would be happy to drive her. She protested that too, but was clearly swaying. What won her over was the m'am. "M'am, my mother'd never let me back in the house if she heard what went down here today and that I didn't do something about it. I can, and I aim to, if you'll let me." The m'am gets them every time.

My brother drove the little old lady to [other store] every week. She made him lunch every time he came to pick her up. She didn't know it, but the other store wouldn't take food stamps for her brands either. They took hers, because my brother always paid her bill, collected the foodstamps later, and gave them to the homeless people he checked on.

When the little old lady died two years later, my brother met the granddaughter, who'd been away at college. She's been my sister-in-law for 23 years.

I'm blessed with a family of good people. It's helped me through a lot of rough times, to remember that there are still good people out there and that I'm lucky to be related to an entire family of them.

-Spooky

 

[Linda in San Diego]

There was a point where I had no money to pay the essential bills - I talked to my minister and she asked if $200 would help. Indeed it did. The only stipulation was to do the same for someone else.

Several years later, I had a job again and someone at the school I was teaching at needed help. It was right around Christmas time. I told the person collecting help that I had $200 to give. She was amazed and asked if I was sure. I had never been so sure in my life.

Pay it forward!

As my kids grew we were involved with many activities for the kids, including Little League. There was one man who did anything and everything for the league. Then, he went into rehab and the family lost his income for a period of time. Shortly after that it was time for 6th grade camp. I went to that child's school and paid the child's portion. I asked that they tell the family that it had been paid for from someone who was grateful for their contributions to the community.

I cannot tell you how great I felt after helping these folks - but I had been helped before and just wanted to make a difference for someone else.

Merry Christmas!

 

[theOEGBman]

Quote:
Alright, now that one got me! That is such an amazing story.


These all are. You all are amazing.

HennysMom wrote:
what a wonderful thing!

and yes, it is nice to be able to "pay it forward" when you are in a position to be able to do that. Hubby did that for an elderly lady in the grocery store last Christmas. She didnt have enough money to pay for her groceries and the clerk said to her "you'll have to put some items back". Hubby wasnt really paying attention at first as he was unloading his cart - then he started to listen to the clerk (young girl ) giving this lady a hard time when the lady said she needed these items - couldnt the young girl just give them to her - as she was on a limited income, and it was only $2.00 over. The girl just rolled her eyes and said "Uhm.. no - you'll have to decide what you want." Hubby asked the clerk how much her bill was - it was like $70.00 and he just paid it right there on the spot - and said "Merry Christmas."

The lady just looked at him and stared like he had 5 heads - then she started to cry. She was probably about 85 years old - then she walked up to him and hugged him, while still crying and said "that was the nicest thing anyones ever done for me. God Bless you child."

He looked at the girl behind the counter and told her "next time someone is $2.00 short - think about what I just did - and remember it only takes a moment to do a random act of kindness."

Then he walked out...and the girls mouth was agape.

What a man...

That one is awesome as well. Man, my sister and I have been known to speak our minds when people are being rude that but one rocks!​