What’s something kind someone has done for you that you revisit?
A stranger once shared food with me and talked me down from fear when a snow squall stranded us at the peak of a hike. I think often about this person’s willingness to help and how it completely transformed that experience.
Someone bought me a few dollars in gas. I was paying in pennies and nickels, what I could spare after buying some small food. The lady behind me took notice. She approached me as I pumped my droplets of gas, and said something like "There's 10 dollars on that pump for you after your done".
I was so grateful, and even slightly ashamed at my own predicament due to some learned behavior of self hatred.
I pumped 6 dollars and went in to get the difference. I left there with more gas than I would have had, and 4 whole dollars as a small comfort.
Thank you so much to all the kind people that make living worthwhile.
My grandma took care of me from the moment I was two months old till I was old enough to travel on my own and cook my own food, and even after that we would continue meeting for lunch every week. My mom and dad were present in my life and loving parents but divorced when I was really young and both had to work and travel a lot, through it all, I'd always had her.
At the time of the story, my dear grandma was slowly dying in her struggle with depression. In-patient treatment had done little to nothing, she was on several psychiatric medications, no dice.
In the middle of this I had an interview scheduled for an internship in a field I really cared about and for the life of me, I couldn't find the room the interview was being held at in that laberynth of a faculty building. I would go to where the receptionist told me and find nothing, Id ask teachers and no one knew the place I was headed to. Id open random doors and got into offices where people would rush me out. The clock was ticking and I felt incredibly stupid at not being able to find the stupid room. The building wasn't even that large.
And all of a sudden it was too much and I just... broke down sobbing and couldnt stop, everything was too much. Must have been ugly crying for half an hour straight. My eyes were so puffy I could barely even see anymore.
What I wont forget about that time is how many of the 17 - 18 year-old students approached me that day: offered me water, or to show me the bathroom, asked if I needed a phone to call anyone. One girl even hugged me while I continued crying my hear out and helped me email the person I was supposed to meet that day to tell them I had a personal emergency, while she heard out everything that was going on with me and tried her best to assure me everything would turn out fine.
On my way home, people on the public transport would offer me seats, or ask if I was alright.
Sounds like small things, but in the world we live in sometimes its easy to believe nobody gives a shit anymore.
I did get that internship, the following week. And continue to be in that field of work.
I became homeless when I was 18. On my first day on the streets I was sitting at a bus stop crying and a homeless guy came up and asked what was wrong. I explained my situation and told him I didn't even have enough money for a bus ride. Without hesitating he pulled out a baggie of coins, counted out enough for his own bus fare, them gave me the rest. That act of generosity will stick with me for the rest of my life.
I was 17. A teacher of mine was on his day off but decided to came at school and took me of my class only to go to the school cafè and talk. He noticed that i wasn’t ok at that time and wanted to let me know that I wasn’t alone, and he could help me if I needed him.
Me and this teacher had some fights before (and after) this, but to this day I am really thankful for what he did for me.
I didn’t have enough money in my account for groceries at a grocery store. I had to walk out without it. While I was trying to figure out what I was going to do, a lady came up and handed me my groceries. She just said don’t worry about it and walked away. She didn’t make it weird or make me feel bad at all. So thankful for that random lady. I doubt she has any idea how much it’s meant to me over the years thinking about it.
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