(A school trip, but the parents had to pay for it). Now I’m 27, and I want to say thank you, but she died last year. Such people really make me happy to live in a world where kind compassionate people will help give a child a better life.
My goal now is to pay it forward as much as I can.
- There’s a hands-on museum in San Francisco called “The Exploratorium.” One evening, we were wandering through the available merchandise when a pair of children — girls who couldn’t have been older than eight — dragged their mother over to a particular display. “Look, Mommy!” the elder girl said. “Look, you can build anything you want with this!” “It looks very nice,” the girl’s mother replied, “but we can’t afford that right now.” “Please?” begged the younger girl.
The woman smiled apologetically, though I could see tears in her eyes. “Maybe for your birthday,” she said. As the three of them started to move away, I glanced over at the box they had been eyeing.
It was essentially a collection of pieces that could be assembled into a variety of simple machines, not unlike a wooden LEGO set devoted to physics fundamentals. It was exactly the sort of thing that I would have loved as a kid… and as I considered that, a sudden compulsion came over me.
Moving quickly, I grabbed one of the boxes off the shelf, darted over to the register, and purchased it before the family could leave the store. “Excuse me,” I said, rushing up to the mother. She turned around, surprised, and looked up at me with a suspicious gaze.
“Please tell your daughters,” I continued, holding the bag forward, “that this is for them to share.”
The woman glanced into the bag, saw what it contained, and then looked up at me again. This time, though, her suspicion had been replaced by shock. “Oh, no, no!” she replied, shaking her head.“No, thank you, but that costs entirely too much.”
“It’s no trouble!” I replied. “Really, I would have loved this when I was their age, and I saw how much they wanted it.” I held the bag forward again, and this time, the woman accepted it. The two girls were prompted to thank me, and I offered a few quick stories about things that I had built as a kid (leaving out the more destructive of my inventions, of course).By the time that my girlfriend and I were ready to leave the store, the girls were literally jumping up and down with excitement… and the tears had returned to their mother’s eyes. This time, though, those tears were of an entirely different variety.
- I work at a grocery store.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve witnessed people pay for someone’s groceries if their payment didn’t go through. Any where from $50 all the way up to $350. The $350 being an old lady whose EBT card wouldn’t work.
After the old lady walked away and was leaving, the lady behind her said to charge her for it. Don’t say anything and have a bagger follow her out with the groceries. She didn’t want any recognition for doing it.
As much as I don’t trust people and think the worst, days like that keep my faith in humanity alive.
- Witnessed by me: watched an entire group of NYC train passengers work together one time. A girl got separated from her mother getting off the subway, and before she could grab her, the doors shut. The mother spoke zero English and people were running and shouting for the conductor to open the doors, which did not work.
Then a few people called their friends that were still on the train to get the kid off safely at the next stop. The people, coordinating with the ones on the train, escorted the woman to the next stop by using hand motions and such to explain. Girl and mom both cried when reunited.
Everyone just went on with their days afterwards. New Yorkers band together when something bad happens.
- Last year, my mom sent me and my brother to Meijers to buy dog food and handed me a set amount of money to pay for the dog food and then a bit extra to pick up a treat for myself for going. I was searching for a flavor of ice cream and only looking at the generic brand, since I wasn’t even sure I would have enough to afford ice cream.
My brother wanted the Sander’s kind, which was 5$, way over budget. I told him, no, I’m sorry. We have to stick to the generic kind, we don’t have enough for that kind of ice cream since we have to buy dog food too.
An older lady behind me overheard me I guess and as my brother and I were about to walk away she handed me a 5$ bill and said, “Everyone deserves to have quality ice cream” and smiled and walked away. I was speechless and couldn’t say thank you fast enough.
- One night a couple months ago, after hanging at a bar with friends, I was walking back to my car by myself. It was about 1am, I’m walking past a bus stop and there’s a man huddled in the corner who tells me “Have a good night, miss.”
Out of instinct, I turn and reply, “Thanks man!You too!” and kept walking, but then I heard him say, “Thank you for replying, no one ever replies. Everyone just ignores me.”
This made me stop and turn around, and (keeping my distance) I asked him if he was alright, and he said, “Yeah, yeah…” in a low voice. It was dark out, and I was alone, and I was a bit scared, but it was really cold out, and I noticed the man was shivering, so I asked him if he was cold.He said, “Miss, can you hug me?” and in my mind I was like uhh… no. This was making me uncomfortable, and I was about to nope away from there, but then the man started apologizing for asking, and I could hear his voice cracking.
And, I don’t know why. I didn’t really want to, but I walked over to him, and hugged him and gave him a pat in the back. Then he said, “Thanks, that was all I needed.
Have a good night, miss.” And then I just walked away.
- Earlier today I saw a family of 6, mom and dad and 4 kids. One of the younger boys’ shoes (flip-flop) broke, and his big sister picked up the shoe, then picked him up and carried him so he didn’t have to walk on the hot concrete in front of the supermarket they were leaving. She did it without thinking, as if it just seemed like the right thing to do.
- I was in 7-11 the other day buying some tea and a guy ahead of me was trying to pay for a bottle of water and sleeve of donuts on a card, but it kept getting rejected.
The cashier was getting mad and telling him to leave and come back with money, so I stepped in and said I’d cover it along with my goods.
- I’m a paramedic. Dispatched to a fire to stand by. We happened to be one of the first units on scene along with an officer.
The house is full engulfed and outside this woman is frantic that her husband in a wheelchair is stuck inside the doorway. Without question, the officer sprints inside to grab him. Without any fire gear or any protection.
My partner and I looked at each other and followed him. Luckily, the gentlemen in the house was right near the door, and we were able to get him out easily with minimal danger. What makes it selfless though is that the officer didn’t know that going in and didn’t even question for a second his own safety when he heard someone was stuck.
- My daughter had lost her first tooth and received a dollar from the tooth fairy.
We were in the car on the way to grandma’s house, and she was in the back seat clutching that dollar, excited to show everyone. We’re stopped at a red light and there’s a homeless man standing on the median with a sign asking for help. My daughter asks if he has a place to live, and I replied that I didn’t think so.
She asks me to roll down her window, and when I do, she sticks her dollar out and hands it to him. “He needs food more than I need a new toy.” Made me cry and served as a reminder to be a better person.
- When my twin sister and I were 29, I caught her kissing my fiancé the night before my wedding. I cut her off completely, hated her, and blamed her for everything.
We didn’t speak for 10 years. Recently, she died in a car accident. I didn’t even want to attend her funeral, but my mom insisted.
Afterward, I went into her old room. While going through her things, I found a folder with my name on it. Inside were photos of my fiancé kissing my best friend at a bar, then more of them entering a cheap motel.
Dated during our engagement. There were also screenshots: texts from my sister begging him to stop cheating. His replies were cruel, mocking.
Finally, her last message to him said: “If you don’t want to put an end to it, then I will do.” She staged that kiss, knowing I’d see it. She sacrificed our relationship to save me from marrying him. She kept the proof, hoping one day I’d listen, but I never gave her the chance.
I treated her like she was dead long before she actually was. And only now I realize… she was the most loving person I ever had in my life.
— Almira S., Bright Side reader
In a world that often glorifies power and money, it’s the kind gestures that heal the deepest wounds. These moments remind us that kindness isn’t fragile, it’s a force that changes lives in silence, leaving traces stronger than any grand display.
