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A lot of you probably know of Lee Asher, he runs an animal sanctuary in California and has a pretty big following on social media (if you haven’t heard of him, you should check it out!) He also travels and does talks and visit shelters all over the US. Recently he gave a talk in my city, but I wasn’t able to go because I was out of town that day.

This year I’ve been having some heart problems which is a bit of a bummer. I was at the electrophysiologist office the other day, so I was a little down. A shirt I was wearing sparked talk of animal rescue with the nurse, and she brought up going to see Lee Asher. I told her I wanted to, but wasn’t able to.

When I was checking out the nurse came up to me and gave me this adorable lanyard she bought at the Lee Asher talk. She was so sweet and it was such an unexpected gift, it really made my day.

My friend studied in Mumbai for two years. I had once casually mentioned that when I get a job, I’d visit Mumbai, and we could go to the Siddhivinayak Temple together. However, I couldn’t make the trip while he was still there.

But when his course was completed, he sent Prasad from Siddhivinayak to me. It was such a wholesome gesture.

I really appreciated his gesture because, even though I couldn’t make it to Mumbai, he still sent me the Prasad without me asking. He even remembered that I wanted to visit Siddhivinayak. It's always the little things.

In 1974 I was back in France for round two as an exchange student, having been there for ninth grade, coming home and eventually skipping my junior year of high school, then taking a gap year before starting college.

My mother worked for the exchange program so of course we used the same one, but her French counterpart wasn't fond of young people and wasn't supportive of the students at all, because she was only doing that job so she could get a free trip to the US each year.

The "family" that she placed me with was a grandmother who lived alone, and who had a deep family secret that she didn't want me to find out (but I did on the third day: her second son was the father of his brother's wife's third child.)

To my face she pretended everything was fine, she was really happy to have me in her home and appreciated how helpful I was and how grateful I was to be there. Then she'd call the exchange person and lie about me, saying that I wouldn't help around the house and constantly complained about everything, etc., then she'd put me on the phone so the exchange person would yell at me. But I was thrilled to be back in France, I loved the food and I love being able to speak French with natives. I was also especially determined to make it work because there was nothing for me to do at home at home, since I was postponing college for a year and was definitely not interested in going back and starting right away.

I had had ulcerative colitis for a year when I was 10 but hadn't had a single flareup since then until that week, when it started again because of the severe stress. I was desperate to get out of there but couldn't call my parents from her house, so I ended up walking around the city crying, begging people to help me call my parents. I eventually came across a kind man who took me to his office and let me use his phone.

Within several more days my parents had made other living arrangements for me on the other side of the country, and as I was walking out the door with my suitcases after being there for only a week, grandma admitted to me that she had intentionally manipulated the situation to make me want to leave of my own free will, because before I even got there she had already changed her mind about having a student for the year but didn't want to lose face with the exchange program or her friends.

It's half a century later and I'm still deeply grateful to that man for helping me.

A few years ago I was in the midst of a breakup with an extremely manipulative person so I was miserable. I was being hurt so much by someone I thought loved me. My family was on vacation and I was walking around this Christmas town with them barely holding it together. The kind of dissociative walking when you’re like, half crying, half non responsive all day. I’m coming out of a shop and there was a woman standing on the curb also crying and I stopped and told her how I was feeling too, and asked if she wanted a hug and she did. Her face was so kind and she seemed so appreciative. It was so nice to bond with someone in that moment where you are supposed to be so happy it’s the holidays but nothing is actually right in your life. I was so grateful for that moment.

The last 6 Thanksgivings for me have not really been a good time of year for me. You see, I've been homeless because of a brain injury I received from an attempt on my life. I've literally lost everything I've ever loved, so holidays are extremely hard. I went from being that dad that pulls everything together at the last minute to, yesterday, laying in my tent alone trying to find something in life to hold on to make life worth going on. It's not easy.

I had already broken down a couple of times, which I fully expected, and was laying on my sleeping bags with a notebook open and a pen in my hand when I heard someone yelling, "Is anyone in that tent over there?"

My spot is very visible now because all the leaves that once camouflaged my tent now only camouflage the ground. I looked out to see a man standing in the parking lot on the other side of the creek yelling at me. I unzipped my front door and answered him that I was there and he held up a couple of plates and asked me if I wanted a dinner.

I walked down the trail that leads here and met him in the parking lot. He explained that he and his family had seen my spot many times and had noticed me out and about. He said that he sees that I keep to myself, never beg or panhandle and that I once told his son a joke that he still laughs at to this day, so his family decided to see if I had any kind of Thanksgiving meal.

Man, by this time I'm fighting back tears. He hands me 3 big paper plates of food, including one whole plate of desserts. He kept asking me if it was okay that he was doing this, that he didn't want to offend me, to which I assured him that it was more than okay but truly welcomed. He had his son with him, and he popped out of the car and gave me a big hug and launched into the knock knock joke I told him months ago.

That's when I just lost it. It overwhelmed me. They left and I went back to my tent feeling the spirit of Thanksgiving for the 1st time in years. Just knowing that someone cares meant so much to me.

Anyway, never underestimate the power of a dad joke.

Edit: The joke goes.....

Tell someone that you just heard a great knock knock joke and say you want to tell them. If they want to hear it, you tell them to start off first. When they say, "Knock knock." then you say "Who's there?" Then see how long it takes them to figure out they've been tricked.

Tell me about your favorite ways to act kind randomly such as leaving a quarter in the cart at Aldi, paying for someone's meal, sticking an encouraging note somewhere random for someone to find, etc.

Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy yourself.

Saw a man check into the gym today and then handed gift cards to the two employees working.

After asking a few of my friends and family if they were still doing Christmas cards anymore, I've noticed that a lot of people are rather bored by the thought of it now. I think it brightens even the grumpiest humbuggers' day, as these cards do for me, regardless of any denomination. I'm starting early with my New Years Resolutions, and really trying to send some out to the people I love this year. Maybe I'll do an original pen and ink sketch?

Edited: I'm tired now, I keep messing up my spelling... spazzin out. Spell check sucks worse tho -

Hi 🩶🤎 So I take two busses from work, back to my motel room. On my way out of my call center, my first bus passed right by me and continued on the way to the stop. I was certain I'd be left behind. So I didn't bother to run after it-

Until it became clear she was waiting for me at the stop.

No one was at the stop and no one was getting off the bus. And her comment towards me when I boarded let me know she was happy to wait for me. She saved me from having to wait in the dark.

I had a 7 am flight today, the day before Thanksgiving, probably the busiest travel day of the year. When we were boarding, the woman in front of me stopped and pulled out a box of Crumbl cookies and handed it to the flight attendants, explaining that she knew it was one of the busiest times of year and she just wanted to get them something to cheer them up. I just thought it was nice that she took the time to do that, especially because she probably had to buy the cookies yesterday on top of whatever pre-travel errands she had to do.

She said she specifically reached out to me to practice nails and eyelashes on because, and I quote, “you’re very pretty and unique, and I want to practice on someone different, ya know?” I almost cried happy tears.

My mom passed away on September 15, and she was the one who always made Christmas happen for us. December is also her birthday month (she was born on the 22nd), so this season is going to be twice as hard. I’ve decided to do an act of kindness every day for the month. On her birthday itself, I’m going to be serving at a community meal, and on the 14th, I’m helping with a guest appreciation party for a resource center for low-income pet parents. I’m open to other suggestions.

I was at a grocery store with my toddler and they were having a rough time. Crying, over tired, likely hungry, trying to climb out repeatedly. It was a rough day, on very little sleep, after a rough few weeks in my life. I didn’t think anyone noticed how much I was struggling. I considered just abandoning my cart because I was so exhausted but I didn’t want to put more work on the cashiers, or have them waste the meat that was in my cart. I finally finish (huge store and a long list) and get to my car and a woman comes up to me and hands me a bouquet of flowers. Tells me she can see I’m struggling but that she can tell I’m a great mom and she hopes it gets easier. My entire mood shifted immediately. I still tear up when I think about it. I even dried some of the flowers and keep them as a reminder. I think about her and pray for her to this day. Just wanted to encourage anyone that if they get the feeling to do a small act of kindness for someone, please don’t feel awkward or embarrassed. Someone could really need it.

This happened just before Covid. My husband and I were in a college town to watch a Mardi Gras parade. There were a couple of college age girls next to us, let’s just say they’re dressed for the occasion, and a boy about 10 with his mom in front of the girls. The kid was very excited and obviously intent on collecting some beads. The parade starts, beads are flying through the air, and the kid is having no luck catching any. The college girls notice this, and they start flashing the floats for beads and of course they get lots of attention and beads. The girls start dropping all the beads around the kids neck. He looks up at them in shock, but absolutely thrilled. He kept looking back at the girls, then at his mom, like “is this really happening”? Mom is laughing, the girls are laughing, and the kid walks away with probably 100 bead necklaces. It was a sweet and funny moment and I hope the kid shared all those beads with his friends.

(As I'm reading other posts and writing this, I may be in the wrong place but oh well.)

Tonight I went to a bar in NYC and I was drinking seltzer water. A bartender bought me my last seltzer water on my tab for me. I understand it's very cheap and is just carbonated water, however this gesture means the world to me. I don't normally get kind gestures randomly or even ever, but tonight really made my month. I just wanted to reach out and say thank you to the bartender and I hope you all continue to give random acts of kindness. It really can change the world.

I should have posted this years ago but wasn't a big reddit user. I'm reminiscing while I'm visiting family in the Northern California area and thought I'd share as both an speical connection moment in my life and in the spirit of thanks.

In March 2019 I was living in Austin, Texas and I jolted awake and checked my phone to see my sister called which if you know my sister that's not normal. I called her back and found out my dad had a heart attack and was headed to the hospital. I immediately book a flight and my mom (she was visiting me in ATX, they are divorced) drove me to the airport. I was a wreck. I'm super close with my Dad and was terrified I'd never see him again.

Enter kind stranger.

On the flight over I was in and out of moments of crying so I was wearing sunglasses during the flight. Sitting next to me was a man, maybe 25 years old, and even though we hadn't even spoken a word to each other I asked him if we would hold my hand. I needed to feel a human connection in that moment of feeling so lost and scared. He didn't even hesitate and held my hand for a good portion of the flight. At one point I started to feel bad because my hand was sweaty so I let go and we talked for a bit and I told him why I was so distraught and he just listened and was a person I really needed in that moment.

After the plane landed in Santa Rosa, CA he asked if his family could drive me to the hospital but my uncle was picking me up so I just thanked him and walked away. I don't remember his name or really what he looked like but I'll never forget him or what he did for me.

Thank you, Sir.

I work for a large high street bank in the UK as a bank teller. This storey takes place 10 years ago, pretty much to the day.

It was a busy Monday afternoon and I called over an elderly gentleman who asked for his account balance. After checking he had £8 available and he was shocked as his pension should have gone in that morning. His pension had gone in but unfortunately his water bill had also came out, this was far higher compared to his previous months. My heart broke in half! I knew I needed to do some digging, I calculated it and it was the equivalent to a half yearly amount about £260, prior to this it had been on a monthly basis around £43. I called through to the water company who had no knowledge as to why this had happened and confirmed it was indeed a half yearly payment. The did apologise and promised a full refund, I was able to confirm if I could do a ‘same day recall’ on the direct debit which they agreed I could. Whilst on the phone to the agent I asked what support is in place for an elderly gentleman on him own. There was TONES!!!! His annual bill was practically quartered plus they arranged a visit to the property to check all his pipe work!

To add to his relief I gently reminded him about his savings account. ‘What savings account?’ he replied! ‘The savings account you have with (roughly) £50,000 in’

That savings account used to be his wife’s and thought all the money had gone over the years with life expenditures. She had passed a couple of years prior and he had really been struggling. Between tears of relief and him needing a very sweet cup of tea, he admitted to me he’s been sleeping on a mattress on the floor as his bed frame had broken last year! My heart broke into quarters!

Where are his family, friends, neighbours even! He told me he has a daughter but she’s very busy! He’s friend had all passed on and his neighbours are all very private. He was alone in the world. I decided to call a few local charities and social services to see what other support I could find for him, again there was TONES!!!!

He now has a regular career visiting, I nice new bed and mattress, as well as clothing. He also bought his first ever fridge freezer. He even treated himself to a holiday to Blackpool in the summer, where he met his wife ❤️

Dale Schroeder was an American carpenter from Iowa.

He spent 67 years working for the same company and lived an extremely frugal life, owning only two pairs of blue jeans: one for work and one for attending church on Sundays.

He never married or had children and had amassed $3 million in life savings by the time of his death at the age of 86, which he arranged to be used for the college education of 33 Iowans because he grew up poor and wanted to help people like himself attend college.

I'm doing my first craft fair on Saturday, trying to sell some cards and other paper crafts I've made. At a different fair in Saturday, I was asking a lady about her signage, etc. , and told her that I was asking questions because I'm doing my first fair. She was so patient, and when I was leaving she said "I'm so proud of you! Putting yourself out there like that!" It made me feel much more calm about Saturday. I'm still a little nervous, but hopefully people buy a couple of things. I'm not looking to make a million bucks, just to keep me in craft supplies.