Pay it Forward - what is your experience?

On a solo holiday last year, everyone in the group met for an evening meal in our hotel (prior to us departing for the airport early the next morning). A lady who was also celebrating her birthday stood to say thanks for a wonderful holiday and what special birthday memories she would have. She also told us she had managed to damage her suitcase zip whilst packing. After the meal I went to my room to get the luggage strap I use on my suitcase and the spare lock I always have when I travel. The lady was most appreciative and wanted to pay me for it. I insisted it was my birthday gift to her and we hugged. I can’t tell you how uplifted I was knowing in this small way it helped.

I have mobility problems so have mega problems negotiating stairs at some tube stations where there are no lifts. Frequently young people stop and ask if they can help me. Unless they can do a fireman's lift no is the answer but it is very kind of them. I do eventually get there, my own method. This summer we will have 4 lifts- I cannot wait.

A few years ago the tube made an unscheduled final stop, luckily at my station which was small and in the middle of nowhere- mainly housing. A woman got off with me, did not have a clue where she was etc and needed to get to her home which was around 5 miles away and she had to pick children up from school. I drove her there, stopped for a quick coffee and then on my way again.

So nice to hear good news, for a change, and not the usual doom and gloom. It made me feel so happy, uplifted and optimistic. I will definitely give the pay it forward a go.

This has brought tears to my eyes. I’ve had random acts of kindness given to me by strangers and I try to repay them. When I read the newspapers or see the news on television I see so many horrible things going on in the world. Reading this thread reminds me that there are good, kind people everywhere and it warms my heart to know that love and kindness still exist.

My husband's heart medication was stuck at the main surgery when there was heavy snow and the staff were unable to get to our village surgery. I called for help on our community page and immediately had 6 offers of help. The medication was collected and delivered by an enormous John Deere tractor!

In my local fish & chip shop recently, an elderly man was in front of me. He reached the counter and asked for a chip butty (the cheapest thing they sell) counting out his money carefully onto the counter.
The owner was serving, and I watched as he wrapped up a mini fish, scoop of chips, a battered scallop AND the chip butty - handed them over with a smile, and charged just for the butty, saying, 'You can heat up any leftovers for your tea'. ?
It was done very carefully, with no fuss and I only saw what happened because I was next in the queue - no-one else noticed.

This really is a lovely thread to be following. Bless you all. X

Some years ago we were in central London at a works Xmas party and one of our friends collapsed with a suspected heart attack. An ambulance was called and his wife went with him to the hospital. We decided to follow so that we could offer support and help her get home if she needed it. We jumped in a taxi and realised that we didn’t know what hospital they were going to, so we just said “follow that ambulance”. The taxi driver thought that was hilarious and like something out of a film! When we got to the hospital he refused payment and said he hoped our friend would be ok. Never let it be said the London cabbies are unhelpful or mean!!

I was about to pop home one lunchtime when an elderly lady asked directions to a local care home as she was visiting a friend. She had arrived on the train. I gave her directions and said it was about half a mile. She looked quite worried at the thought of walking so I offered to drop her there in my car. My car was a sporty convertible and the top was down as it was a sunny day. I asked if she would rather have the roof up and she said no it was fine. She really enjoyed her short drive to the care home and I was pleased to have helped her.

I had a very recent act of kindness from a lovely Gransnet member in response to my Post about which Sat Nav to buy.She sent a private message to say she had one suplus to requirements and would post it to me for free. By the time I got her message I had already bought one for myself but such a kind thought really lifted my spirits.

Many years ago when I was a student I was laden down with heavy books and it was pouring with rain and I was soaking wet when an old lady saw me through her window and came to her door to insist I borrow her shopping trolley and return it when I was next passing.So kind to a complete stranger.

I also experienced an international act of kindness when I visited Greece about 30 years ago.I was in a Taverna in a small non tourist village with my then Partner a group of elderly men were drinking in it when we arrived.They nodded to us and asked if we were English and smiled when we said yes.They left shortly after and we stayed on for a meal and drinks.When we came to pay the Taverna owner wouldn't take any payment and said the Group who had left insisted that they would pay our Bill. He didn't really speak English so got a local who spoke a little to tell us the older men had paid for us because we were English but couldn't explain why.There was a War Memorial in the village centre so I guess that must have been the reason we were popular. We were so touched by such a lovely gesture.Really heart warming to know we were loved for being British.

This is a lovely heartwarming thread.

We were a young RAF family posted overseas in the 1970s. A few months after the birth of our 2nd child I decided to visit my parents as my husband was on detatchment, I arrived at Birmingham Airport and then proceeded to the train station and located the platform from the timetable board, walked in the direction indicated and was dismayed to be confronted by a long flight of steps up to the platforms.

I stood there trying to figure out how to climb the steps with a 7 month old, a 3 year old, a suitcase and a buggy. Two gentleman came to my rescue from different directions, a young man lifted up my suitcase and an older man with a briefcase picked up my buggy. They both accompanied us to the correct platform, very cheerfully chatting to me and the children. It wasn't the last time I was helped by strangers while travelling, and I try to help others whenever I can. Even what seems the smallest of kindnesses and consideration can make such a difference.

We were in Japan and trying to find our way through a huge station to the platform where we were to join our train. The signs were hard to follow and an elderly man came over and asked in excellent English if he could help us. He took us all the way to the platform chatting to us as we went - when I asked if he'd lived in England, as he spoke such good English, he said "No - but I grew up with Peter Rabbit'!

My friend was very poor when her three children were young (alcoholic husband). On Christmas Eve, they waited in a long supermarket queue, put the meagre essential shopping in bags on the pushchair, then found that a woman behind had paid the bill.

The woman said that somebody else had paid for her shopping a few years before and she was delighted to pass on the favour. My friend did the same when she was back in work - and divorced!

A couple of times I have been helped with suitcases by younger men in an emergency at an airport.
Our part of the village is down a steep hill about half a mile long and quite often I have given a lift to the old villagers walking up the hill. One time was a lady about 70 with her mother they were going to have blood taken at the lab in the village as I was so I took them there and said to wait for me and I would take them hime. They must have understood my Portuguese because they were waiting for me when I came out.

Yesterday a received a random act of kindness and I was more than grateful. I am in a lot of pain with my bone cancer at the moment and I had to go to the clinic at the hospital I attend for a bone scan. I thought it was where I go for CT scans so my husband dropped me off and went to park the car. It wasnt where I thought was but in another area entirely. I sought help from various people and a doctor and nurse eventually took me all the way in the end. The blnurse saud very kindly "I soeak English if it is better for you" In all I must have walked about half a mile and was almost in tears with the pain by the time I arrived there. The receptionist took my name and told me wait in the waiting area. There were only 9 chairs and all taken plus others standing. So I just leant against the wall. There were several youngish males sitting down one guy obviously only there to be with his father kept his eyes down on his phone. A lady about the same age (75) as me got up and insisted I had her seat. I felt very guilty but gratefully accepted it. Yet still not one of the men got up to offer her a seat. After a few phone calls and a long trek my husband eventually found me. I shall ever be grateful to that lady.

Even just complimenting someone makes them (and you) feel good. While I was stood at a bus stop recently a teenage schoolgirl walked past who looked upset, she had purple hair and I told her it looked lovely. She thanked me and smiled.?

I love the stories here! A friend of mine went on the register to donate a kidney to someone who desperately needs one - she was offering to give to a complete stranger and change their life. Wow!
It seems as if we are 'wired ' - have evolved - to help others as well as ourselves and when we are kind to others we feel better and that our lives have more meaning. Even small acts of kindness can have a big impact.

I regularly purchase hot chocolate and hot pies/pasties/sausage rolls etc for a homeless person. It's bitter cold out there at the moment, I can't bear the thought of someone with no hot food having to live in such conditions

A pregnant lady’s waters broke on the local service bus. We were only a turn off to the hospital, but he did take her to the front door, and a passenger took her to reception. It was a risky thing to do work wise, he would have been disciplined, I guess, if his superiors knew, insurance and all that.
It’s nice to see someone who’s not a job’s worth.

For me, I was in hospital for a very long time but was allowed out to get a coffee. A woman came up to me and said, “Oh, you look so sad, can I join you?” It might sound a bit intrusive to some, but it was lovely to talk to her, as I was a long way from friends and family.

Recently, after nearly completing my 135 mile drive to see my daughter I realised I had a puncture. I pulled over and stopped. Within a couple of minutes a young chap pulled up and without any fuss took the gear out of my boot and changed the tyre. I offered him some money which he refused. I told him to take it and buy his wife something which he then did. I was so very grateful to him

Shopping in Tesco and saw an elderly gentleman with a basket containing ONE potato, ONE tomato and a loaf of bread. He was also slipping items into his coat pockets. I saw a member of staff following him and knowing that the store always prosecutes shoplifters (my sister is a manager) I told him that he had been seen. He was shocked and embarrassed but removed the items. He burst into tears and told me he only had a few pounds left until he got his pension and he was ashamed that he was resorting to theft but he was hungry. I felt so sorry for him so handed him £40 and told him to stock up.
My heart broke for him.

Radio 4 Saturday morning.there is a Programme called Saturday Live which has a feature called Thank You where people tell stories like this about acts of kindness they have received and which they may not have been able to thank people for. It often reduces me to tears.

Oh justhavingacuppa your post brought me to tears. Poor man and how lovely of you to help him like that.

Many years ago, our car had broken down on a motorway in Germany (we were traveling from The UK to see my parents in Berlin). We were on the hard shoulder where DH was looking into the engine compartment when a German registered BMW stopped behind us. A young German man got out and asked us if we needed help and then offered to drive DH to a local garage to see if they could help. He gave me his freshly made strawberry cake that he had just bought for his wife, to eat while they were gone. While at the garage, the young German translated for the mechanics my husband's explanations about the cause of our car's breakdown, and he persuaded the garage to repair it this afternoon. Having arranged for the repair, they returned and he proceeded to tow us to the garage. It took a couple of hours and we were ready to continue on our way to Berlin. We were extra lucky that we were helped so quickly as it was Maundy Thursday afternoon and the garage was going to be closed for the Easter Holidays from the next day. The young man who had helped us explained that when he saw our Volvo with British numberplate he was reminded of his British friends who also drive a Volvo. We felt very grateful and lucky that some people ho the extra mile to help strangers.

The author/tv performer Danny Wallace set up a 'Random Acts of Kindness' group. His book "Join Me" tells how it happened, and is very funny. Well worth a read, as are all his books.
amazon.co.uk]] › Join-Me