Kind people everywhere.

The vast majority of people are kind and caring, but they are not newsworthy. It is the rapists, thugs, etc that sell newspapers and hit the TV headlines, but we should realise that they are a tiny minority and should not colour our view of life.

I agree about teenagers mostly being polite, caring and kind. One of my GC started secondary school this term and at the end of the day had to find her way to the railway station. She knew the right direction but wasn't sure how far it was so she asked a 6th former. He told her the way then said he'd take her as it was her first day. I thought that very kind especially as he lived virtually next to the school so really did go out of his way.

Can I put in a special mention for teenagers? They often get a bad press but I used to teach teenagers and the majority of them are polite, caring and kind.

People moan about Londoners, especially on the Underground, no eye contact, hogging seats etc etc. But the other week when DD with DGS in his buggy and I travelled back to theirs in Walthamstow from Shepherds Bush (Central line then Victoria line) mid afternoon - yes, getting busy - she had no end of offers of help to get the buggy up or down staircases (usually from young men and women) and I was always offered a seat . At least 2 youngish men (presumably young dads) smiled and talked to the baby, chatting to DD as well and I was truly heartened by the response.

Indeed, I've met with incredibly kind people on my travels- especially when I used to come and visit my parents with 2 small children- the first time with a 6 months old baby and a toddler. In those days, the journey from the Midlands to SWitzerland was really tough, in the pre Eurostar days, in the 70s.

AGain, from those one might least expect it. That first time, a young punk with a massive Mohican, tattooes, Doc Martins and braces and a ring through the nose. He took a suitcase and held my toddler's hand whilst I carried the baby in the carrier and another bag, in London, in Dover and then Calais and across Paris - wonderful.

I have been very grateful to receive help frrom some who others might be wary of. I remember 3 skinheads who helped me at Heathrow by taking me to the lift down to the underground. At Charles de Gaul a Rasta carried my case to the terminal and at Barking Station after another holiday another Rasta signalled me to stay where I was and came over from the opposite platform to carry my suitcase up and down stairs to my platform.

Thanks for your original post which has brought out so many happy memories for people.

Speaking of New York, I would have to agree about how friendly New Yorkers are. I was standing by a phone box outside the apartment we were renting ( me and two tired fractious teenage daughters ) We had just arrived in Manhattan from England and I had no change to ring my nephew to tell him we had arrived early and needed the key to the apartment. A woman approached me and asked if she could help. I explained the situation, then she and her husband emptied their wallets into our hands and explained how to use the phone. As they walked away the woman called back " Enjoy New York ! " We did.

Did you see the TV news item last year when a uni-cyclist in Walthamstow got trapped under a bus? Everybody nearby immediately rushed over and, with a united effort, picked up the bus and pulled him free. It just shows what people can do when they work together.

Years ago, when we were visiting my parents just after Christmas, our car broke down near Chesterfield. A gentleman stopped and asked if he could do anything to help. We said we'd be grateful if he'd phone the AA for us but when he saw our two young children in the back he invited us into his family home while we waited for the rescue service to relay us and our car to my parents' home in Suffolk. It took quite a while for the rescue service to come and we would have been very cold in the car. But, despite our lengthy stay, these people were so welcoming - getting us drinks and biscuits - and never made us feel uncomfortable - even though the gentleman's wife had recently been in hospital for an operation on her brain. I'll never forget them.

Again many years ago, we were on holiday in Scotland when our daughter fell on a playground roundabout and caught her leg on some metal underneath it, causing a very jagged, nasty cut. A lady took us to the nearest doctors surgery, and stayed with us. She then invited us to her nearby home and gave our daughter some squash and us a cup of tea.

It's true - most people are decent and kind.

My story.....
When my twin granddaughters were born one had a diophramatic hernia. She was airlifted from Inverness to Aberdeen. I went to the hospital with my 16 month old granddaughter, my daughter and her partner wanted us all to go to Aberdeen but her partner couldn't think how to get us all in the car. He had been up all night. He was given a place to sleep by staff and I said I could make my own way with my little granddaughter.
We left Raigmore Hospital in a bit of a state, I felt like a bag-lady abducting a child! We were helped on the bus by two gentlemen who vied to be the most helpful, one took us right into to the train station.
While my daughter was in Aberdeen hospital two bags of shopping were delivered " for the girl from Inverness". It was an order phoned into a local co-op store by a Facebook group my daughter belonged to. The co-op said " it was on them" when they heard the circumstances.
This was probobly the most stressful time of my life but I met with such kindness and generosity of spirit from strangers.
When I feel a bit jaded with life I recall this time and it makes me realise that when you realy need help it is there, from strangers and family alike.
I realy do believe in the kindness of strangers, people realy are generous and just kind.
My granddaughter is now doing very well, I can't think what we would do without the NHS.
All this has made me think about what I can do for someone who needs help. I fell a responsibility to "pay back".

I agree with everyone, there are so many kind people all over the world, and a lot is forgotten because of other dreadful deeds. Ordinary people, doing ordinary things for others, does indeed give one faith in humanity.

We broke down on the outskirts of Hamburg in 2014. We rang the AA and whilst waiting for help several cars stopped and the occupants asked us if we were ok and if we needed any help. We were surprised and grateful.

Many years ago when my husband was in the army and as was often the case away for long periods and I wanted to visit my family I had to catch two trains and navigate the London Underground with suitcases, a buggy and three young children on my own. I was always helped by complete strangers. Most people are helpful if they see somone struggling. I've had a soft spot for Londoners ever since. My well traveled husband tells me that Canadians are the fabulously generous. He was often put up, fed and well looked after by complete strangers.

One of the nicest things ever done to me was after my father died. My mother had erased him from her life [they were still married and together] and refused absolutely to attend the burial of ashes. I felt the old b...ger couldn't be interred without at least one of his children...

An old lady from church, whom i didn't know, realising I was alone, offered to come with me to bury my old dad! DS2 was coming in a short while, so I wasn't going to be on my own. Flo died recently, but I shall always remember her thoughtfulness and kindness with gratitude.

I tripped over a matchstick on the pavement (couldn't see any other reason for falling!) and put my hand out to save me from landing on my face. A kind chap stopped to help me up but I wanted to make sure I hadn't broken my wrist before I pushed on it to get up. He was so intent on getting me upright I had to yell at him to wait for a minute! He stormed off and left me lying there Thankfully I hadn't broken anything.

More recently I fell in the lingerie dept of M&S. There was an assistant nearby but she was more concerned with picking up the underwear I'd fallen into than with seeing I was ok. Again the only thing that suffered was my pride (and tights) and I'm sure she was the exception to the rule of helpful staff.

Earlier this summer we were in Paxos for my niece's wedding. My BIL (her Dad) fainted in the town square and a local pharmacist came out of his shop to see if he was ok. They took him into the their pharmacy and took his blood pressure, then they gave him a sweet milky drink and said his bp was a bit low and to keep out of the sun for a while and to make sure he got something to eat. They would take no payment for this. The next day my BIL, who was by now feeling fine, was walking past the pharmacy when the lady came out and gave him a big hug and said she was glad to see he was ok now. How nice was that!

I met a friend for coffee some time ago and afterwards he phoned to tell me he'd left his shopping in the cafe and would have to collect it after work. I was still in town so I offered to collect it and drop it off at his workplace. He was so grateful for my kind offer. As I crossed the road carrying his shopping, I missed the kerb and fell flat on my face, cushioned by the shopping. The bread buns were flattened, the pie was broken and one of the cartons of soup (minestrone ?) burst open and went over everything. One kind lady stopped to help me up. Thank goodness my friend gave up buying wine when he went on the 5:2 diet. The bottle would've broken and the lady would probably have set me down as drunk in charge of a shopping bag! So, my kind act backfired on me and my friend whose shopping was ruined. However, I would still help anyone if I could.

At the end of 2014 I tripped over a sticking-up kerb and fell flat on my face in the road. (Luckily it was a cul-de-sac, so there wasn't much traffic), breaking my left wrist in two places and generally cutting and bashing myself about. A lady who was parking her car came rushing over with a blanket and more and more people came rushing out of their houses to look after me, with more blankets, water etc. Someone phoned for an ambulance and someone else called my husband who arrived at the same time as the ambulance. Everyone was so kind and helpful and stayed with me, even after my husband arrived. I was amazed at how kind everyone was. The paramedics and everyone in A&E were all wonderful as well. Obviously, nobody wants to have an accident, but I was lucky to have been helped by so many wonderful people!

What a lovely thread we hear so much bad stuff that happens to folk you rarely hear about the good.thank you all for brightening my day.

Adding a smiley [ smile ] but with no gaps before and after the word

Lovely to read this. I have said on here before that I am not a Buddhist, but the Dalai Lama's instruction is 'Be kind. It is always possible to be kind'. What a wonderful mantra for life, and it seems that many follow this. I do so agree - the world is full of kindness and decent people, but we hear only of the worst side of life, every hour on the hour, sadly!

Adding a Smiley ??

Beneath the text box that you write in is a Yellow Smiling Face.
Click on it to get some choices.
I like the Sunshine one.

I truly believe that there is More Good
in Our World than there is evil.
The media seem to rub their hands in glee
when there is a tragic or evil news story.
I do wish that they would find more stories
about kindress or courage etc. It would make the news worth watching then.

14 years ago we moved from a very busy crowded suberban area to a small semi rural town.
I immediately noticed a great difference in
the way that the people treated each other here. ...both drivers and shoppers.

If someone bumped into me or my shopping trolly in the large supermarket they would immediately say Sorry.
Drivers would acknowledge any manoeuvre or give way in traffic.
If we drive from one place to another here we have duel carriageways edged evrywhere with trees bushes and grass.
Not a pedestrian or cyclist to worry about.
I love it here.

During the first year of living here whenever I came home I would say to my DH....
"I swear we've moved to Camelot !!"

If anyone wants to live here in Camel then just ask where it is.

When we were about 50 we were on holiday in Madeira. We noticed a very elderly couple get on the wrong coach at the airport, so we rescued them. They were staying in our hotel so they kind of stuck to us after that. We didn't mind but they were both deaf and it was hard to maintain a conversation. On our last day the rep asked if we'd make sure they were ok at the airport and got their flight. So we became their unofficial minders for the whole holiday. Their family were probably really impressed that they'd managed all on their own.

Yes , more good people than bad out there , what a lot of heart warning stories , has cheered me up no end . Thank you .
Tried to add a smiley ? Obviously doing something wrong , perhaps someone will enlighten me ?

Had me in tears.........

I loathe the way, that people who do an ordinary acts of kindness, are now hunted down on FB, so that they can be thanked by someone. Kindness is its own reward and the more we give, the more we get

It is not unusual or remarkable, doesn't make it any less wonderful but there is plenty of it out there, and we can all do it, every day, any weather. Lucky us.