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nbcrusader

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Anonymous acts of kindness catch on

Before Bob Haslam had a chance to thank her, she was gone. In the drive-up lane at a Starbucks in Lynnwood, Haslam reached out for his usual — a nonfat raspberry latte with two Splendas stirred in. But the barista wouldn't take his money.

"She leaned way out and said, 'You're not going to believe this, but the lady ahead of you paid for your latte. She said she wanted to make your day.' " Mary Ann Johnson had a similar experience. She had just finished a salmon pot-pie dinner at Chinook's at Salmon Bay, topping it off with a chocolate sundae.

"When I got ready to go, the waitress told me, 'Your meal's been paid for by another patron. They said it was a random act of kindness.' "

Events like those don't typically make news.
 
Worth following indeed. It's like the stories of oprah (who can afford it) giving the toll booth a $50 note and saying to let the next number of applicable drivers through for free.
Paying it forward.
:up:
 
The timing of this thread is interesting...

I was just at the corner store down the street after getting home from a concert, the woman in front of me had bottled water and 2 dollars cash. She asked if she had enough for the water and advil. The teller rang it up and she was short 30 cents. She looked at him and asked if she could bring it later and he just looked at her and said, one or the other. So I gave her a dollar, for I didn't have change. She tells me "You're blessed", I said "no problem". Then she says, "well now I have enough for this gum too." She grabs the gum and places it on the counter. She leaves, and the guy behind me leans over to me and mumbles "typical". I said, "what, I gave it to her". He just looked at me and shook his head... I was extremely appauled by his reaction.

The only reason I tell this story, is that no matter what, there are still going to be those that oppose such acts of kindness, and I will never understand.

I felt good about doing such a thing, but I was also angered by the reaction of some at the same time.
 
it was nice what you did, bvs.

there's a woman who is a regular patron at the library where i work who always purchases one of our leather bookmarks (a three dollar donation) and tells us to give it to the next child who checks out a book. we've given away well over a dozen of them so far.

not only do the kids love it, but the staff enjoys giving them out as well.
 
Why would anyone oppose that? Because they're stuck up and insecure I suppose...

Anyways that's really nice. I may try it sometime. Maybe if there's a really hot girl behind me I'll pay for whatever she's getting and have the barista give her my phone number, just like on that commercial. Heh heh.
 
I did something like that for someone yesterday. It made me feel good after a nasty encounter I had with someone else a few days ago. The person was so appreciative too.

There will always be people who are just nasty for whatever reason no matter how hard someone else tries, whether it's their life circumstances or they're just that way. We all have bad days too but we also always have the power of choice in how we deal with people and circumstances.

However it's so difficult sometimes, people can really try your patience.
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:
The only reason I tell this story, is that no matter what, there are still going to be those that oppose such acts of kindness, and I will never understand.

Was he really opposing your act of kindness do you think or just commenting on her apparent lack of manners in not reciprocating your kindness by offering you change back or at least a piece of gum?
 
I wouldn't oppose random acts of kindness but I would prefer to direct mine to those in real need rather than buying people lattes at Starbucks.
 
I've been on both the giving and receiving ends of random acts of kindness. It feels so wonderful to experience both. :up: Good to hear that stories like this are getting more notice.
 
AliEnvy said:


Was he really opposing your act of kindness do you think or just commenting on her apparent lack of manners in not reciprocating your kindness by offering you change back or at least a piece of gum?
Based on his reaction to my, "I gave it to her", I'd say he opposed the act all together.

The woman was very kind and appreciative, I wouldn't have taken the change or gum...
 
silja said:
I wouldn't oppose random acts of kindness but I would prefer to direct mine to those in real need rather than buying people lattes at Starbucks.

That seems kinda catty.

I don't know if you meant it that way, but your comment seems very similar in tone to the jerk behind BVS at the store. A kindness is worthy, even if it isn't directed to only those in "real" need.
 
I think everyone needs kindness-obviously those in need need it more than others, but we can all benefit. It creates a ripple effect that makes people more generous in spirit and generous with their time and money, hopefully to those in need.
 
MrsSpringsteen said:
I think everyone needs kindness-obviously those in need need it more than others, but we can all benefit. It creates a ripple effect that makes people more generous in spirit and generous with their time and money, hopefully to those in need.

I agree.
 
indra said:


That seems kinda catty.

I don't know if you meant it that way, but your comment seems very similar in tone to the jerk behind BVS at the store. A kindness is worthy, even if it isn't directed to only those in "real" need.

Well, hello indra. Thank you for calling me a jerk ;)

I didn't say that such a kindness is unworthy - brightening up someone's day never is. If it, as Mrs.S points out, creates a ripple-effect then all is well but I might be a bit wary that some people could see these little kindnesses as substitutes for contributing to solving the real problems.
 
Implicit in your comment is the idea that we can rank the world's problems in such a way that we focus our attention on one area before turning to another. I think the world would implode while we waited for such a ranking.
 
nbcrusader said:
Implicit in your comment is the idea that we can rank the world's problems in such a way that we focus our attention on one area before turning to another. I think the world would implode while we waited for such a ranking.

If you read it in such a way then I'm sorry. I meant no such thing.
 
Don´t give silja such a hard time.

I think being kind is just being kind, it is a good thing to do, to whoever. nbc, you´re a kind person.

Silja just pointed out that our help should go to the persons who are in need of that help. There´s nothing wrong with that, just like there´s nothing wrong with paying a lunch for a millionaire.

Still, nbc, when we focus on help, you will agree that dolphins or other endangered species, or people who have no roof and no clothes and no food and are ill, need our contributions much more than someone who already got aforementioned things and is not ill. I understand your skepticism, because everyone deserves our kindness, and we should not make a difference. But I respectfully disagree with your opinion that a list would be bad. See it this way,, if the money donated to Falwell would go to the African Well Fund.. - we all have our preferences, and it wasn´t about pulling a list deciding who´s more worthy of our kindness.

Everyone is worthy, still, some need it more than others.

The positive effect of randomly being kind is the exciting thing about this. That you don´t know who gave this present to you and why. And then you find out: just because he wanted to make your day a little better. So you get a lot of positive energy. The best thing is to pick it up and spread it further!
 
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I would never compare it to the needs of the truly needy- but you also never know if that person at Starbucks just lost a loved one, lost his or her job, has a terminal illness, or is in any number of sad to hopeless life situations. In that case a kindness such as that could mean more to them than you know.

Sometimes when you feel like you want to give up and you're barely hanging on or don't even want to hang on, a random gesture of kindness could be the one thing that gives you the smallest sliver of hope. I think most human hearts tend to work that way.
 
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MrsSpringsteen said:
I would never compare it to the needs of the truly needy- but you also never know if that person at Starbucks just lost a loved one, lost his or her job, has a terminal illness, or is in any number of sad to hopeless life situations. In that case a kindness such as that could mean more to them than you know.

Sometimes when you feel like you want to give up and you're barely hanging on or don't even want to hang on, a random gesture of kindness could be the one thing that gives you the smallest sliver of hope. I think most human hearts tend to work that way.

Good point. The specific act, or its monetary value, is irrelevant. When somebody helps a complete stranger, looking for nothing in return, the kindness can be contagious.
 
^ agreed.

When I worked part time at a local supermarket, we had lots of pensioners come in to buy groceries. Sometimes they barely had enough money to cover the essentials and we had about 4 or 5 people regularly come up at the till when they were there and say 'its all on me' The look in these old person's eyes was heartbreakingly real. Thankfulness, but also slight shame that they couldnt afford everything they needed. In turn they were always coming into our shop with knitted booties, or scarves or small knee rugs to be given to people who needed them. I felt very blessed to be a part of it all.
 
silja said:


Well, hello indra. Thank you for calling me a jerk ;)

I didn't say that such a kindness is unworthy - brightening up someone's day never is. If it, as Mrs.S points out, creates a ripple-effect then all is well but I might be a bit wary that some people could see these little kindnesses as substitutes for contributing to solving the real problems.

Anytime. :)

How you phrased you original comment to BVS's act did imply (to me anyway) what he did was not nearly as important as what you would do -- and that was my problem with it.

And I think that if we all did nothing unless it would help solve "real" problems, we would all do nothing -- period.
 
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