Hey Pandas, What Is Something A Stranger Did To You To Make Your Day Brighter? (Closed)

I changed schools a couple of times in elementary, usually just as I started making friends (super shy as a kid). My 3rd school I got targeted by the class sociopath, which meant she spent far too much time convincing other kids I was talking crap about them. Made zero sense - I barely talked in general. One day between classes, I was getting pretty heavily bullied by my classmates, to the point I was basically balling my eyes out and wishing for my old school. A couple of older kids stopped to help, making the others leave me alone. They then walked me to my next classroom, told me to let them know if the others harassed me again. Never learned their names, but I’m thankful for what they did. Most of the kids started backing off soon after.

It wasn’t something I did but a little boy at one of the drive-thru McDonald’s in Huddersfield. As his mum was about to pay he asked her if she could also pay for the meal for the people in the car behind. She did and it started a chain reaction until the end of the queue.

Makes me happy to realise there are still some lovely people out there.

A total stranger held a door for me, and smiled at me. It made me feel less invisible. Which doesn’t happen often.

It was recently when I spoke to my soon to be college roommate. She was a stranger at that point. She said "You're really pretty" as soon at the beginning of our FaceTime. It made my year. No one has ever told me that before. I guess beauty really does lie in the eye of the beholder.

School field trip to the zoo in a group of about 6 friends and they were all buying lunch. Well money was kinda tight at the time so my mom didn't have any money for the field trip (they were giving out free lunches) but I REALLY wanted some Dippin dots and I was practically BEGGING my friend to get me some (she said no and that's okay) and after a few minutes of this this nice lady came over and asked me if she could buy me some. She gave me the best advice I've ever received; "us broke folks gotta stick together" It was literally some $5 ice cream but I'll never forget it.

My husband is permanently working from home while I am still trekking off to work each day. While I get ready in the morning he's started making my lunch for me. When I get to work I find all kinds of interesting things in my lunch bag. Binoculars, an ice cream scoop, an Obi Wan action figure, an empty beer can. Every day there's an odd item in there. I look forward to it.

I am a single mom of three kids one day they had a snow day and so we were all home. I decided to get everybody in their snow pants and walk them the short distance to get donuts because I was so frustrated that I wouldn’t be able to work and decided to try to enjoy the day with my kids. A woman pulled into the donut shop and was waiting in line behind us. It doesn’t work and three chocolate milks share it to me and walked out of there buying anything for herself. She told me that it look like I was such an amazing mom and wanted to treat them

I was a dollar short at my local coffee shop, and the owner (who I know because of my constant patronage) covered it for me.

I also had an attractive Jamaican chef hit on me once. My mother and I were stocking up for a trip together and when she left to pick up some stuff, we struck up a conversation. I hate my looks, I'm like a potato with acne, I hadn't even shaved my legs, but he made me feel good. I can't carry a conversation for the life of me, but he had such great banter, and he was incredibly smart and nice, and very cute. When it was time to leave, he said that he couldn't resist stopping to talk to a pretty girl and that had me glowing for the whole weekend. Thank you mask mandate!

Actually,
I am always that stranger who helps others.
I have not had such an experience so far, unfortunately.

I was having a metal break down at the time because a friend had just passed away and this little boy came up to me, hugged me, and told me I was going to be ok.

I got a flat tire in an unfamiliar neighborhood here in the City. I got out of my car and surveyed the damage when a teenager, maybe 15, came out of a nearby house and asked if I needed help. I said that I was going to attempt to put the spare on my car and if he wanted to help, he could. He turned around and ran back to his garage and came out with a floor jack and a cordless drill with lug sockets and changed the tire for me in about 5 minutes.
I thanked him profusely and offered to pay him for the quick work. His exact words to me were, "I don't need money. I just need you to do something nice for someone else." I was so touched that I almost cried.
The next day, there was a group of construction workers in the coffee shop and I paid for their drinks.

A homeless man asked me to watch his dog while he used the washroom. So I just sat there and pet the little guy for a few minutes. The guy came out with a large hot chocolate for me. He used what little he had to give me something as a thank you.

Some dude came up to me and he had flowers in his hand. He said they were for his girlfriend but she just broke up with him so he gave the end to me ☺️

My dad told me I'm really pretty today. (he's not a stranger, but I thought its worth sharing)

A close work colleague, friend to everyone, who I had only seen on the Tuesday, died early the next day, and as per his religious beliefs, had his funeral on the Friday. As a result, a lot of us couldn't get time off to go, so a two minute silence was arranged for the time that his funeral would start, and wherever you were working, you could stop and spend the time thinking of him. I was stood by the roadside, sobbing, when this lady and her dog came along. The dog came straight over to me (I don't think the lady had seen that I was crying at first) and I petted that dog for the whole two minutes. I'm regularly at that spot, and have never seen them again, but I'm thankful for them that day

I actually smile to strangers all the time but only about 3 have ever smiled back. Anywho, I was at a library with my mama, when this old lady with a whit hand bag, red hat to match her red shirt and shoes and white pants along with a brown coat, came over to us. She looked at me and smiled the prettiest smile I have seen to this day. She said " Your hair is so pretty! I see you are one of the rare ginger's left in the world!" Then she looked at my ma, " I see you take after your mom. I used to have ginger hair but I have never seen it that shade!" I was 6 or 7 (let's just say I am at least 3to 9 years older;)) and still remember her smile! Ever since then, I have smiled and waved at every single car/person that I pass.

I had recently escaped an abusive relationship and was living with a roommate who could care less about me because I had no where else to go. I had no friends at the time either. I had to walk 2 1/2 miles to and from my job every day in the Florida heat. It was a very difficult time for me. I had gotten very sick, but couldn't afford to call in. I passed out at where I worked, a restaurant at the time, and an older couple that came there regularly, took me to the ER. Turns out I was very ill and had pneumonia. They waited with me, then on the way to taking me home, stopped and paid for my medications and bought me a meal from Boston Market. When I got home, they tucked me into bed, making sure I had whatever I needed. I could have died in my room and my roommate wouldn't have noticed, but these two kind older human beings who were strangers took care of me. My own roommate worked where I worked,
the same hours and everything, but never offered me a ride in her car. Honestly, these two kind human beings restored my faith in mankind, which I desperately needed at the time. I have never, ever forgotten that. We remained friends from that day forward. Never underestimate what an act of kindness will do for another human being.

We were in Hawaii and my cousin and I were playing football together on the beach of our resort. So my uncle came and caught the ball, when he threw it back it went too high and landed in the sea. We couldn't get it, because there were rocks and everything. A nice couple saw this and the man asked if we wanted our ball, he jumped into the water and expertly swam around the rocks, got our ball, and came back. We were speechless, we mumbled thank you and that was that. They laughed and said your welcome. I was just so surprised. There really are some good people out there. ( Btw, we figure out that they actually were staying in the room opposite of us ).

The neighbors were repairing their house because of a Black Mold infestation and had to remove it. One of the guys working on it brought his kid. same age. same grade. just different school. Instant friends.

Once I was having a really REALLY bad day. I ran away from home (just down the street a little) and I was crying and just sitting there. I was getting some strange looks (I was 10) but no one was curious enough to stop. Then a young couple pulled up in a dark blue pickup. They comforted me and gave me a tissue. A police car pulled up a little later. When I looked a little scared seeing the cops, they assured me that they did not call. They drove off soon after. I never got their names. They made me feel better that day and I will never forget it.