TroyW

I'm just curious as to the responses. What was the last random, helpful act of kindness / generosity that you did?

I asked on Facebook, and got one response, which was "Does not murdering people who deserve it count?". Hmmm...

feeling-good

Haha! I cut the lawn for my estranged husband today for no reason other than it needed doing. I wasn't asked, don't live there any more, and haven't mentioned it.

daisy1

I stopped cars in the road and rescued a baby jackdaw - or does that not count?

I always take vida, an old lady in the next village, into town when I drive past her walking :-).

Recently I saw a little girl, four years old running down a busy road with no pavement. Cars were slowing down and diving past her! I took her home, she had got off the school bus at the wrong stop. I can understand that people don't want to approach a little girl for fear of looking like a kidnapper, but she could have been killed! Can't believe how many cars drive around her. Thought she must be a dog at first.

PurpleKnight

Probably checking out the threads here on SR this evening and replying with some encouragement and support for others.

When I first joined SR I generally focused on myself, I was dealing with my alcoholism, dealing with cravings and withdrawal, and was only consumed with what was going on in my own life.

But I can't measure the value of giving back to others, not focusing on myself for a few hours a day, it's now become a part of my own recovery!!

dwtbd

Little things , lately there's been a rash of "paying it forward" type stuff, where you pay at a drive thru for either someone's order behind or in front of you , tollbooths, been the recipient of same it's nice
I look around at store parking lots when I replace my cart and ask women if I can take theirs back too, I know sexist
Stopped at a roadside lemonade stand , and didn't even bitch when the little salesman " forgot" to make change

SereneEdition

taking someone who is having relationship and money stress out to breakfast, listening, and picking up the tab.

least

I feed my stray cats twice a day, every day.

LiveInPeace

I was just at the store and I saw a man with a Vietnam Vet hat on. I thanked him for his service, and then I chatted with him about it for a while. I wanted him to know he was acknowledged. I learned a lot, too. I listened without interrupting, and without talking about myself. When he said something funny, I was able to end our conversation on a positive note. I hope it made him feel acknowledged. My motives were about him, not me doing something kind to feel good about myself. I can thank God and my 12 step program for all that growth.

TroyW

Awww.... there's a lady that comes by here every afternoon to feed the stray cats. You can always tell when she comes, because you hear her yell out "meow, meow, meow!". She loves them.

Gave here 500 baht (~$15 USD) a while ago, and told her it was for the cats. Whether she put it towards the cats, who knows.

MIRecovery

Renewed my name and number on the AA crisis line take a 93 and 76 year old to an AA meeting every Wednesday. Funny they both have been sober for 30 years. Their stories of alcoholism, AA, and sobriety are priceless

Wholesome

The last time I helped a stranger it was a deaf guy in a fast food restaurant. He sat beside me because the place was busy..... so then he was having a hard time opening his chocolate milk, so I helped him. Then he starts motioning that he wants a straw so I got up and walked over to get him a straw. Well it wasn't until a few hours later when I went to pay for something somewhere else that I noticed that the sneaky guy had stolen $40 out of my wallet when I walked away to get a straw for him!

This was about 3 weeks ago. Man was I ever cheesed when I realized that I'd been robbed by a total stranger who I had helped. He didn't bother to steal my ipod which was right next to my wallet, but why would he, he was deaf.

I will still help strangers though.... but next time I will watch my purse more carefully.

trachemys

That's my "every chance I get" thing. Going in, I take carts from people all the time. They're so surprised.

greens

Interning for DV centers, diversity centers and feeding the community excess food that normally gets thrown out by grocery stores are the big ones.
but a lot of it has to do with the way I treat people in my daily life.
the waitress who might be a little crabby but for all I know has been working a 8 hour shift only To go home to take care of her children . I try not to take it personally when people are crabby or cold towards me an I have to remind my self that everyone is fighting a battle we can't see on the outside . As an alcoholic with ptsd it's important to remind myself that we don't really know who's struggling or not. I think that sort of compassion towards everyone I encounter Is what makes me feel really good about myself

Boylan

Nice, comforting stories, except for Zen's, of course.

Interesting question. For me, I recently gave a job to someone who clearly wants to grow professionally. I think she just had bad luck moving forward (as we all may do) in her prior jobs. I gave her the jump-start she needed.

So far, she has not disappointed me.

Ileana

It was pouring down rain a few weeks ago and I stopped and picked up an elderly woman who was walking along the side of the road. She was walking to the grocery store. So I took her, waited for her while she shopped and took her home.

Spacegoat

The last one's I suppose would be giving my kid an awesome bluetooth speaker last week and some cash along with taking him to a 3D movie, fishing and for a meal but I know those don't count.

I have only seen one other person since, and with regard to that person- I was looking around here today. In the past year I have bought said person an iPad, Apple TV, gave them a HD TV (I don't use them if you are wondering), a slow cooker, a blender, a set of knives, quality ceramic storage jars which were a bargain, a bread bin, sugar tea and coffee jars, numerous other small kitchen items and probably more besides. Now I know what you are saying, that is all just stuff right? True enough, but stuff most people need which she didn't have, that I don't have, and that I also won't have whenever I leave.

I do this all the time. I used to cook for her quite frequently but she started to expect that and leave recipe articles lying around (among other more personal writings) to catch my attention so that was getting weird. Also I used to take this person out for meals on occasion and had no problem in allowing her return the favor, however I began to realise there was a lot more taking place in those exchanges than would be considered normal. For me everything I have mentioned above has nothing more attached, but for her it's the opposite. Conditions, expectations and controlling behavior basically.

I helped our neighbor cut the hedges here last week, swept everything up as he was cutting and brought barrows to the tipping point. Granted he was doing the hedge here too lol, but I still offered my help where I didn't have to and was in the middle of doing something myself. I also told him to knock here anytime during the day if he ever needs a hand with anything in future as I am here most days.

Marcher13

I heard that a local association desperately needed a volunteer with my skills, I wondered if I could squeeze in another thing and realised I could because I'm not drinking and wasting time. So I'm doing the job.

Andante

What was the last selfless, helpful thing I did?

I'm not sure.

But if I remembered, then it wouldn't have been entirely "selfless," would it?

Spacegoat

The answers to your question Adante are as follows:

True, false, both true and false, neither true nor false.

Anybody here know the name of that equation btw?

Meraviglioso

I volunteer at the library and the elementary school giving English lessons.