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With Christmas music spreading from every shop we pass by and the holiday season in full swing, many of you Pandas might be feeling inspired to spread a little joy, do some good deeds, and generally help everyone feel merry. However, good deeds don’t care much about the calendar. The Spirit of Giving tends to visit us no matter what time of the year it is, whether it’s the holiday season or not.
Well, to inspire you to be even kinder and to spread cheer to your family, friends, and community, near and far, we’ve collected some of the most altruistic stories from the internet. In a thread that has gone viral recently on Reddit and elsewhere, internet users finally opened up about the good deeds they’ve done purely out of the goodness of their hearts.
Warning: your hearts might grow three sizes today, Pandas. Don’t forget to upvote the stories that warmed you up inside. And if you’d like to share your own stories about you or someone you love being kind, then the comment section is there waiting for you with open arms.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was volunteering at a local pizza shop to distribute slices to kids who otherwise couldn't get fed because the schools were shutdown.
There was a woman with 3 kids that came by every few days to get slices. Turns out the father had died unexpectedly right before the pandemic started and they lost their house because of the slumlord they were renting from. The mother lost her job because she had no one to watch the kids. They were living in their minivan and things were bad for them.
They were so nice and grateful, but ashamed when they'd come by to get slices that I genuinely felt for them.
I had lost my job and got a pretty decent windfall of 2 months worth of unemployment and the CARES Act at once. My landlord had a few properties open and is a close friend, so I got in touch with him and we worked out me paying their security deposit and the first 2 months of rent and he'd cover their utilities.
I gave her his number and said he might be able to help and they moved in the next day. They've been there ever since and are doing extremely well now.
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#2
I was getting some breakfast one time after a late night out. I was sitting in the restaurant waiting for my food and this younger boy comes in - probably 13-14 or so and orders some food. By the way he was dressed and how he looked you could tell he was definitely living in rough times.
He ordered and when they told him the total he pulled some wadded up $1 bills from his pocket and some change - he ended up like 4-5$ short.
He had this defeated look on his face and apologized and turned to walk out. I stopped him, asked the cashier to re-ring up his order, added a large drink and an extra burrito to it, and paid for the whole thing. He tried to give me the money he had and when I refused he just stood there and slowly tears came over his eyes. I told him to stay strong and not give up because things will get better.
I walked out and barely made it to my car before I broke down too. I used to be that kid.
#3
When I was 19 I needed blood work done and it was super icey out. I just finished and was getting ready to leave when two elderly ladies came in. They commented on how slippery it was and if the clinic had anyone to help them walk back to their car.
They were told no, so I sat back down and waited. Half an hour later they went in and the receptionist told me I could leave, I was done. I told her "I know" and sat there.
When the ladies came out they looked a little scared to walk outside and I stood up and said I heard them ask for help and I would help them to their car.
I walked the ladies one at a time, letting them hold me for support as I shuffled us to their car. Then, after they were both safely inside, I scraped the ice off their car so they could leave.
They offered me money, but I refused and just wished them safe travels.
After they left I went to my own car, where I proceeded to fall on my butt fives times.
The team at ‘Action for Happiness’ shared with me earlier that kindness, doing things for others, and altruism all play an important role in our overall happiness.
"Think about how you can reach out and do things for others, help a neighbor or volunteer for a cause, we get happiness high from helping other people. Or start small and simply list three things that you can be grateful for each night before bed,” Sarah Vero from ‘Action for Happiness’ told Bored Panda.
Sarah also shared the 10 keys to happier living: “Giving, relating, exercising, awareness, trying out, direction, resilience, emotions, acceptance, and meaning. We are likely to be happier if our lives have direction, meaning, and purpose and if we are part of something bigger than ourselves," she explained.
#4
I am an atheist, wildly so. No one in my family knows, for safety reasons. But they have been pestering me to go to church services more and to study the Bible more.
Last Christmas, I was forcefully taken to a church service after which they took me to a local orphanage. The kids at the orphanage gave a performance of Christmas songs. Then they took us to their newly furnished dining area, with new tables and chairs and linoleum, where we were served a Christmas tea.
My family made it a point to lecture me in front of the entire group about how these kids have nothing but still find the faith to praise God and whatnot. They said that I should be more grateful to God for what I have.
The priest who runs the orphanage looked at me very uncomfortably and I could see that he was feeling a bit ashamed. I didn't blame him though.
You see, what my family didn't know, and what only the priest knows, is that I was the one who paid for that entire dining area. I paid for the chairs and the tables and the linoleum. I also paid for a few more bedrooms.
I didn't need to publicize it. Reddit is anonymous so no worries about letting people know here.
I don't believe in God anymore. But I still would like to see a world where every child has what they need to be a child.
#5
I'm a police officer in a European country.
One day me and my partner had a call to check on an elderly couple that hadn't been seen for days. We arrive at their house, knock and a little old lady with a big smile opens the door. We ask if we can step inside, she says yes. We ask about her husband, she tells us he's slightly sick and bedridden. We go to the bedroom. The poor man was a living corpse. Malnourished, filthy, weak.. We call an ambulance and start talking to the lady. She tells us she was making lunch. Rotten cheese and a bit of moldy bread. It broke my heart. The ambulance arrived and took the old man to the hospital. We told the old lady we would return. No words were needed between me and my partner. We called our central, told them we would be busy for 30 minutes. We went to the local shopping and spent 1/10 of our monthly wage in food, personal hygiene products and even light bulbs. We returned to the old lady and gave her the huge basket. She started crying and hugged us. We stored the food, placed the new light bulbs where needed and then left. We never told anyone at work about this, and only my closest family knows I do those random acts.
I also know my partner accompanies an old widower to his monthly medical appointments.
We can't change the world, but small gestures like these make the difference.
#6
When I was in high school, there was a girl that never talked to anyone, was all alone, and I never once saw her speak for long periods of time, unless it was for projects or something, but that really isn’t the main thing. The first time we had the Valentines Day party, I noticed she seemed really down, because (I think) all the other girls where getting flowers and such from the boys (you could buy flowers and other stuff for someone if you wanted), so I kind of felt bad. I decided to buy her a flower, but anonymously. When she recueved the flower, she seemed...confused, but at least she smiled. The next year, same thing happend, every girl with flowers except for her, so I did the same, this time she once more seemed surprised, but not bad surprised, happy surprised. Next year I did the same, but this time I gave her a whole bouquet of flowers, she seemed overflowing with joy. People asked her who gave her those, and she said she didn’t know, but was happy. Maybe not the most interesting story here, but putting a smile on someone really made me feel happy.
Meanwhile, Vanessa King, the Head of Psychology at ‘Action for Happiness,’ stressed the fact that we’re a social species. Helping each other out is the “social glue that keeps us together.”
According to Vanessa, when we participate in group activities and community events, we become happier. “When we do things for others it activates the reward center in the brain, so when we give a gift it feels the same as receiving a gift," she said.
The expert explained that altruism is a learned skill. In short, we can learn to become more altruistic, more giving by changing small things in our lives. The key is consistency. “Small daily actions one at a time can help us to make altruism a lifetime habit. You could start out small by deciding you are going to smile at everyone you meet or pay three people a compliment today,” Vanessa shared with Bored Panda.
#7
I lost my mom earlier this year and am still working through the grief. The first week a came back my coworkers had gave me a check for several hundred dollars as a kind gesture. I was truly overwhelmed by the generosity.
The following week I came into the break room to find one of the techs with a lost look on her face. She had just gotten a phone call that her brother had been murdered the night before. She had moved to our city just a year prior and didn’t have any family close by. As I held her and listened to her cry, I booked her a flight home. It was several hundred dollars as she is from a small town and the flight was for later that day. I told her to go be with family and let me know when she was ready to come back. I had no doubt that is exactly what my mom would have wanted me to do.
#8
Whenever I see cashier having a tough day, I always look at the candy selection, if there is one, and look stumped as to what to get. I ask them "I can't decide. What's your favorite?" I buy whatever they say, then hand it to them after the sale and tell them they're doing a great job and to have a great day. It perks them up every single time.
It's my little thing.
#9
I was extremely stressed and took a mental health day, planning on going to mom's and crying myself to sleep. We ended up going to the mall, and even though money was really tight for her, she wanted to buy me lunch (we split the bill). She realized that she lost a newer $50 bill while walking around. She was devastated.
I traded my smaller bills to a cashier for a newer $50, folded it like she would, and tossed it under the seat of her car. The next day she called me, almost crying because she was excited to find it and said that without it, groceries would've been pretty tight that week.
Taking me out that day prevented me from having a full breakdown. I think $50 was a small price to pay for what she did for me that day.
Some things that you can do to help others can be as simple as giving money to charity or donating to a food bank. If you have more time on your hands or if you want to make a deeper impact, you can volunteer for a cause or leave a food package or note for an elderly neighbor.
“All of these actions help others and boost your own happiness and if we are happier, research shows we are even more likely to help others,” Vanessa said.
#10
Waiting to see my doctor. I see an elderly man with a walker talking to a driver service for seniors/handicap peple about gettign him a ride home. Apparently there was a mix up and they couldn't get a driver there. My doctor called me in and when I came out, the elderly man was still there talking to the driver service. I told the guy if he trusts me I'll take him home. He responded "but I haven't seen the doctor yet" I told him I'll wait. Dude looked like he was going to cry.
He was actually a really nice man and it was a plesant ride.
#11
Back when quarantine and stuff first started, I was headed back from the store and came across a broken down car. He had almost made it into the CVS parking lot, but the car gave out just outside of it. I pulled into the parking lot and asked if he wanted a push out of the road, he did. I pushed the car, and got it half way up the little incline going into the parking lot, but couldn't get it any further by myself (he had a bad leg and couldnt help...plus he needed to be behind the wheel), but it was out of the street. I asked him what happened, and he told me he had run out of gas. Asked if he had a gas can, and he pulled out a small gas can, I offered to run it down to the gas station and bring it back. On the way back from gilling it up, I began to think to myself that this little bit of gas wouldn't get him very far, and as I had just gotten paid and had just pulled some cash from the bank, figured he could use a little help.
When I got to the guy, I gave him the gas can as well as $40 and I told him, "I'm not sure how far you need to go, but that little bit of gas isnt gonna get you very far, I hope this helps you out some". He just looked at the money and back at me, like I'd given him the keys to a new house or something. He started telling me, "I get paid tomorrow, I can give you my address and I will pay you back" but I insisted I didnt want anything in return. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. He explained how he had just gotten out of jail a few months before and was trying really hard to stay on the right path, working an honest job and everything, but that it was hard. He told me he would take my kindness as a sign that he was on the right path and thanked me several times. Had I known how much it meant to him, I would've given him more. I hope hes doing well
#12
My fiancé lost the ring I made her and she was super distraught about it. I hand crafted our rings myself, (I metal work) they are interlocking one of a kind designed and made entirely by me. So she lost it and we couldn’t find it. She was so sad since she loved it, I worked from home during the pandemic so every time she went to work I started to make a new ring. And in about 4-5 days I said I found it and handed her the one I made brand new. She still doesn’t know. I’d like to keep it that way as well. I don’t need her feeling terrible.
In the expert’s opinion, it’s perfectly fine to “fake it till you make it” if we’re not used to being altruistic. Forget about moral conundrums about whether or not you’re being kind purely out of self-interest or not: you should focus on the act of giving.
“Maybe at first, you start out doing things to help others only to get attention and praise, but you will find that doing things for others helps you feel good and when you see people’s responses. Once you see the difference you can make in the world and to your own happiness and altruism can grow naturally," Vanessa explained. From there, our altruism will, step by step, make people happier and more likely to help others, in turn. And that’s how you create a better, kinder world.
#13
There's a semi-secluded bus stop beside a store I used to work at, and a homeless guy started sleeping there on the bench halfway between the stop and the parking lot one winter.
One day I got to work 15 mins early and saw him sleeping, wearing just a flannel and jeans. So I ram into the store, bought a blanket, and covered him up with it.
He didn't wake up so he didn't know it was me. Every time I saw him sitting on the bench he had the blanket wrapped around him.
Debbie Barnes 3 years ago (edited)
I love this and thank you for doing this. I was homeless many years ago and to awaken with a blanket around my shoulders would have given me much warmth (in more ways then one).. A sign that someone cared, when you're at your lowest really matters so much. Xx
#14
Used to shovel this ladies walk way and car. It took me only like ten minutes and she would always give me a huge wave from the window. I was dating this girl and she slept over and was like why are you doing that it's not your responsibility with lots of attitude. I was so repulsed by that I broke up with her
#15
Bought insulin for the child of a lady in front of me at the pharmacy. The woman (single mom) was in tears & didn’t have the $200 copay for that month. I gave her my number & told her to call me within the next few days. That was a few years ago. She now manages the office at my practice, makes enough $ for anything she needs/wants, & is one of my closest friends. (And now she has excellent insurance for herself & her son!) Be kind—it can literally change lives!
#16
A lady was fleeing an abusive marriage without much more than her kids and the clothes on her back. Word went out within a whisper network requesting a few essentials she needed.
Packed up several things from the request list and also one thing that wasn't requested. I make jewelry as a hobby. Put a pair of handmade earrings into a gift bag: silver and pearls. Added a handwritten note that every woman deserves something beautiful and sending good wishes her way.
#17
I was in my art class in high school and there was a girl who I didn't really know a few grades younger. I could tell she didn't have many friends but was really sweet. She was talking to me one day and told me her birthday was soon and that she was so excited. I decided to send her those balloons and whatnot you can get through the student store on her birthday, though she didn't know me very well so I didn't sign my name. It just so happened that the student store worker brought them in during our art class and I got to see her reaction. She lit up and kept telling us it had to have been her mom or her best friend who did it, and how she couldn't believe that someone got her something and she wouldn't stop smiling the whole rest of class. I never told her it was me, I was just happy she felt special. That was a pretty good day.
#18
In my last year of high school one of my required classes was an ethics class. Early on in the semester the teacher (male) told us about how he collects donations for a facility that supports women and girls who were victims of domestic violence and r*pe (he usually gets one of the female students to drop off the donations because the presence of a man can be bad for obvious reasons).
Not to long after he told us that I started my first job at a fast food place, and after two weeks I get my first paycheck. The next day at school, I hung back after the bell rang so it was just me and him in the room and I went over and gave him a $20 bill for the donation. It was the first thing I spent my earned money on.
#19
I’ve never even told my husband this story.
I work night shift and one night before work, I stopped at the local Walmart to grab a few snacks etc. This young guy stops me in the parking lot and asks me for money. I said I was sorry I didn’t have any cash.
It was blistering cold outside. Where I live, in the winter the wind blows so hard and so cold you can get frostbite.
I got to the door of the Walmart and turned around and went and found him in the parking lot. I told him to follow me in and wait at the McDonalds inside. I went into the store, bought him long underwear, a thermal shirt, wool socks and gloves. I got back to him, gave him the stuff and bought him a meal at McDonald’s. He was so thankful for the warm clothes he started to cry. As I was leaving the McDonald’s, a lady put her hand on my arm and said “that was very nice of you. I watched everything you did.” I just nodded and walked away. Don’t need recognition for that. He needed something and I was in a position to help him, so I did.
#20
I went to the web site: onesimplewish.org which specializes in providing foster kids with things they wouldn't ordinarily get. An 11 year old was asking for a bike for his birthday, but his foster family couldn't afford to buy him one. For less than $200 I paid for the kid's new bike.
#21
If im walking a trail and i see a tree or sapling is damaged i do my best ro either mend its injury or remove the broken part to let the tree grow unincumbered. Its rewarding to come back after a year or two to see the sapling you helped take good roots and refuse to wither
#22
only my mom, boyfriend ,& i think a close friend know about this. when my grandma was dying, the whole family rushed to her side. my aunts and uncles live scattered around the country, so it took a few days to get everyone here. about a week goes by, and my grandma is still holding on. some family have to leave and go home for work.
around two weeks, one evening i asked to have a moment alone with my grandma, who was sleeping. my grandfather passed away when i was 2, so it had been quite a long time without him for her. we all knew she missed him more than anything, and we knew he was there with us. i sat down next to her bed, held her hand, and told her that it was okay to go. that everyone was going to be okay, and that we all love her and were going to miss her. i thanked her for being the best grandma in the entire world, and for always caring about me more than i felt anyone else did. it was one of the hardest things i’ve ever had to do, but i knew it was time, and i didn’t want her to suffer anymore.
i woke up the next morning, and my mom told me that my grandma had passed away shortly after midnight that same night. i’m not sure if it was because of what i told her, or it just happened. but sometimes i like to think i was the one who gave her final peace of mind, maybe she needed to hear it from me. i’m the youngest cousin/grandchild, so i always had a special bond with her. she was/is the greatest woman i’ve ever known, and i’m so grateful i had that last moment with her.
#23
My mum had saved forever to buy herself her dream dining table and chairs. They were super expensive but she had a picture on the fridge, saved for a year and knew she’d have them forever.
I visited one day when she wasn’t home (my parents have no issue with us coming over without them there) and noticed the dogs had gotten in and absolutely destroyed one - they were still untrained puppies and had ripped off all the material, buttons, etc.. I popped it in my car, threw it out, found a place an hour away with the same chair and bought it ($300 chair so wasn’t cheap!).
She doesn’t know because she would’ve A) been shattered but found a way to fix it as best as possible, which honestly would’ve been impossible. And B) refused for me to replace something at that cost.
I’m just glad it was me who saw it first. She’s happy and always comments on how nice her table is and how she will have it forever, lol!
#24
Once I was delivering a huge order of pizzas from pizza express and the customer wouldn't answer the door so the restaurant said I could keep the pizza, too much for me so I drove around town and handed most of them out to the homeless
#25
My friend from college was struggling to get the money to pay for his cat’s surgery. We did everything we could to raise the money, I even asked my father to put this little donation box on his craftbeer bar, but we were still missing a few bucks. My friend doesn’t know it, but I added some really good money to the box before handling it to him and, omg, I still remember how grateful he was when he saw the money was more than enough… He also told me, after the surgery, that he never believed we could make it but he saw the dedication I put into it and believed in me
#26
I was at a mall running errands and I decided to grab some lunch at the food court. I had just finished eating when a boy, probably 13-14 years old and looking pretty scruffy, politely asked if I could give him some money for lunch because he hadn't eaten all day. I didn't have cash but I told him to go order whatever he wanted and I would pay with my debit card. He looked shocked. He said, "I didn't really think anyone would help me." I told him to get extra for later but he was happy with a sub and a drink. He was grateful. I wanted to say something wise like "go home", but then realized that maybe that was the worst place for him to be. I'm not a social worker so I didn't think of how else I could help him, but at least he wasn't hungry for a while.
#27
I do IT work, usually small business and a lot of home repair. I have many wealthy clients and a few not so fortunate. It is not unusual for me to go to a home and it is obvious they are barely scraping by. So I either don't charge those people, or make it a nominal fee. I also refurb the old PC's and give them to people who have one that is not repairable.
My best fee ever was a basket of home grown creole tomatoes, damn those things are delicious.
#28
This is a small act and probably a bit weird, but growing up as the oldest daughter by 7 years left my younger siblings and I's relationship a bit distant. There just wasn't much to relate to(my flavor of adhd also makes emoting really hard for me), and honestly I just always found younger kids annoying so I wasn't a very good sister to them- to be honest I was just a bully. But when I was around 14-15, my siblings came up to me to show me a couple shiny coins they found- they seemed so excited about it. The youngest, my sister kept talking about how rich she was with one of those ear-to-ear grins kids get when their excited about something. It was really refreshing to see my siblings so happy, and it was honestly adorable. Since then whenever I had spare change I'd "drop" it somewhere I knew they'd notice around the house and just let them find it whenever. They got so happy every time they found one. Now I'm 19, (my siblings are 12 and 8), I still on occasion sneak a dollar into their laundry or something, and we're a lot closer now. I have considered telling them since I'm moving out really soon, but I think this'll just stay a secret. At this point telling them will just ruin the magic.
#29
I've been taking my giant friendly dog downtown to visit the homeless lately. They light up when they see him. It is as much a karmic therapy for me as it is for my dog just to love people
#30
On winter weekdays when I go downtown to practice the organ, there's usually a destitute man on the front steps of the locked church.
When I unlock the door, I invite him in out of the cold and let him sleep on a cushioned pew in the relative warmth of the building while I practice or teach organ lessons.
He's always very appreciative of the relief from being outside and leaves with obvious appreciation when it's time for me go.
What do you think ?
ZAPanda 3 years ago
Unfortunately when you live in Africa there is a lot of need. So a short list of things I've not told anyone before: (1) Gave away two bags of new clothes to a homeless guy. (2) Periodically buy homeless guys groceries if I see them in the store. (3) Give a percentage of my salary to a coworker on a lower payscale every few months. I don't explain, just ask for bank details and send it.
ZAPanda 3 years ago
And then something commonplace that a few people do: at every traffic light there's a person begging. So once a month I draw cash, change to silver coins (ie not copper), and then hand them out at every stop, till they're used up. Usually lasts about 3 weeks before I run out.
Load More Replies...
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
Friend just broke into tears the other day telling me how she was buying a few small items, and the man behind her said he'd pay. She was shocked. She has the money! And he said, "That's not why." And he paid for her few items, and she felt *seen* for the first time in ages, and yes, I cried!
Caro Caro 3 years ago
Sometimes it's not about the bucks but about the acknowledgement that you exist and people see you. I get this.
Load More Replies... ZAPanda 3 years ago
Unfortunately when you live in Africa there is a lot of need. So a short list of things I've not told anyone before: (1) Gave away two bags of new clothes to a homeless guy. (2) Periodically buy homeless guys groceries if I see them in the store. (3) Give a percentage of my salary to a coworker on a lower payscale every few months. I don't explain, just ask for bank details and send it.
ZAPanda 3 years ago
And then something commonplace that a few people do: at every traffic light there's a person begging. So once a month I draw cash, change to silver coins (ie not copper), and then hand them out at every stop, till they're used up. Usually lasts about 3 weeks before I run out.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
Friend just broke into tears the other day telling me how she was buying a few small items, and the man behind her said he'd pay. She was shocked. She has the money! And he said, "That's not why." And he paid for her few items, and she felt *seen* for the first time in ages, and yes, I cried!
Caro Caro 3 years ago
Sometimes it's not about the bucks but about the acknowledgement that you exist and people see you. I get this.
Load More Replies...
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