writerwomen

We were laying in bed recalling a helping hand incident last night. About 11 years ago while living in the bay area of CA, we came on a man trying to push his car up a very steep off ramp of the highway in the heat of the day. we stopped and noted the man was covered from head to toe in sores ad very fatigued-( lupus) my husband offered to give the car a jump which is all he needed. As we were helping him a state patrol officer came along checked out the matter and told the man he was free to go but we needed to stay. He walked up to my side and said- you're not from around here are you? We responded - no sir we're orinally from WI but have been living abroad as well as just coming from WA state. He sternly warned us to never stop again because of people posing as needing help then attacking the helper. That hasn't stopped us

irenecarter

I love reading all the great things that all of you have done over the years.
Just last week while at Walmart, I was behind a lady in a wheel chair trying to get an item off the very top shelf. She even tried to stand up and reach it , but couldn't quite get get enough momentum to get up and stand. I asked her to move her chair up a few feet and I would get the item for her. Ironically, she didn't want to move up, so I stretched as far as I could and got the item for her.
Every Xmas, I've picked out a family in need and buy all of them gifts for Xmas, or clean the whole house for someone who is ill. This has become a tradition for me for the past 15 years.
Thank all of you for sharing your stories.

BETTY62

This past summer my husband was in a wheelchair and being a very short woman, it was very difficult for me to load his chair into my car trunk. We were out one afternoon and not thinking I parked on a surface that sloped down hill. I didn't seem to have a problem getting the chair out of the trunk but loading it back in was another story. Although several healthy looking men walked by and looked right at me, no one offered to help. Then a young man with pants falling off, several body piercings and multiple tattoos walked up and loaded the chair. I really appreciated what this young man did for me. I also felt so ashamed of myself because in the past I have not spoken well of people who looked like this young man looked. It really made we understand what is ment by the saying you can't judge a book by the cover.

valsma

Some of the things you mentioned are normal behaviors for me. I call it paying it forward something I learned a long time ago. It doesn't always have cost money.

bearisgray

Holding doors open, letting people with one item get in front of me, etc. are just "normal" behaviors for me, also.

As far as helping people in stopped cars - so many news stories have made me very very cautious. I'm more willing to stop for a semi-truck than a four-wheeler.

I also had an experience of -"don't judge the book by its cover"

We were being tourists in Key West, FL and I had looked through one of the public buildings - maybe the town hall - there were a lots of steps, anyway - and when I came out I saw this group of scruffy looking young people that looked like they were drinking beer - and was kind of dreading having to go through the group to get back to the sidewalk.
Much to my surprised, they offered to help me get down the steps and were very polite.

An occurrence that saddened me - I was at a nursing home garage sale, and I helped one of the residents find some slacks and borrowed a measuring tape to improve the odds of the pants fitting her. I spent a little bit of time talking with her - she said she was just waiting to die! - but she seemed so grateful for the short amount of time I spent paying attention to her.

One of my BIL's shocked me in a pleasant way - while my Mom was in the nursing home before she died, M started talking to this lady that was in a wheelchair in the hall - I didn't even think the woman could hear or speak - but she thanked M so much for talking to her. Now what makes this event unusual, is that M avoids family events like the plague and is not known for being sociable.

RV Quilter

We were in a family restaurant having a meal and a nice young couple with about a 2 year old son were seated close to us. We enjoyed watching the interactions between them and how well behaved their son was. When paying for our meal at the counter we also paid for theirs. Great entertainment!

Caswews

I was shopping one day at Wal Mart a couple was down on their luck. Kids in the van and they were trying to get back to Kansas. The kids hadn't eaten as there was no monies, so I took them as they needed gas filled up their tank, got some groceries from the convenience store enough to tide them over for at least a couple of meals. They were so shocked and surprised they thought I was only going to fill their gas tank-It was 2 days before Thanksgiving.
I told them when they said they wanted to repay my kindness to just pass it on, and I told the kids when they grow up to be sure to always give help to anyone who needs help to try to help them out.
I always try to help in any way I can when someone is in need, as I was helped out once before and now its my turn to help someone out.

joysewer

I always let people go ahead of me in the grocery store line, I've gotten people's groceries out of their cart for them, I always hold the door for mom's with strollers and I've gotten items off of high shelves for people numerous times.

Cosy

There is a gentleman in our area whose job it is to drive the county roads looking for whatever needs repaired, highwaywise. He always carries with him an extensive 1st aid kit, drinking water, shelf stable snacks, blankets, even a couple of teddy bears. Not for himself, but for any emergency he comes across. He too often is the first one on the scene.
When I was younger, I waited tables for a time. One day, a group came in for lunch, and just listening to them talk, we realized it was a family who had just come from a funeral, and was eating lunch before dispersing. None of them were local. We all chipped in the shift's tips to cover their dinner.
I was hospitalized out of town for a week or so. One day, a lady came in to my room and said, "You don't know me, but my dad said I had to come visit you."Her dad was our nieghbor, and she lived in the town where I was.! She also offered to have any of my family come and stay with her while I was hospitalized.

My nieghbor had her knee replaced, then a few weeks later fell and broke her pelvis. Just about the same time, her husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. One of our nieghbors took over their lawn care. I have been doing their meals and laundry.

There are several elderly couples and widows in our nieghborhood. Every time we have snow, there is a big race to see who will do some elses driveway!
I love my nieghborhood!

Iraxy

At Christmas time when the Salvation Army folks are ringing their bells, I always make sure to have dollar bills in my wallet and have made it a habit to donate one dollar each and every time I see a bell ringer. I usually earmark $100.00 for this and at the end, if I haven't given it all away, I just give the last bell ringer whatever is left. I give when entering and when leaving the store. It is a good feeling and a good cause. I also have a weakness for Girl Scouts and will often donate the price of a box or two and then give the package away since I don't like their cookies, but like their cause. It is easy to be generous. I also volunteer at my local school and if there is a need by a specific teacher, I will fulfill that need secretly. i.e., templates, paper, tissues, a child that needs clothes or supplies, etc.