Actually three-fourths of my family were victimized while I was attending Wicked with my oldest daughter. My hubby took our other three children out to dinner at a local pub and grill.
It was mostly an uneventful meal for them considering we have a a feisty red headed two year old. At the end of their meal the server informed my hubby that their meal was paid for by another table and he pointed out an elderly woman.
Hubby thanked the woman but she denied having paid their bill as her companion giggled. He got the kids bundled up in their coats and then approached the woman again.
“If you did buy our dinner I want to say thank you again.”
They chatted for a few minutes and the first question she asked was where was his wife. She must of thought he was either divorced or a widower because of our kids mismatched clothes and unbrushed hair. My hubby doesn’t give those things attention when he’s in charge.
He called me to tell me about this woman’s random act of kindness and it turns out that the friend that I was with had the same thing happen to her at the same restaurant. My guess is the elderly woman must do this often. She probably chooses a table of diners every time she dines there. How cool is that?
I love random acts of kindness. Not only do they feel good to the recipient but it feels good to be the giver. I often perform random acts of kindness via the internet as some of you who read me already know. It feels good knowing I made someone else feel good and that good feeling is contagious.
Have you been a victim of a random act of kindness? What random acts have you done? Please share.
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I am a self professed slacker mom. I answer to Kristie or slackermommy.
My house is a mess, my kids are obnoxious, and my husband is sexually deprived.
I drive my kids to school in my pj's, I can make a couple of Happy Meals from the floor of my car, my kids eat in front of the television, and I believe a dirty house helps kids have a healthy immune system.
If you can relate then this blog is for you. No sugar coating on my blog. Let's get real about being a mommy, wife, sister, and friend.
You can also find me slacking at:
Dory
January 14th, 2008 at 9:59 am
A reader paypal’d me $150 to pay for The Rockstar’s meds!
Dory
DIXIECHICK
January 14th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I had a man give me money one time…I was single, alone traveling with my two kids at the time…we were locked out of our card in Mont Eagle, TN, at a rest area…he heard me crying on a pay phone to a friend, because I only had $20 on me, to feed my kids one more time, we were on our way to SC to visit my mom, I had no money for a lock smith…he approached me, helped me get my car unlocked, and gave me money…I will never forget that one random act of kindness, because of it, I try to reciprocate any chance I can…Yay, for the old lady!
Julie Pippert
January 14th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
That was so cool. You have inspired a post…one I think I have time to write in the exactly nine minutes I have left LOL.
sltbee69
January 14th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
With so much ugliness and ugly people in the world these days, reading about random acts of kindness does restore your faith in humanity just a tad bit, doesn’t it?
Kerry
January 14th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I love hearing stories like this. It restores my faith in mankind!
I usually pay for the person behind me when I go through the Starbucks drive-through. It always makes me feel good!
~JJ!
January 14th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
That is really cool.
Ashley
January 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
People have done that for us in restaurants before, and we’ve done the same for others too. I’ve given money and items before just because…I’ve received cards randomly and packages when I’ve been down. I’ve sent them as well.
I hope you pay it forward!
Scrapping My 2 Precious Gems
January 14th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I’ve never been a victim of a random act of kindness, but I have been the perp of them many times.
At Disney, we bought the meal plan. For our family this is entirely WAY too much food for us. On the last day, we were in line to pick up some snacks for the ride home, and I chatted with the family behind us. During the conversation we discussed the meal plan and they said they didn’t get it this time around and I raved about it. When it was my turn to check out, I checked my snacks and the meals for the family behind us. They were shocked and I left by saying “Hope the rest of your vacation is magical.”
I sometimes also pick up extra prepackaged treats at the store and when I go to the park, I ask other parents if thier child would like one.
They are small RAK, but RAK nonetheless.
GoMommy
January 14th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
How nice! It’s so nice to hear a happy story! Kudos to the lady for making others happy!
Life As I Know It
January 14th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
wow. that is really cool!
And definitely inspiring!
Linlee
January 14th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
My husband and I had the person in front of us in a drive thru pay for our food. It was pretty shocking. We were both speechless.
Lisa
January 14th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
How cool is that!
We were the recipient of a random act of kindness this morning. As the boy and I walked into QT, we struck up a conversation with a police officer who had a K-9 partner. Later, the officer came back in to give us “Miky’s” biz card. (a police dog with biz cards! heehee.) The officer was so nice to Seth.
I’ve got the card, noticed that the police dept makes donations to organizations that train police dogs. I contacted one today and donated some money in the officer’s and dog’s honor.
The officer didn’t have to spend a few minutes talking to Seth but he did. And the card is so cool! So we wanted to show our appreciation in some way…
carrie
January 14th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I can’t wait until I’m a little old lady and I can do that!
Giving feels good, no matter how big or small.
JaniceNW
January 15th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Last week I paid for the guy behind me in the Starbucks drive thru lane. It’s fun and no he wasn’t cute or I didn’t really look because I’m sooooooooooo enamoured of my husband.
Maria
January 15th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I’ve committed random acts of kindness of various levels– some big, some small. One of my favorites happened when the boy was around 7 months old. I was at Target in the baby section picking up some breast milk storage bags. There was a new father in the aisle looking completely lost…with a list. I helped him to find the things on his list, so he could get back home to mommy and baby. It took me 5 minutes to get his stuff, and it saved him 30 minutes or more of searching. He was appreciative, and it didn’t cost me anything, but I enjoyed doing it.
On the other end, I received a lot of RAK when I was pregnant and The Boy was young. I am sure something random and kind will come along again soon.
Stacie
January 15th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
how sweet!!!
Rebecca
January 15th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
that is just what makes the world fun.
KC
January 15th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
There needs to be more of this in the world.
Miss French Jessica
January 16th, 2008 at 9:26 am
How sweet of the lady to pick up the check! I can’t think of a RAK right now, but maybe one day!
feefifoto
January 16th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Have you seen this site?: http://www.helpothers.org/
People post their Random Acts stories for others to read. Makes me feel good and at least slightly hopeful to check in there occasionally.
Sugar Kane
January 16th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
What a lovely story!
Jennifer aka Binky Bitch
January 17th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
That is SUCH a cool story. I hope that when I’m elderly, I’ll do the same type of thing.
Mert
January 18th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Aww, how sweet is that? It’s the random acts that really seem to mean a lot sometimes.
When I was miscarrying the baby before Emma, I was waiting for an ultrasound to confirm. This was 4 days before Anna’s 3rd birthday… I started to lose it when i told John that if we lost the baby there was no way I could go through with the party (which I did anyway because Anna was really looking forward to her Nemo party, had been for months)… I started to sob loudly, I just couldn’t keep it together.
A lady came from out of no where and grabbed my hand, she started to pray for me there, on her knees in front of everyone.
I’m choked up just thinking about it. I was still a mess during the ultrasound, but her prayer did help me be able to get through it. When I came out from the US room, she was gone. I wasn’t able to thank her, but I am so thankful for that woman, even to this day.
Daisy
January 20th, 2008 at 8:16 am
There are so many wonderful people in our world. One of my favorite RAK’s is to fill the parking meter when I leave. Someone else will have a little time when they pull in, and I consider it a donation to our downtown.
EE
January 21st, 2008 at 4:25 am
That’s awesome!!!!!
I have friends who like to go out to a restaurant on Christmas Eve. They talk about the Christmas service they have just attended so that the waiter/waitress can hear. They then leave him/her a gigantic tip…a random act of kindness from Christians.
Heather
January 21st, 2008 at 3:51 pm
We are St. Louis Zoo friends, and get lots of free train rides, Children’s Zoo tickets, etc. every year that we never use. Everytime we go, we always buy families in line behind us train tickets or whatever with our free passes. Some are suspicious, but they are always very grateful. It is so much fun being on the giving end of these random acts of kindness.
Lotta
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 am
Um, I believe a certain Slacker Mommy once gave me $25 for a manicure.
Stacey
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
What a sweet and thoughtful gesture! I want to be more like that–and I do try–I just don’t always *think* of it… Shame on me!
the pink report
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I haven’t commented until now because I can’t remember actual random acts of kindness I’ve performed. They’re usually for people I at least kind of know. Let’s see… the other day I saw a mom and her son (or the child she kidnapped but I’m thinking probably her son)walking. I went grocery shopping and when I came out, they were there with a grocery cart, on their way home with the cart. I ran up to her part way and asked if they needed a ride home. I said that I noticed them walking and it was kind of cold and I wouldn’t mind giving them a ride, it was on my way and I do have an extra carseat. She thanked me and said no. I think she appreciated just the offer. And I can say that my offer had nothing to do with the fact that she was wandering off with the store’s shopping cart unlawfully. It did not occur to me that if she does this on a regular basis that one day I will show up to the store and will have no cart to use because over the course of one year they’ve all winded up in her yard. Maybe she returns them… who knows?
I’ve given $250 to a single mom co-worker who was in a bad position. I barely knew her and told her she never had to pay it back. Is that as good as a random act? Not secret, so maybe it doesn’t acheive the same thing…
Very cool, K. And you’re right– she probably thought he was a single dad or something.
the pink report
January 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Wound up. Not winded up. Duh.
Sierra
January 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Very cool! I love it when people look out for others and are willing to step up and do something kind for no good reason.
My hubby and I were treated to dinner by 2 perfect strangers at our honeymoon lodge resteraunt. It was 5 years ago, but I still remember how great it felt to be on the receiving end of such kindness.
Super B's Mom
January 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I helped a little old paw paw in a wheelchair get a gallon of buttermilk at Wal-Mart cause he couldn’t reach it…
Does that count?
Awesome story!
cyndy (1 comments.)
January 30th, 2008 at 3:40 am
Love this post! My most recent RAK was at the laundromat last week, I left a handful of quarters in the change machine.
cyndy’s last blog post..Birfdays and Build-a-Bears