10 American Stories That Teach Us Sweet Kindness Still Travels Every Mile

“In San Francisco, we were looking for a specific store in Japantown. We asked a couple of teenagers if they could point us in the right direction. These Japanese Americans walked us all the way to the shop. About half a mile away. Such kindness.”

“My husband and I drove Route 66, doing one act of kindness every 100 miles for the highway’s centennial. In Tucumcari we cleaned up neglected places.
I didn’t know how far this kindness would go until we went to a local cafe. The owner had the ’audacity’ to treat everybody every single week. He won’t let us pay. I tried. He treats us to coffee, breakfast.”

“I have been touring the United States for several weeks now, visiting multiple states.

People are generally approachable and friendly. Yes I do like Americans, at least their overall demeanor. I would be greeted and asked where I’m from even by someone at the 7-Eleven.”

“I got a story about another form of packing, from when my mom and I went to the grocery store in Ft. Lauderdale on our vacation.

My mom pays and this poor, old, confused lady thought it was her stuff so she starts putting them in a bag and I talk to her like she was confused: ’Oh no sorry Madame I think you’ve accidentally started packing our stuff with yours. Don’t worry, it happens.’

She looked at me like I was crazy and continued, then it dawned on me. US. Seniors pack your groceries. And my mom laughed at me the whole way home.”

“I have absolutely no problem making conversation with strangers here, and strangers regularly make conversation with me. Foreign tourists included; in fact, that’s extra interesting and I’ll want to know about your home country, how you’re enjoying your time here and the like. You can ask for directions here and unless the person you’re asking doesn’t know you’ll get good directions. It’s a lot of little stuff like that.

Oh and also if I see someone stuck off the road in the snow or mud, I don’t hesitate to stop and get my chain hooked up to right them, though that may just be a Jeep culture thing.”

“If you want to make a friend, go sit in a restaurant and ask about wherever you’re visiting. No politics, no religion, just ask about the area. I think a lot of places people only associate with their friend groups or circles their entire lives and it just isn’t that way in the USA. I mean yeah there is some of that but it just isn’t as uncommon to make a random friend out here in the US.”

“I grew up in Colorado, and went to NYC for the first time when I was 19. Very different place and people. People were willing to help me figure out the subway and how to get to where I wanted to go. I am guessing that NYC gets so many visitors that helping visitors is part of being a local.”

“I struck up a conversation with the lady next to me and we had a very pleasant chat for about 15 minutes (while waiting in line) about her family. My wife once had a similar conversation with a stranger about how they routinely visited Montana each year.

And a lot of that friendly outgoing-ness is genuine: I’ve had a few times in my life when I was younger when co-workers invited me to have Thanksgiving dinner with their families. (Thanksgiving is generally the American holiday where people get together with extended family.)”

“In a town of 13,000, I was at the grocery store on Dec 24 (stupid, I know). I wanted to buy a certain cut of meat but didn’t see it, asked the random stranger nearest me & he helpfully pointed out what I was looking for. Two minutes later he was near me again and I asked his opinion on this cut vs that cut. Randomly saw him again near the dairy section & he said, ’Hi again! Hope you enjoy your roast!’

And in my experience, that’s not uncommon. Ask a random stranger for help, and goodwill almost always prevails. It’s considered weird and strange to not show kindness and be helpful.”

“I also had a public transport angel! She was an older lady and I was very unwell on my way to my grandparents because I was in such a rough spot.

The chat we had about living while we can and doing what is important to us changed my life — I changed universities, got the help I needed, changed my degree, committed to an overseas study trip where I met my best friends, and moved cities. I can’t remember her name, but it was such a special experience.”