10+ Stories That Remind Us Why Small Acts of Kindness Echo Forever

Happiness can come in any shape or form. But sometimes it’s a gentle act of empathy that means the most. Here are 11 stories to remind us that even the smallest acts of kindness can leave marks on people, and those marks have the potential to echo through lifetimes.

• My elderly neighbor asked if I could drive her to the bank. I thought she needed help with bills. Instead, she withdrew $200, handed it to me with an envelope and said, “For gas money, dear.” I refused, but she insisted.
  Later, I opened the envelope and froze. Inside were six crisp $100 bills, not $200 and a note that said: “I know you’ve been secretly paying my electric bill for 8 months. I’m not senile, just grateful.” My hands trembled as I read the rest: “You gave when you had nothing. Now it’s my turn.”

• I started a new job and was struggling financially. One morning I was tasked with delivering coffee to the CEO. I stood outside his door, anxious because I knew the dress I had on wouldn’t be considered appropriate for the position I had.
  Then he came out and said, “I was expecting you. Some of your colleagues told me about your situation and I like to help where I can, so I would like to take you to get a suitable wardrobe.” I was stunned. No one had ever been so kind to me, but I couldn’t be more grateful. I still work for him to this day.

• I was 16 and flying to New Zealand by myself, with a layover both ways in Australia. On the way back, my connection was canceled. My mom wasn’t picking up the phone and I didn’t know anyone in Australia, so I was crying on the airport floor, thinking I was effectively stranded for until the next flight 24 hours later.
  A very kind family nearby saw me crying and asked if I needed help, which I gladly accepted. The wife took me to where her husband was in line to get food, cab, and hotel vouchers, and he walked me through all the steps. Despite having three kids of their own, they made sure we were at the same hotel, waited for me to get an emergency visa. And had me check in with them in the morning before I went to see the Sydney Opera House.
  They waited for me to come back to the hotel to leave, and we took the same cab back to the airport. They offered to ask someone in their row if they could switch seats with me on the flight back to the USA. I’m still Facebook friends with them, and I share a birthday with one of their daughters.
  For as long as I live, I’ll never forget how kind they were to me, a random 16-year-old crying on the airport floor. © opossumenthusiast / Reddit

• When I was in summer camp we were lining up to buy things like sweets, shirts, etc. at the camp shop, since we were kids. Most of us had just been given an amount of physical money by our parents to deposit in our “accounts.” So if we weren’t keeping track of everything we bought, which was the case of most kids, we didn’t really know how much we had left.
  It was the second weekend and I had already bought a hoodie and a bunch of sweets, I was in line to buy water bottles and some chocolates and candy. When it reached my turn, the lady working at the shop said I didn’t have enough money left to buy everything, with that I started separating some things to leave behind.
  I paid and left to find my friends, a few moments later a boy came rushing after me and handled me a bag. He said he was behind me in line and saw what had happened. When I opened the bag, there was literally every single thing I had left behind. © _lesetoiles / Reddit

• I’d just received some bad news as I was driving back to my apartment one day. Once I parked the car, I fully broke down sobbing in my parking spot outside of my building. The elderly neighbor that lived upstairs must’ve walked by my car and saw me. Because the next thing I knew, I heard my car door open and felt her wrapping me in a hug, telling me it would all be okay.
  I had just moved there recently and didn’t know many of the people in the building, I’d only talked to her a handful of times. But the fact that she didn’t hesitate to comfort me in my time of need is something I think about often. © Unknown author / Reddit

• I was at the dollar store a few years ago, buying a bunch of things for my class, and the woman and her kid in front of me asked me what I was doing. I said oh I’m buying all these stockings and candy because I do elf on the shelf with my kids and every day I’ve put a couple of candies in their stockings.
  I also put little gifts in their stockings like little footballs or Pokémon cards or whatever. I was planning on spending like 75 bucks because I had bought stuff previously. She smiled, and she rang up her stuff in front of me, and then she left without another word.
  When I got to the counter, the cashier said, “The lady in front of me gave me enough money to pay for everything you have.” I went to try to find the lady and thank her, but she was gone. Complete kindness and I’ll never forget it. © Shieldbreaker50 / Reddit

• Years ago, around Christmastime, my family joined a group of friends who were delivering warm clothes and other essentials to a homeless encampment in the city. There was an older gentleman living there whose shoes were very worn out, but none of the shoes we had brought were big enough for him.
  It was later in the evening, and a group of us were trying to figure out what stores we could get shoes at that would still be open at that time. My brother, who was 16 at the time, turned to us, said, “It’s ok, I got it,” took the shoes off of his feet, and gave them to the man, who was so grateful. I will never forget the selflessness that my brother showed, he is a wonderful young man, and I’m so proud of him. © gateface970 / Reddit

• My brother took his two sons to a walking trail that had an ice cream shop near it. He was enjoying his day and decided to get ice creams as a treat, ordered them and the staff were making them just as fast because they were busy.
  Anyway, he gets his wallet and realizes he doesn’t have cash on him. He tries to cancel his order, but the owner is like, “Not on my watch, you guys are getting your cones.” My brother did go back another day and repaid him. © felurian182 / Reddit

• I was on a 6-hour flight home and my debit card wouldn’t work on the plane when I got thirsty and wanted to buy a Pepsi from the flight attendant. I gave it back when my card failed and felt pretty awkward. A few minutes later, the attendant comes back over and suddenly returns the Pepsi because a few rows down someone had overheard what happened, and they paid it for me.
  I know it was only a simple drink, but that was a very pleasant surprise. Especially because it came from a complete stranger. I stood up and turned to see who it was and made sure to thank him. © Dormant222 / Reddit

• The day I went through a drive thru, and I was one car away from the window when I realized I forgot my wallet at home. The car in front of me, a total stranger, ended up buying my lunch just by chance. I made sure to pay it forward the next time I went there. © Millennial***Lover / Reddit

• I was on vacation in a very small town in northern Vermont. I’d decided to drive an hour to the Ben & Jerry’s factory, because why not. I’m not used to dirt roads, and so as I drove, I messed up, and my car went off-road a bit and got stuck. There was no Wi-Fi, so I couldn’t call for help.
  I’d pretty much resigned myself to missing my factory tour and walking back to the cabin to get my dad when another car came by. These two random strangers stopped to help me, and as they were helping me, a third person came by and helped as well. They pushed my car back onto the road and we went our separate ways.
  I made it to the factory on time for the tour I’d scheduled and everything. In that moment I had felt so scared and alone as I realized I had no way to get help, until suddenly there was someone to help. I’ve heard that type of kindness is common in small towns, and I’m grateful I experienced it that day. © Electronic_Land3776 / Reddit

It doesn’t take much to turn someone’s day around. If you have a similar experience you’d like to share, tell us about it in the comments below.

If you enjoyed these stories, you might like the next ones as well. Check it out here: 12 Stories That Show Kindness Is the Power the World Needs Most.