12 Heartfelt Stories That Reach Deep Into Your Soul

Acts of kindness, whether as simple as uplifting words or as grand as a heartfelt gesture, have a unique power to leave a lasting impression on our hearts. In this article, we’ve gathered 12 touching stories that serve as a beautiful reminder of why kindness matters.

• I came home after it had snowed and saw my elderly neighbor clearing her driveway. She looked really tired. I told my husband about it, and he said, "I'll be doing that from now on."
  About 4 years later, she caught us. I thought she was going to start yelling because I was on her property, but she said, "Have you been shoveling my driveway all this time?" When I said yes, she took my hands and thanked me. She said that her kids were grown/out of the house, her husband had fallen ill, and it was really hard for her to shovel by herself.
  We still do it, but now, despite my protesting, she comes by and drops off food she makes (and it's delicious food). © Unknown author / Reddit

• When my children were preschool age, I had to make the choice between gas for work or food with a week till payday. I chose food and spent my last $20 on meat that was reduced due to date and pasta supplies because I knew I could stretch that $20 into 4 or 5 meals. When I came out of the grocery store, I found a $20 wedged under my car tire that I had to pull forward to remove it.
  I could swear it was not there when I went in because I had bent down to tie my oldest son’s shoe. My grandfather was deceased, but my younger son looked at the money and said, “Poppie gave you money.” No person could have put that money under my tire without jacking it up. © Genseeker1972 / Reddit

• My girlfriend is an amazing woman — super smart, kind, and hard-working. But a couple years ago, she had a real mental health crisis when her undergraduate studies got really, really stressful. She told me she wanted to try and do some freelancing just as something else to do. She’s amazing at programming, but was not landing any gigs by simply being outbid by others.
  I did something that I felt was my duty at the time. I posted a job that was exactly her area of expertise and accepted her bid on it. I spent about $500 buying a custom piece of software nobody would ever use. She now has a job just months into her post-graduate waiting for her. Everything is good. © DrinkAndKnowThings / Reddit

• I paid for a family's meal at a mid-size chain restaurant once. Mom, Dad and 4 kids. I heard them all talking about the prices and trying to do the math because it was their Christmas present, and they were trying to keep the meal with tip under $100.
  The kids all got burgers. Mom and Dad ordered meals. Everyone just got water to drink.
  I got up to 'use the facilities' and told the waitress, who was also the waitress for my table, to tell the family that dessert is included with their meals. Also gave her my credit card for the table. The manager came over and asked if there was a problem because he saw me trying to quietly explain this to the waitress. My table sat there, unaware of what I did.
  We were still there when the family was told about dessert, which the parents tried to not get, but the kids seemed pretty insistent because most kids love dessert. The Dad asked for a menu and asked the manager where the dessert being included in the price was. I guess he was skeptical and didn't want to get embarrassed. And the manager just said, "Santa took care of your tab, sir." © Jagrmeister_68 / Reddit

• Some years ago, a woman approached me on the street at night. She was on the verge of panic as she was from out of town and totally lost in the city. She had no purse, no cell phone, and no idea where her friend’s house that she was staying in was. I spent two hours with her walking up and down the streets trying to find where she thought the address was, but to no avail.
  I was going through a bout of depression and my home was in absolutely NO condition for a surprise visitor, but I couldn’t just leave her on the street with mere well-wishes. So I took her to the nearest hotel and paid for her to have a room to sleep in that night. She was so relieved that, while her immediate problem wasn’t solved, she wasn’t going to be lost in the dark in a strange city. The hug she gave me was the best hug I’ve had in my life.
  I felt so good for being able to help her at least a little bit that I went back home and cleaned up all the mess and started getting my life back in order. It turns out that night was a win-win for both of us, and I’ve never seen her since. © Thrownawaybyall / Reddit

• I was in the vet getting my cat checked. There was this guy at reception with a puppy. I don’t know what had happened, but the receptionist was talking about X-Rays and surgery, and this guy was so worried. He didn’t have that kind of money.
  I went to pay for my cat and asked the receptionist how much it would be to get the puppy over the first hurdle. She said £365. I asked her if I could pay it.
  The guy burst into tears. He kept saying he would keep in touch and give it me back. I said I don’t need it. And I don’t want that hanging over him. So, I paid and left. © Daylar17 / Reddit

• I saved a dog from a burning building. The 2nd floor caught fire while the owners were out, so I body slammed the door open and got the dog out. The 2nd story windows were spewing flames, and the 1st floor was beginning to fill with smoke.
  When the owners, who were an elderly couple, returned home to the scene of the fire department cleaning up the charred remains of their home, the grandmother made a scream that is burned into my memory, but that instantly changed to sobs of relief when she saw me approach with her dog in my arms. My dad was upset with me for risking my over an animal, but I'll do it again if I have to. © boredguy12 / Reddit

• There are quite a few stray cats that wander around my neighborhood. I leave out bowls of food and water and set up a couple of spots with blankets that they can curl up in. I’ve also taken a few of the sick kittens in. I rehome them once they are healthy.
  That is how I got my latest cat, Arthur. He was about two weeks old when he ended up in my driveway, no other cats or kittens anywhere to be seen. I was pretty sure he was dead when I first spotted him.
  About a month or so later, I was going to try to find him a home, but I just kept putting it off for one reason or another. He’s about 8 months now and a spoiled little hairball. © CylonsInAPolicebox / Reddit

• I once saved a kid from being run over by an SUV. We were waiting for his grandma to pull her car around when his coloring sheet blew out of his hands and into the street. He rushed after it before I could stop him, just as an SUV was pulling around.
  I kind of threw myself around him without even realizing what I was doing and, thankfully, they saw me and were able to stop in time, but it was pretty close. His grandma saw the whole thing and was extremely thankful, but I blamed myself for years for allowing him to run into the street in the first place. © ThePluckiestDuck / Reddit

• One time, I bought a bag of apples to give out to the homeless around town. I got to one guy, and he thanked me, but couldn't take it, because he had no teeth to chew it with. It broke my heart. So I got him a bunch of bananas instead. © ***breakbacks / Reddit

• I was working retail, making little to no money. I was 17 years old (in the 90s). I cashed my check and was pumping gas. A man and woman come up to me and say, "We have no car and no money." They said they were stranded.
  So I drove them to a hotel and used my whole check to rent them the room for the night. I know, it was risky, but in the moment it felt like the right thing to do. © everytingiriemon / Reddit

• It was an unusually cold day, and I saw that the young construction guy didn't have a hat or gloves. He looked somewhere between miserably cold and dangerously cold. I stopped at the next convenience store and bought a hat and gloves, drove back, and gave them to him. © _valabar_ / Reddit

If you’re craving more heartwarming tales, we’ve got you covered. This article is filled with uplifting stories that showcase the power of kindness and compassion. Don’t miss out—click through for your daily dose of inspiration!