12 Times Kindness Was the Secret Ingredient to Healing Hearts

They say money makes the world go round, but they’re mistaken. What truly gives life meaning is human connection and the most powerful emotion of all, kindness. Offering a kind gesture lifts your spirit; receiving one can warm your soul. With that in mind, here are a few heartwarming stories of kindness to brighten your day and remind you of the goodness in the world.

• I was waitressing to make ends meet. One day I saw an old lady, sitting rather sadly with a small cupcake and a candle in front of her. I figured it was her birthday, so I bought her another small cake and sat down with her during my break. She seemed overjoyed, and we exchanged numbers. We stayed in touch, and met sometimes.
  Six months later, I got a call. It was her nephew. She had passed away in her sleep, peacefully, and willed me $20,000 and a note, thanking me for my kindness to her. The note made me cry, and the money was enough for me to turn my life around and do what I really wanted. I will forever be grateful to her. Thanks, Emmy, you were one of a kind!
• I was selling my bike when I was a teen for $30. Got a hit and set up a location. I ended up being greeted by two kids on a single bike (one on the pegs), and the kid with the bike bought his friend my bike so they could ride together. © SchrockyBalboa / Reddit
• When my wife gave birth to our firstborn, the woman she had shared a ward with while in the early stages of labor had a stillbirth. After giving birth, rather than spending time bonding with her newborn, my exhausted wife gave me our son and spent 3 hours comforting and consoling this woman. Something about the bond of mothers seemed to connect them.
  The woman and her husband have since become close family friends and had two beautiful children after this. They still credit the support we (mostly my wife) gave them in the period of time after the stillbirth, especially in those three hours, with helping them get through their grief. The kindest act I’ve ever seen was done by the kindest person I’ve ever met. © Elcapitan2020 / Reddit

• I reached out to dozens of people my dad has known and told me stories about throughout the years. Think cousins, relatives, coworkers, groomsmen, friends throughout his adult years, friends from childhood, and even his recently deceased dad before he passed away. I asked them if they could share a memory or picture they had of him.
  I was overwhelmed by the responses! So many people wrote back, even people I had missed but had heard about it through the grapevine! It was so kind of those people to dig through their archives and spend the time to do that. I compiled them all into a box and gave it to him for his 60th birthday. My dad and the rest of our family all really enjoyed reading the letters and seeing long-lost photographs. © pdxqdy / Reddit
• I was 16, driving over to my girlfriend’s house on a rainy Saturday afternoon. There was a man biking in front of me, and when he went to get onto the sidewalk, he fell badly. I pulled into the closest driveway and saw that his bike was mangled, and his arm was bleeding. I threw his bike in my trunk, gave him my old sweatshirt for his bloody arm, and drove him home.
  When I dropped him off, he gave me his card. It turned out he was a dentist at a local research hospital. Well, fast-forward to when I’m 19, and the same man took out my wisdom teeth for free as part of a “research experiment.” Not sure if there was actually an experiment that they needed wisdom teeth for, but it just goes to show that good things happen to good people. © salty_snacky / Reddit
• I saw a neighbor boy practicing his jump shot into some tree branches in his front yard. I had a portable hoop in the back from when I moved in that was taking up space. So I walked over and offered him the hoop for free. I only lived there for the next year or 2, but it was almost non-stop basketball dribbling next door after that. I saw him, his sister, parents, aunts, uncles, and even a grandparent or 2 all take a couple shots at the hoop over time. It felt good to know his family got so much use out of it. © critical_fail1 / Reddit

• It was Christmas. I was at a restaurant, having some fun. When I went to the bathroom, I saw a woman there wiping people’s hands. She looked miserable, obviously hated her job, but had no choice. I went to the bathroom. Came out and refused her service.
  I could dry my own hands just fine. Handed her £20 and said, “Merry Christmas.” She jumped to her feet, hugged me with tears in her eyes, saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” over and over. I didn’t think £20 could have that effect on someone. That’s when I realized how easy it is to make someone happy if you would just try a little. © khsaga22 / Reddit
• I was at a store, and there was a woman with two very small kids checking out. She had a bunch of groceries and a couple of toys for the kids. She went to pay and discovered she didn’t have her wallet, so she told the cashier that she would put everything back. Her little girl (who was only about 2) started to cry.
  The gentleman in front of me (who looked like he could have been a homeless guy) went up to the cashier and told her he was going to pay for everything. When the lady protested, he said, “I don’t want your little girl to cry. This is my good deed for the day.” I almost cried, as did the lady who was trying to buy her groceries. Also, it taught me not to judge a book by its cover. The gentleman, who I at first deemed to be a down-and-outer, got into a very nice car. © KathAlMypal / Reddit
• Neighbors asked to borrow my truck. I told them I could not trust my truck because the tires were bad. The next day, my neighbor called and said he was getting new tires for his suburban and I could have his old ones. They told me to just show up at this certain tire shop, and they would put them on. I get to the tire shop, and they put on brand-new Goodyear tires. I asked what happened to the old tires I was supposed to receive. The shop owner said the “old tires” were just a story to get me in the shop. © jorcam / Reddit

• I was breaking down in the middle of a street late at night alone by myself. A lady drove by and asked if I was okay. I told her I was fine, and she drove off. A few minutes later, she looped around the bend and asked again. She checked on me at least three or four times until I felt fine again and managed to get myself home. Not much of a story, but it warmed my heart to know a stranger took the time to drive around the block again and again to check on me. © ursoevil / Reddit
• College nearly broke me. Then, one day, I found a note in my locker: “Just hang on.” They kept coming. No name, just hope. I graduated because of those notes. I went to thank my friends, but they looked confused. They hadn’t sent any notes, and when I checked with my professors, it was the same thing. None of them had written those notes to me.
  That’s when someone handed me a letter. The same handwriting. It read, “I am so proud of you for never giving up. Had someone supported me, I would not have given up on my college dreams. I am glad I could make a difference.” It was signed by our college’s janitor, Mr. Simms. I just ran to him and gave him a big, tight hug. Today, I got my first paycheck. Guess who is getting the biggest thank-you gift from me?
• I joined my future daughter-in-law at her wedding gown fitting. She looked nervous but radiant. While she was trying the dress on, I stepped outside for a moment to take a call. When I returned, the shop assistant whispered to me, “Watch her closely,” I was stunned. Before I could say anything, she added, “Your DIL is hiding something. She’s thinking that you don’t want her to marry your son and wondering if going ahead with this wedding is right for her. I heard her talking to someone before you came in.”
  I was taken aback. I went to my daughter-in-law, and put my arms around her, whispering how much I was looking forward to welcoming her as a daughter. Her face lit up, and she hugged me back, telling me how much her heart was at peace, thanking me for everything. They just celebrated their 5th anniversary, and now, I’m soon to be a grandma. She is an amazing woman, and I am so proud to have her in my family.

If you want more just touching stories lighting up your day, here’s one about the elderly taking on technology, with hilarious results.