18 Stories That Prove Kindness Can Come From the Most Unexpected Places

Admit it, there’s a little grumbler in many of us who mutters, “You can’t trust anyone.” But the heroes of our stories prove otherwise: they save, support, and treat others without asking for anything in return. To make our world a bit kinder, you don’t need a magic wand. It’s enough just to show a little humanity.

• In the morning, I went to sleep after a shift. I woke up in the evening but didn’t get up immediately and was just lounging in bed. I hear my husband returning from work.
  He quietly turns the key, opens and closes the front door. Practically tiptoes inside. Quickly grabs the cat, which starts running and meowing, and takes him to another room. So, he’s just doing everything not to disturb my sleep.
  And I’m lying there, listening to all this, and once again realizing how much I love and appreciate him. It seems like little things, but it is so nice. © iamirinaartamonova
• I was coming back from work, it was almost night, but I was still on time for the second-to-last metro train. I approached the ticket booth to buy a token and realized I left my wallet at the office. I started nervously rummaging through my bag, trying to find at least some change, but it was empty. Explained everything to the woman at the counter, but she told me to find another way.
  I stood there, trying to explain that I could only get home using the metro, already anticipating spending the night at the office, when a homeless man approached me. He had been sitting in the corner at the metro entrance, begging with a sign in his hand. He silently handed me money for the fare and sat back down, wrapping himself in a worn-out plaid.
  I was in complete shock, pondering all the way home about how many stereotypes we have in our heads. I surely didn’t expect the homeless man to be more humane than the woman at the metro ticket booth. © Not Everyone Will Understand / VK
• I live next door to my best friend. Our complexes are separated by a tree line, which has a path to walk between the two. So, I walk a parking lot, cut the trees, walk another parking lot to get to her building.
  I was coming to her parking lot when I saw a man on the phone. Next to him were 2 small boys, maybe 6 and 8. The younger one noticed me and greeted me. I said hello back enthusiastically.
  I asked if he was having a good day and he said yes. As I walked away, he yelled, “Hey, lady! You forgot something!” When I turned back around, he brought me a dandelion. © Unknown author / Reddit

• My son and I put together a package of Pokémon cards and Archie comics for a sick 8-year-old. It was really nice for us to do that together, and for me to be able to teach him about giving back and just how fortunate we are.
  He went through all his cards and he picked out the ones he wanted to send. And he didn’t pick a single Energy card. I was so proud! It was humbling and was really special to do that together. © StickleyMan / Reddit
• We were out with my boyfriend in the evening and stopped by a store for ice cream, picked up 2 cones, forgetting to check the price. When we reached the register, we realized we didn’t have enough money. The cashier called the manager to cancel one ice cream, and then a woman behind us handed us some change, saying, “Take it for your ice cream.”
  We hesitated, feeling awkward... But she said, “It’s for ice cream, after all; I don’t mind, take it.” So, we did. It was just a little thing, and yet it was really nice, and we enjoyed it so much. © Overheard / Ideer
• We recently bought new earrings for our daughter. She was absolutely thrilled and immediately started wearing them to school.
  But a week later, I noticed they were gone. I asked, “Did you lose them?” She nodded, but she didn’t look upset. I thought, well, at least she’s not crying.
  The next day, her teacher called me. She explained, “I understand Nelly is kind-hearted. But during class, she gave me her earrings when I mentioned I’d lost mine. She completely refuses to take them back.”
  Ultimately, I retrieved them, and we later bought her a beautiful bracelet so she wouldn’t feel sad.

• Recently, I’ve developed a habit of buying a couple of pouches of wet pet food and carrying them in my bag. It’s so gratifying when stray cats or dogs understand from just a glance and a nod that I want to give them food, and they run to me faster than I can reach into my bag. I don’t have any pets at home, but at least this way I can relieve stress. © Overheard / Ideer
• My husband and I went into a coffee shop to buy a cake. A man about our age came in after us and complimented my husband. He simply said that his style was really cool. It felt so nice.
  Women are so used to compliments. But when a compliment is given to a man — it’s so awesome! © aid_offi
• I was walking home one evening when I saw a guy bothering a girl. I stepped in, said I was her brother, and he took off.
  Months later, I showed up to a job interview — and that same guy was sitting there! I figured I was done and was ready to leave. But then the door opened, and in comes that very girl!
  She looks at me, smiles, and says, “I’ve read your resume, you’re hired. We need a specialist like you.” Then she turns to him and adds, “Antony, from today, he’s your boss!”
  It turns out that day they had an argument about work, and I thought he was harassing her.

• Today at the gym, a stranger approached me and said, “Hello, I’ve seen you here a few times and I just want to say that your progress is really noticeable. You’re in great shape, especially your glutes and quads have really toned up. Not that I was specifically tracking it, but you really stood out.”
  It made me feel so good, I positively bloomed. Give people compliments! © raeosa
• I worked for post office counters in the 1990s in the town I was born in. We had moved away from there in 1982 when I was a child. A lady came in to renew her car tax and I noticed she lived at my old address. I said, “Oh, that’s the house I lived in as a child!”
  A week later, she came in with my teddy bear I’d had as a baby that they had found up in the loft. He was filthy, but we popped him in the wash, and I’ve still got him today. © BenjieAndLion** / Reddit
• To calm down my little daughter, we walked through the airplane cabin and saw the area near the emergency exit. No one was sitting there; the space between the seats allowed us to sit on the floor. The flight attendant allowed us to stay there.
  We sat and simply played hand games. Other children started coming over and stayed with us. In the end, I had a mini-playground there: kids swapped toys and brought them to us, and I was just so happy that we were allowed to sit on the floor like that. © helen.abrosimova

• Recently, our cat gave birth to 6 kittens, but one was so weak that everyone thought it wouldn’t survive, even the mother cat didn’t feed it. I fed it milk with a pipette. Now, they are just over a month old, and this kitten eats and plays with the other kittens, although it’s a bit smaller.
  It’s such a small thing, but it feels so good knowing it survived. It’s heartwarming when you pick it up, and it kneads you with its soft little paws and purrs. We’ve named it Baby. © Overheard / Ideer
• When our cat was a small kitten and dumped in some bushes outside a pet store, our big German shepherd noticed her and pulled us to her and wouldn’t let us leave without her. Just pulled and pulled and pulled and then dug in. We brought her home and fostered her (which failed) and cue a few years later when our shepherd is near the end.
  The cat couldn’t be pulled away from her when the vet came to guide her to the rainbow bridge. She rubbed her face, curled up right next to her. We’d move her, and she would run back to be by her side.
  When it was done, and they took her, our cat just sat on her tower and loudly meowed for 2 days. Heartbreaking, but also a reminder of how sweet their relationship was and how they looked out for each other. © tanukis_parachute / Reddit

• I remember when I was a kid, we had a winter contest for the best snowman in our courtyard. Lots of kids participated, parents watched over the process, but helping was forbidden.
  The judges tried to keep an eye on things and check for rule-breaking, but all the parents were crafty; while the judges looked away, they quickly did some adjustments. I did everything myself because my dad was at work, and my mom was at home with my little sister. It didn’t turn out very well, to be honest.
  I wasn’t expecting to win, but the judges weren’t dumb. They realized that out of all the participants, only my snowman looked rough, so they awarded me a prize — a stuffed snowman toy and a big box of chocolates. A small thing, but it was so nice! There’s justice in this world! © Ward No. 6 / VK

• I stepped out of the store and ran to the taxi waiting for me. I didn’t even notice that someone was calling me and even running after me. Eventually, I heard it, stopped, and turned around, completely puzzled.
  There was some woman. “Miss! Your perfume is incredible, can you tell me the name?” I told her, still a bit confused. Then I ran on my way. It left me with such a nice feeling inside. © lunolikayasss
• I was going through a really tough time back then. My education wasn’t the best, and I worked as a waitress. Basically, my self-esteem was at rock bottom.
  One day, I decided to apply to college. My mom was very supportive. But then I looked at the requirements and realized I wouldn’t qualify anyway, so I gave up and decided not to apply.
  One day, I came home and saw a letter about my admission. It turned out my mom had submitted my application. She always believed in me. © erin74kr / Reddit
• We live in a small town, my husband works as a veterinarian, and all the pet owners know him. One time, we were asleep, and suddenly the doorbell rang at 3 a.m.
  We step out to find our neighbor, an elderly lady, standing there with a guinea pig in her hands. She was all worried because her pet appeared very unwell. I barely managed to calm her down while my husband sorted things out with the animal.
  Later, we’re lying in bed together, and he sighs heavily and says, “It just choked on a bit of cucumber.” It’s nice to realize that people care so deeply about their pets. © Ward No. 6 / VK

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