lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

good.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

It is always a rewarding feeling, but, charity begins at home....in our homes, and, in our country. :thumbup:

Searching Loc: Rural Southwest VA

Me too!! I also hope that when I help someone else that it will end up being like the pebble dropped into a pond that ever so gently ripples, but in this case the ripples being that of kindness that get passed on. You never know. Case in point, after my father died, cranky man that he was, bless his heart, I decided that I would commit random acts of kindness in his name, silently invoking his name from time to time as I did things. The first Christmas after his death I went to visit my mom, a 200-mile trek speckled with those lovely toll stops to fling quarters at. It was Christmas day and there weren't many on the road at that time of the morning. I suddenly got the impulse to do something nice and so I paid several tolls forward, hoping that the first car behind me would be someone who really was short on quarters. Well, it wasn't, which at first disappointed me, and I guess God meant to teach me a lesson that day -- one of humility to be quite frank. I tried to not let them catch up with me, but they did. It was a young couple in a BMW who gave me the most beautiful smiles and thumbs up sign. I could see the young lady in the car mouthing "thank you" and it hit me, "well, smarty, you inadvertently did even a much nicer thing than you meant to," because that young couple, their reaction to what I had done, said volumes. I got the distinct impression that they would be sure to pass it on. You never know how a simple act of kindness is going to keep reverberating, traveling perhaps great distances, long after the impulse passes.

Merry Christmas by the way, and thanks for bringing this topic up!!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

This story, wonderful as it is, does not surprise me. It involved your being the person you have appeared to be since you first showed up on OPP.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, kind lady! :mrgreen:

Raylan Wolfe Loc: earth

"Should universal charity prevail, Earth would be Heaven, and Hell a fable." Charles Colton

Tasine Loc: Southwest US

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It makes me feel absolutely GREAT to help others. At present, I manage a group who volunteer one afternoon every week to entertain nursing home residents. We've done special programs for Alzheimer's groups - yes, they are confused, but almost all people respond to music, and that is primarily what we do - sing and play THEIR songs to them. I am also a voluntary Board member of an organization that tries to bring things to our community that can benefit all ages within the community. When I was in nursing, I was always happy to work the night shift because that is when patients feel the most vulnerable and ill at ease - I loved sitting and talking with them and seeing them relax. My "reward" for working nights was the patients' comfort with me and additionally, I got to view almost every sunrise. People who don't interact with others or help others are missing the greatest health benefit they could ask for - a happy heart.

Tasine Loc: Southwest US

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Exactly!! Over the years, when I've helped someone with something and they offer something in return, I merely ask them to repay me by passing on help to others. It works for me and makes me feel good. And I believe they DO in fact pass it on.

Searching Loc: Rural Southwest VA

Well, in the spirit of Christmas, "bless your pea-pickin'-heart." Hope that I will always aspire to civility and kindness, although if you were to ask a few of the locals around here, their opinion would clash greatly with yours!! :lol: My husband has taken great pains to assure the locals that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and you KNOW how her daddy was!" It keeps me safe :lol: The first year that we were here, I had to improvise a garden -- clay too hard -- so the lumpy clay became retaining walls to fill in with good soil. Someone, seeing the ovals that I had made, but seeing them at the end of growing season, asked my husband what they were for. He informed (and in this case I'm glad he did) the fellow that those ovals were where I buried the bodies of all the folks that ticked me off!! This fellow has become a veritable thorn in my side and yet, in person, will not look me in the eye because he's really not sure!! :lol:

A MERRY HAPPY to you and yours as well!!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

And...I believe you are right! :thumbup:

bmac32 Loc: West Florida

It's a great feeling to help. We were getting ready to trade cars and the dealer was having some sort of help for the needy. We were trading in a 2009 4 door with 35,000 miles on it so we asked the salesmen if they'd be willing to sell our trade in for a song. He listened and went and got the manager. Our idea was sell the car to this older couple (80's) that were really in need for $2000. Manager wanted these people to come in but I hadn't even talked to them about his and I wasn't sure they'd go in. Went home and went down for a visit, their car wouldn't start so we jumped it. Then I decided it was a good time to spring this on them and asked it they would want our car for $2000. Well he didn't think they could afford that much so I said do you like to wheel and deal, well yes he did so the next morning we went down. Dealer ran a credit check on them and found they had never been later on any payment. Manager took me aside and offered me $9000 for the car as a trade in and he would GIVE these people the car. I was like what, you'll give me $9000 off and give them the car? Yep, they need it and it's perfect for them. Talk about a WARM feeling!!!

Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

I guess that I have not gone after people for rent they owed me. Money that they more than likely would not have to pay me if I did sue.

Most were young & by not going after them & getting a judgement on the them that would hurt their credit. One might say that in some way it might be helping.

I also have given a couple of cars away that still ran.

There is no end of groups of one sort or other seeking donations. I never even add it up. A daughter was checking up on my wife & said I should check up on what my wife was donating.

I can't say I feel much one way or the other about it. I just do it.

Constitutional libertarian Loc: St Croix National Scenic River Way

I hope by now everyone here knows that I am a foaming at the mouth lunatic when it comes to sincerely believing that giving, sharing, and volunteering is our path to solving all that is wrong in our world. I go to bed each night and ask myself what acts of kindness did I perform today if I can't honestly say I didn't do a darn thing today I make a special effort to do so tomorrow.

Even if it's as simple at paying for the mocha of the person behind me going through the drive threw at caribou.

Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

I guess the answer I would like to see is just how you apply you believes in the political spectrum.

Tasine Loc: Southwest US

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WOW! Best story of the day so far. I love to hear these kinds of stories.

Constitutional libertarian Loc: St Croix National Scenic River Way

Doing a good deed a day, being kind, volunteering to help others is a (personal) choice to help people's life's. This has nothing to do with the government or political leanings.

At the end of day can you say I made a difference.