What is one of the greatest acts of kindness you have witnessed?

TideEngineer08

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Jun 9, 2009
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Some of the greatest I've ever witnessed were not witnessed live. What I saw on the tv following the 9/11 attacks, and what I saw and read about later, were some of the bravest acts of kindness and self-sacrifice I've ever known. From firemen, police officers, paramedics, to just regular people that happened to be there on that day. I don't know that anyone would have blamed them if they simply ran as fast as they could from the horror, but they risked everything to help folks in great need in the face of perilous danger.

I'm in awe of it every time I'm reminded of it.
 

PacadermaTideUs

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Dec 10, 2009
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The most touching acts I've personally witnessed had to do with anonymous charity.

When I was active duty, I went through a restaurant drive through in uniform. When I got to the window, the attendant said that I owed nothing - the driver ahead of me had seen my uniform and paid my bill as a "thank you". Brought a tear to my eye, and I've made a practice of trying to pass it on when I can. Several groups identify needy families and anonymously deliver full Thanksgiving dinners (the works) to their doorstep early Thanksgiving morning. I once left a $100 tip on a $20 bill to a waitress who I knew was a kind-hearted, hard-working single mother who was struggling. My ex-wife (now deceased) got into volunteer work at an adult home for the learning disabled. From there, she moved into home-nursing, and eventually to Hospice care. Rough, rough job that takes a lot out of someone emotionally, and one of the most selfless things one can do, to try to comfort others in their final days.

Small things, to be sure - not 9/11 type stuff, but it's those little things we can personally witness (and try to do) that remind us that there is still good in the world.
 

ValuJet

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Sep 28, 2000
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The most touching acts I've personally witnessed had to do with anonymous charity.

When I was active duty, I went through a restaurant drive through in uniform. When I got to the window, the attendant said that I owed nothing - the driver ahead of me had seen my uniform and paid my bill as a "thank you". Brought a tear to my eye, and I've made a practice of trying to pass it on when I can. Several groups identify needy families and anonymously deliver full Thanksgiving dinners (the works) to their doorstep early Thanksgiving morning. I once left a $100 tip on a $20 bill to a waitress who I knew was a kind-hearted, hard-working single mother who was struggling. My ex-wife (now deceased) got into volunteer work at an adult home for the learning disabled. From there, she moved into home-nursing, and eventually to Hospice care. Rough, rough job that takes a lot out of someone emotionally, and one of the most selfless things one can do, to try to comfort others in their final days.

Small things, to be sure - not 9/11 type stuff, but it's those little things we can personally witness (and try to do) that remind us that there is still good in the world.
That's a good one. I used to work with a man in NC whose son was a police officer and died of a massive heart attack at a young age (35). Whenever my friend was in a restaurant and saw police officers, he'd pay their bill. I saw him on a couple of occasions go up to complete strangers (uniformed officers), shake their hands and thank them for what they were doing.
 

mittman

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Jun 19, 2009
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I have personally witnessed multiple examples of kindness where a group of people found a family in need and purchased/built a home for them. Watching hopelessness disappear from the eyes of people never gets old.
 

dayhiker

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Dec 8, 2000
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the work done by church of the common ground is inspiring.

one of the many things they do for the homeless is a weekly foot clinic (common soles), where they wash and care for the feet of the homeless in downtown atlanta.
Last summer our church youth went to the M25 mission group that works with homeless in Atlanta. My son didn't want to go. He thought he would get hurt or murdered on the trip. We had to talk him into going. He loved it. It really opened his eyes to how others live. Of course, that is why I wanted him to go.
 

92tide

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May 9, 2000
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Last summer our church youth went to the M25 mission group that works with homeless in Atlanta. My son didn't want to go. He thought he would get hurt or murdered on the trip. We had to talk him into going. He loved it. It really opened his eyes to how others live. Of course, that is why I wanted him to go.
my church is located smack in the middle of it. the church of the common ground and crossroads (a kitchen for the homeless) operate out of space in our facilities. the folks that run those programs are true saints
 

dayhiker

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no i haven't. i will check it out.
I was 2/3 of the way through it before I realized it wasn't a novel. The parts about the homeless man's life and what caused him to be homeless were just astounding. This man was living in the late 60's as if it was maybe 1900. To not know you have a right to go to school is just shocking.
 

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