bd: “yellow” was the color designated for “secret admirer.”
My D had a sports teammate a little younger than she was–who was sort of like an “annoying little sister.”
This girl seemed to tag along with D, and D was too nice/polite to shake her off. I remember D being super-annoyed if the coach would make them “partners.” This teammate also competed with D, and was motivated/driven to catch up and surpass D.
Anyway, before we moved, this girl and her mom gave D a going away party. The mom gave a tearful speech about how D “saved” her daughter (the family was dysfunctional, brother on drugs, absent father, poor, etc.), the D talked about how much she looked up to/admired and was motivated by D. They gave D some nice photos of herself/team. (The coach asked D to keep in touch with this girl, because she was “at risk.”) D was blown away by all this. If you knew my D, she is not the type who sees herself as a role model. She actually felt guilty for all the times she had been so annoyed by this “tag along” teammate, but also proud of herself that by simply being kind, polite, friendly she had such an unexpectedly strong, positive influence on someone. She really learned something from that. (This was years ago–both girls are now out of college. . .)
I was at Walmart a week ago and this poor man came up to me asking for gas money. He was carrying a mini gas tank so I knew he was telling the truth. I didn’t have any cash on me so I told him so. 
Then, my mother walking behind him hands him a $20 bill and the man was so happy that he decided to ask more people. God bless his heart. 
20 years ago I was flying with my 3 girls (ages 4m, 4yr, and 8yr at the time). It was right after the airlines stopped offering food on domestic flights, so when we arrived at the hub where we had to change planes the girls were all hungry. We had time to hurry to the Pizza Hut counter. I placed our order and turned around to see the oldest vomiting. Evidently this was the first time the baby had seen someone vomit because she began screaming. In the midst of the chaos the middle one kept pulling on my shirt asking if she could have her drink now. The place was pretty empty and the people behind the counter were NOT interested in helping out, but a business man in a suit came over, put down his briefcase and asked if he could help by holding the baby. I stared at him for a minute and then said “Don’t steal her” and handed her over. She kept screaming, but I was able to get the other two cleaned up somewhat (the workers did not have anything I could use so I did what I could with wads of napkins) and settled mostly. He didn’t steal the baby. I still remember it vividly and try to be helpful with stressed out parents I encounter as I fly for business these days.
Here is one story I wish to share that made me believe in miracles.
About 15 years ago when my daughter was about 5 years old we both moved to a garden apartment. ( I had recently gotten separated back then) We moved from a house to an apartment where we had to park outside. During that winter we had a series of snow storms which resulted in about two feet of snow. Schools were closed for the week and I was worried about getting to work. I was prepared to take my daughter with me if needed. Looking out the window I thought to myself how was I going to clean the car covered in all that snow. Daughter was too young to stay in the apartment alone. We both dressed up and went outside a few times first trying to dig around the license plate to make sure we were digging out our car. When we started feeling too cold we would head back inside. After a few attempts to go outside I gave up. The snow was so deep that at one point my leg felt like it got stuck in the deep snow. Defeated I gave up and took my daughter inside. I called my mom and told her that we were just going to stay home because I was having trouble digging up the car while trying to take care of my daughter at the same time. It was just too much snow. My mom told me don’t worry. She just wanted us to be safe. I looked out the window and I saw a miracle happen. I told my mom "you’re not going to believe this - A miracle just happened- Four young men (college aged missionaries) were quickly digging up all the snow from my car. I rushed out to thank them - I was stunned by their kindness and asked them how I could compensate them for their efforts. All they requested from me was some oranges. Luckily I had a big bagful I had recently purchased. I gave them the oranges that I had and they were so thankful. They wouldn’t take any money. Just when I gave up God sent someone to help me with what I thought was an impossible task.
One of my favorite stories belongs to my d’s godfather. He was out in the desert between California and Nevada somewhere and his car broke down. This was back in the dark ages before cell phones. So he is looking at the engine and can see that his fan belt has broken. Great. Ten minutes later, this pick up truck pulls over and the guy asks what’s wrong and then he says, “hang on, I think I have the belt you need.” Sure enough he pulls out a belt for that particular car and no, he didn’t want any money.
When I was a young teen, I voluntarily became the family cook because my mom went back to school to get a masters in special ed and was also visiting her mom in a nursing home every day. One day, I was feeling rebellious after being the cook M-F for several months (hey, I was only 13). I decided to quietly do my homework and then hide and read a book until dinner time. When it was dinner time, the whole family of 9 gathered at the table and was puzzled because there was no dinner. I just said I didn’t feel like cooking, so we all trooped over to Mcdonald’s that night and then I was taken to my night meeting.
When I was picked up from the meeting, I started crying and apologized for not making dinner and my parents apologized as well and took me out for dessert and promised to cook some week nights as well. It worked out much better for me and I didn’t feel I was being taken for granted. It was odd feeling guilty and relieved at the same time.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: Please stick to telling positive stories. I had to delete a few posts that weren’t in keeping with the spirit of the thread.
One story I always like hearing is about my Grandfather. He was a child in Finland, and back then (maybe even now), the Finns hated the Russian communists. I mean, they fought with the Nazis, so they could fight against the Russians (at least, that’s what I was told). When you wanted someone to do something suicidal and crazy to kill a Russian, find a Finn. Well, my grandfather and his family were starving to death, and the Russian communists fed them, and saved their lives.
Sometimes people are just kind, no matter if they are supposed to be your enemy, no matter how much you think you hate them.
My aunt told me that her new neighbor was from Finland and very bored and lonely in her new home in CA. The neighbor would tell her new husband that she wasn’t sure if she’d be there when he got back from work. One day, my aunt (a pathologist), asked the neighbor (an md) if she would like to go to the lab with her. The neighbor was overjoyed and so delighted to have “something to do.” She worked at the lab that day and for many, many years and became best friends with my aunt–a friendship that continued for many, many decades, through today.
bd–that reminds me of this story: my brother’s college roommate’s dad was in the Nazi army as a teenager. He was in a forest somewhere with no others in sight when he was surprised by a Russian soldier–a teenager like himself. They looked at each other. And backed away without shooting. It was as if they silently communicated something like, “I don’t want to die. I don’t want to kill you. Let’s pretend we never saw each other. We’re young. Let’s live!”
My father-in-law was always low on funds. To our surprise, at his funeral, so many people (especially distant relatives) came up and thanked us because FIL had given food and money to them when they were in need, literally feeding them when they had nothing. FIL never mentioned this and it was a source of annoyance to his wife and kids that he always seemed to be broke and looking for ways to make money quickly. It made his grown children and grandchildren see him in a new, much more benevolent light (sadly MIL had predeceased FIL and may never have known why FIL was always so broke).
When my father passed away, my sister and I received a note from the postmistress – really!! – about how kind our father was to her, how she didn’t provide the same level of service for anyone other than him, because he was so nice and charming. She didn’t have to write us anything at all, and the fact that she did was lovely.
My mom, who had me when she was 15, and dropped out of school, has 5 sisters and 2 brothers. When I was about 5 (so she was 20), her mom had to have brain surgery. My mom, a struggling single parent, took in all of her younger sisters and brothers, and figured out a way to keep them together and out of foster care, for a couple of years. We had up to 10 or more people living together at some point. She drives me crazy, and has many (real) issues, and has alienated many of her brothers and sisters over the years. When I get really angry/frustrated with her, I try to remember the good things she’s done for people with her very limited means.
Wow, these are some truly great stories. I love every one of them!
@atomom’s story sounds like a scene from a movie
A man I came to know over the past 15 years (first via internet and then through some online and in person meetings) died recently. I sent an email to his widow that he was one of the main reasons I formed my nonprofit, since he invited me to attend a National Institutes of Health meeting as his guest. She was very touched by the story and asked to read it at his services, which I was unable to attend (since it was in MD and I was at the time a speaker at a summit in FL). It felt good to let the widow know how much his life had meant to me and others, and to know it provided some comfort to her.
I was divorced after 15 years of marriage with two kids ages 9 and 6. One day, my neighbor with whom I was barely acquainted, knocked on my front door and said he had noticed my husband’s vehicle had not been there for a while and offered to help me if needed. Without my asking, he had his young teen-age sons mow my lawn, saying they had just bought this riding lawn mower and were dying to try it out. They mowed my lawn frequently for several months until I was able to buy a lawn mower and do it myself, and then if I let it go too long, they would pitch in and mow it again. He never let me pay them, though one time I gave the kid $20 and told him not to tell his dad! They moved away by the time the boys were out of high school and I don’t know where they are. I’ve always thought if I were to win the lottery (which I don’t play), I would track them down and give them a large reward for the kindness they showed me.
@HImom, et al.: I have to stop reading the thread now, having come in just a few minutes ago, reading from the last page to post #85. I cannot stop crying (so grateful for the kindness we can show one another).
Thanks–we have many wonderful people in our lives. There are many silver linings, if we look for them. 
Sometimes I wonder, though, do all the good things that we do over our lives, make up for the important one that we missed? The time where it really counted, and we just didn’t step up. Whether concerned one would anger someone by being too intrusive, not recognizing the need, thinking someone else would take care of it, whatever excuse, and we just didn’t do it.
I had a situation where I didn’t recognize the problem, didn’t want to anger someone by intruding too much, and there were terrible consequences. I think sometimes that the people I’ve helped get jobs, the lives that I’ve saved, all the little things that I’ve done that have helped people, will never make up for this one situation of poor judgment. I feel that no matter what I do to help people now, my lack of action will still haunt me forever.
Sometimes it’s obvious when people need help, and easy to help them. Other times, you really have to put yourself out there, and it’s easier to not pay attention.
I think we can all only do our best to help the world be the best place we can. It really is destructive to beat ourselves up over missed opportunities and just do our best going forward. All (except maybe Mother Theresa and similar), could have done more, better, sooner. We need to applaud the successes and try to grow them instead of feeding the few failures.
I “met” an MD online and then in person. He became a mentor and friend in real life. To save on costs, when he visited, he sometimes stayed at our place (once he upgraded the light fixture in our son’s bedroom, where he was sleeping as thanks). He liked buying old medical equipment at bargain prices and retrofitting them and donating it to free or low cost clinics. He was one of our medical directors for a time. We are still friends, though we don’t stay in as close contact as we did for awhile.