What's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

I am a youth leader at my church, and last night we were talking about Lent and how a lot of people give up something this time of year. Then we started talking about how it would be even better (although maybe not as symbolic) to give something during Lent, and it got me thinking about all the nice things that people have done for me in my lifetime.

One thing that comes to mind is one year when I was a single mother of two and VERY broke, my boss called me into his office and just handed me $500 to buy Christmas presents for my family. There was no expectation for me to pay it back, and I never did. He just gave the money to me out of the kindness of his heart.

This past Christmas a woman I know (whose house burned down last Christmas) lost her husband in mid-December. She has four daughters and almost as many jobs, it seems like. They were already poor to start with, and this guy was basically the town drunk anyway, and it just broke my heart that tragedy had hit them two Christmases in a row. I was telling a lady I work with about it. The next day she came in with four $75 VISA gift cards for those girls and insisted that I not tell the lady where the gifts came from when I delivered them to her.

I get warm fuzzies just thinking about it. So, in this thread, tell about a time when someone just out of the blue did something really nice for you.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I guess my current job would count. My old scoutmaster works as head curator at the museum here, and initially I was just here volunteering to get me out of the house during the summer. Since I was making myself useful around here, he jonesed for getting me on board as a paid contractor, managing the conservation reports and such.

That's not really out-of-the-blue charity, though, but unfortunately I'm at a loss to relate anything else.

How ya doing, buddy?

Man

One of my friends is extremely generous. He has done a lot for me this past year. From bringing me to concerts for free to just hanging out and go on long traveling trips every now and then.

I can't think of the "nicest" thing he has done for me, rather than involve me in a lot of stuff I would never do, which weren't "bad" things, but just extremely memorable which is what matters to me.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I don't know if anyone has done anything really for me, but I can attest that doing good things for other people is really awesome.
A couple of my friends, I have merely stuck around with and remained friends, no matter how strained the relationship was, and commited my time and efforts to their well-being. One in particular I have seen a lot of growth out of, and he is now continuing to grow without my being around. I don't think many people have any idea of how time-consuming being a friend of someone bi-polar is, but I would not have it any other way. I am glad that my time was put to good use.
It was better spent than being on this forum.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Too many to recount... I've had people who would just arbitrarily donate money to my "I'm Unemployed but Need Guinness" fund... one person even pretty much buying an entire keg in one shot (US$200 in case you were wondering).
I had people offering up stuff to us during this time... it wasn't like I was taking advantage of anyone... I never asked for anything from anyone and we (my wife and I) weren't doing horribly... we were just really tight on money trying to live on the income of a Disney cast member (yeah... The Mouse doesn't pay much... it's not a career but a necessity to pay some bills). It was a tough year for us until I was able to find a job... but we survived and I thanked all of those who helped us out by throwing a huge party for all of them to enjoy.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Not much really. :\

My friend's mom gave me tickets to see Blast! and took us to a very expensive restaurant. Either that or I'm an ungrateful bastard.

I'll go with the latter.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I've done a lot of gratuitous nice shit for people, but people rarely do anything completely altruistic for me. I'm not really bitter about it, but whatever. What are you going to do.

People have said some really nice things to me, to which I always brush off and say "yea yea, whatever." I suck at taking compliments, but I always like to hear I did a job well or something.

I remember once some kid was stranded at my hotels because his car broke down on his way to Portland, Maine to see a Phish concert. He was reeeeally bummed about it, and didn't have enough money to stay over at the hotel.

So I offered him a lift all the way to Maine after I got off my shift. I ended up buying him some food and driving him 3 hours north just so he could see the fucking concert. In retrospect, I was one ridiculously STUPID teenager. Kid couldve been ANYONE.

But yea. Sometimes, my customers compliment the work I've done for them or someone important to me says something nice about me. Which really makes me feel nice, but no one has really done anything that great for me. I don't think I would LET them. Obligations, you know.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

People have said some really nice things to me, to which I always brush off and say "yea yea, whatever." I suck at taking compliments, but I always like to hear I did a job well or something.
... but no one has really done anything that great for me. I don't think I would LET them. Obligations, you know.

Hah, that sounds just like me.:doggy: :doggy:

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Does anyone really know how to react appropriately when they are complimented? I always feel reeeeealllly uncomfortable when anyone compliments me on anything. Well, anything except my cooking, because I'm a damn good cook and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Anything else, though, and I get all icky inside and don't know how to react.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I usually just kinda smile and say thanks, and try to change the topic.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Fyodor D.

I usually just kinda smile and say thanks, and try to change the topic.

Ha ha, I never say thanks. I almost always argue with them.

"Danielle, you're so productive today!"
"YEA WELL YESTERDAY I SUCKED so I guess I just made up for it!"

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

My playstation died in an explosion(don't ask) and I was without one for a month and my mother bought me one. Shocked the hell out of me - out of my parents - she was the first and only to spend her money on a game console.

Reactions to compliments? It's harsh but I am stoic towards compliments. Showing gratitude isn't one of my strong points.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Well, four days ago I had my birthday surprise. guess what? my friends kidnapped me like some Gestapo freaks and covered my whole face with handkerchief so that I could see nothing (not to mention, they recorded it in video). After awhile of spinning around the town, they took off the handkerchief and a cheese cake with 20 candles set upon my eyes! It's really2 nice... I never expect people would do such thing to me... I couldn thanks them enough.

I was speaking idiomatically.

The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me was to compete for paying a restaurant visit bill. Some usual events occur as me going to have lunch or dinner with some friends. Maybe 4 people total. Say we all order about 15 bucks worth of stuff. Usually, it's the person who strongly suggested the go eat at so & so place to pay. But, when someone you know across the table gets up and shoves your money away with theirs, it's rather shocking. "WTF are you doing?" You begin to wonder, (we had a deal).

To some of you, this may seem very awkward for "nicest thing," but we work on a terms of secretly reimbursing that individual who paid. It's sort of a secret system of recognition. "He's always volunteering, he calculated the tip first and went to totaling the amount before we all did, he knows I just got birthday money and wants me to spend it on something more materialistic, etc, etc, etc." That's sort of what I get/got with having 3 best friends.

But when someone goes out of their way to take upon a serious task off your shoulders, that's a nice thing.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I'll never forget this one. I was waiting at a corner to cross the street and a car comes out of no where, nearly hitting me if my friend hadn't push me out of the way. Fortunately, both of us were not hurt.

FELIPE NO

You know.. I really have no clue.

Then again.. I have my whole life ahead of me.. You never know what might happen.

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It's difficult to point out something specific since people always show me kindness that I tend to be surprised about. I have a friend from high school that calls me daily even if she lives across the country. We can discuss anything, and I value the conversations since I never hesitate to bring anything up. I know only one other person like this.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'd say my most recent birthday present.

My girlfriend gave me a Gorillaz vinyl record which was cool and a little envelope. With another little envelope in it with the soul eater rune printed on it....How she got that picture, I don't know. She doesn't know anything about video games, maybe she just listened to me when I kept saying I wanted that tattoo. With a card for the tattoo place in it. Needless to say, it was the nicest thing ever that she paid for that. It was a nice year...

How ya doing, buddy?

Well, for some reason, people always tend to stick up for me(once in a while) but it's interesting because it's that. Sticking up for me. It happened once in 8th grade and then again 2 days ago. I think that's nice.

People are always doing nice things for me.

OH! someone at a store once gave me a free milkshake. That was nice.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

When I had my wisdom teeth pulled, I got TAKEN CARE OF by this girl. Waited on me, fed me, EVERYTHING. It was great.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

when I was 3 years old, I went into a coma as a result of a disease called Hemolytic uremic syndrome... I was in the coma for 3 days nearly and the pastor from my church came and stayed by my side along with my parents... he brought them food and things and also prayed for me.

That was a really nice thing to do ^_^

I was speaking idiomatically.