Kindness should not be a surprise in a strong community

I was at the hospital earlier waiting for my lift home. I have Meniere's disease and needed a head scan.
Anyway, while at the exit a taxi pulled up and some old lady was struggling to open the door to get out. The lazy bastard driver didn't get out to help so I opened it for her, offered my hand which she took and helped her to her feet.

She was too grateful, called me a lovely young man (haven't been called young for a while lol), said thank you for being so kind, and I was like no way, that's just being human, I hardly drew blood from helping her, just being decent.
Made me a bit sad to be honest that anyone could be so over the top grateful for a friendly human touch helping someone get out of a car.

Old people's skin is so soft when you hold hands, I have no grand parents anymore so I gravitate to old people, love their experience stories and treat them same as I treat my old mum.

...curiously I collapsed in Tesco's (UK supermarket) recently and the first face I saw when I came out of it was a kindly old woman probably in her 80's.
Kindness to fellow humans is expected in my mind, not something to be shocked that someone has been kind.
I grieve for the future generation if kindness to strangers is becoming something unusual.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

It is good to hear the some people still have humanity!

That driver should be ashamed of himself.

You probably don't know a lot about the state of Wisconsin, but people here are very kind, almost to a fault.
They don't obey traffic rules because they are so kind and tell you to go first, it is quite hilarious.

We purposely moved here (Midwest) because this is where I want my kids to find their future spouses.
Of course there are bad people everywhere, but I feel like more people here have been brought up with common sense, manners, and values that sometimes aren't seen in other places.

a reply to: JAGStorm
Wisconsin sounds cool as
Definitely different places have different types of people, even on this little island known as Britain.
I was genuinely gutted the old lady was so grateful, made me think she only knows people who are not naturally kind.

I would have done the same thing, but probably made a comment to the driver ......

a reply to: JHumm
I nearly did but I was tied up with the old lady so ignored the lazy bastard.
Wish I did say something now.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Good for you mate! Most acts of kindness cost bugger all and take a few seconds.

Old people's skin is so soft when you hold hands, I have no grand parents anymore so I gravitate to old people, love their experience stories and treat them same as I treat my old mum.

Time for a bit of Jarvis and the guys?

Congrats on doing something good, and I completely agree this it should be the norm and not exceptional.





That being said, whenever someone draws attention to a good deed I can't help but think of Matthew 6:1-4


This is partially I think a contributive factor of good deeds like this seemingly being few and far between, is that many make a point not to draw attention to it in any way.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
I was at the hospital earlier waiting for my lift home. I have Meniere's disease and needed a head scan.
Anyway, while at the exit a taxi pulled up and some old lady was struggling to open the door to get out. The lazy bastard driver didn't get out to help so I opened it for her, offered my hand which she took and helped her to her feet.

She was too grateful, called me a lovely young man (haven't been called young for a while lol), said thank you for being so kind, and I was like no way, that's just being human, I hardly drew blood from helping her, just being decent.
Made me a bit sad to be honest that anyone could be so over the top grateful for a friendly human touch helping someone get out of a car.

Old people's skin is so soft when you hold hands, I have no grand parents anymore so I gravitate to old people, love their experience stories and treat them same as I treat my old mum.

...curiously I collapsed in Tesco's (UK supermarket) recently and the first face I saw when I came out of it was a kindly old woman probably in her 80's.
Kindness to fellow humans is expected in my mind, not something to be shocked that someone has been kind.
I grieve for the future generation if kindness to strangers is becoming something unusual.

Recently lifted something down from a top shelf in a supermarket for an old dear and you would have thought I had donated an internal organ.

Maybe simple kindness isn't as common anymore but I don't think its a downward trajectory. My kids generation seems far kinder and more charitable than mine (I grew up in 80s early 90s.).

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I'm always grateful for the kindness of others. It's a beautiful world when there are kind people in it.

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Good for you mate! Most acts of kindness cost bugger all and take a few seconds.

Old people's skin is so soft when you hold hands, I have no grand parents anymore so I gravitate to old people, love their experience stories and treat them same as I treat my old mum.

Time for a bit of Jarvis and the guys?

Haven't heard that in ages, # yes mate!

a reply to: Night Star
General human kindness is cool as.
I definitely support it.

a reply to: JAGStorm

When I moved to Wisconsin, I noticed the same thing. I've lived all over the country. Now we are raising our boys here. Truly salt of the earth people. The winters are a little long for my taste, but some of the nicest people you will find anywhere!

The original theory of the penitentiary system envisioned by William Penn was to remove people from their bad environments and put them somewhere they would receive attention and care and instruction from the rest of society personally. You open your God-fearing home to these poor souls and elevate them above the need to create crimes.

But that didn't work out. Turns out some people just prefer crime to sitting around a hearth reading the Good Book.

a reply to: frayedknot
Y'all have got me wanting to move to Wisconsin now haha!
I'd never get a green card now though too old and too many ailments lol I need to stay in the UK with tax funded healthcare.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: frayedknot
Y'all have got me wanting to move to Wisconsin now haha!
I'd never get a green card now though too old and too many ailments lol I need to stay in the UK with tax funded healthcare.

The people are great here. Seriously, the sweetest people. I just love being outside and a farmer will come by and chat with me for a few. It is very wholesome.
The downside.......It is absolutely freaking cold in the winter. The people drink lots of beer and eat tons of cheese (i'm not a cheese fan) and it keeps them warm. When I mean cold, I mean cold, like -38f with windchill cold. They never ever close schools due to snow. If it is warmer than 9 degrees, schools require recess outside.

When it is 40f degrees people here celebrate like it is summer, shorts and all.

a reply to: JAGStorm
Haha it never really gets that cold here, rarely see frost, and snow is rare in a decade.
On topic though we had snow rare as # in March and people helped each other like a community, made me think if shtf then we'd help each other like we should.