When the world gets us down, we read heartwarming stories like these to remind us that there are always good people out there. From kind strangers to adorable children, we couldn't help but tear up reading through these amazing stories of the best humanity has to offer.
1. So This is How The Turtle Beat The Hare!
I saw a police officer stop traffic to help a turtle safely cross a very busy intersection. He stopped his car, picked up the turtle, and moved it to a marsh on the other side of the four-lane intersection.
Wikimedia Commons, Bernard DUPONT
2. Ice Cream for Life
My wife had a panic attack and called me. My son answered the phone—and his reaction was extraordinary. I was sobbing listening to my six-year-old talk her through the breathing exercises we had practiced. I might even go cry again.
3. The Future is Bright
My youngest brother heard that the school custodian recently had come back from having back surgery, so after lunch, he and his friends swept the cafeteria to give the custodian a break. When I heard about that, I broke down and wept out of pride.
4. World's Best Boss
My boss had plushies, sushi, and a smoothie waiting for me in her office after a stressful flight to work. She let me sleep in her office afterward for as long as I needed. The cost of food was out of her pocket and I was paid for the time. I have a great boss.
5. Painted Memories
My sister gave me a painting of my friend and me. He died when we were young and we never got to take a picture together. To this day that painting stands next to a set of Hot Wheels cars he gifted me the year he died.
6. Souvenirs
I married my wife in Bermuda on a beautiful pink sand beach. At the very end of the night, my brother gave me a gift that I'll never forget. He comes over and hands me two glass bottles full of pink sand: the exact same sand my wife and I stood on when we got married. Total cost? Probably $2. But I bawled like a dang baby.
7. John McCry
My parents got divorced a week before Christmas. I was eight. That year, after Christmas dinner, my dad put me and my sister to bed. An hour or so later I could hear my dad crying. I went out to hug him. He was watching Die Hard on TV. I sat and watched with him. So now every year, we watch Die Hard together.
8. Take my Hand
Every Saturday morning, I go to the mall to run my errands. I always see a couple who look like they're in their eighties. Every single time, they're walking around together and holding hands.
9. Faith in Humanity Restored
My son has moderate cerebral palsy and autism. Before he started school, I lost sleep over whether he would be bullied. Three years later, I’m getting choked up thinking about every time I pick him up. Each time, his classmates stop whatever they’re doing, yell his name, smile at him, and usually a few will run over to give him a hug.
10. The Beatles Gift
My ex gave me an “Old Brown Shoe” Beatles record signed by John Lennon. Her dad was an old celebrity photographer so she had it lying around. I’m a giant Beatles fan so it really meant a ton.
11. Student Reciprocation
A former student gave me a music box from with an engraved plate on the top that reads: "Thank you for giving me the gift of music. Now I give it back to you."
12. This Probably Made Her Day
An old lady stood by a big bin of pumpkins in a grocery store. She looked at the pumpkins way down in the bin. A young guy walks up to her and asks “Would you like a pumpkin?” She says “Yes, but I need some help.” He asks her which one she wants, grabs it, and puts it in her cart.
13. Handmade Wedding Dress
My mom made my wedding dress. She made something that fit my personality and fashion tastes beautifully. She recently made my sister’s wedding dress and it was even more beautiful.
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14. Unexpected Compliment
My freshman year of college I walked out of the library on day four and this girl just stops me and says, “Hey. I just wanted to tell you that you’re really, really pretty. Have a nice day,” and just walked away. I still smile about it years later.
15. Special Recipes
My mom made my sister and I each a kitchen towel printed with scans of six family recipes in her handwriting. Some of them are very dirty, hard to read, but it's very special to me.
16. Always Check the Bag
A friend gave me a stuffed bear during the toughest part of my life, and naturally, I kept it on a shelf. Over a year later, I discovered there was a piece of paper in the bag she gave it to me in and it was folded in half and had writing on all sides. I cried like a baby.
17. The Gift of Education
I received unlimited free education from my grandpa. His funeral is tomorrow—I will forever be thankful.
18. Every Classroom Needs a Kid Like This
When I was a preschool teacher, we had one kid who was our certified cheer-upper. If someone was crying, she’d get a tissue, walk over, carefully blot their eyes, and make them blow their nose. All while saying, “It’s okay, You’re okay.” Eventually, they’d stop crying, she’d take their hand and they’d go play.
19. We All Need a Friend Like This
I overheard my buddy telling his blind friend “Oh man I was so smashed last night! Thank goodness for you and your cane. You were steering us everywhere like a champ. I would have been helpless without you!” You could see how much it meant to his friend to be told how he was the helper, not the person being helped.
20. Greek Santa
My mom had very little money when I was a kid, and we lived in this tiny one-bedroom apartment. This elderly Greek man who lived in our complex dressed up as Santa on Christmas and brought me presents. I can still remember him saying, “Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!” in that wonderful Greek accent.
21. Investing for the Family
My grandmother has shown me a bank account that was linked with a trading portfolio, current worth is $100k, she says that she will maintain control till I have a family. She has already done the $100k thing for my Aunt's kids, I'm the last one without a family.
22. I See No Difference
I teach five to six-year-olds currently. A few months ago, I was teaching a PSHE lesson about different types of families, one type being children who have two mums or two dads. The children didn’t even bat an eyelid, they are just so accepting.
23. The Meaning of True Friendship
Years ago, I struggled to pay rent and buy food. One day my buddy stopped by for a visit. He looked in my freezer, then my cupboards and saw they were empty. I thought that he was looking for a cup. He goes, “Hang on buddy, I’ll be right back.” He comes back about 30 minutes later with several bags of groceries. I’ll never forget that and I will always be thankful.
24. When Bring a Good Kid Pays Off
At a grocery store many years ago, when I was six years old, I saw an elderly man in a wheelchair drop some quarters on the ground while going through his wallet. I rushed over to help him pick them up, and when I handed them to him he just told me to keep them. It was probably only a dollar but it made my day, and I sure hope it made his too.
25. Brotherly Bonds
My brother went back to prison a few months ago after violating parole. When he called me, he said, "I'm sorry I let you down." I was doing all right until someone asked me what was wrong and then the tears just started.
26. Poster Board of Friendship
One time I was in the summer school class and I became friends with two girls in the class. Once, for a whole week they were purposefully ignoring me and I felt hurt. When I went to confront them, I was stunned. They surprised me with a poster board covered in magazine cut-outs that spelled my name and had pictures of things I was interested in. They had been secretly working on it the whole time. Almost 20 years later I still have it somewhere.
27. Stepping Up
When I was a child, I had an asthma attack and went to the hospital. I was kept overnight, but I was too scared to sleep. My stepdad climbed into the bed with me and held me until I fell asleep. He always made me feel safe. He came into my life when I was a one-year-old and couldn't have loved me, my brother, or my mother, more. He died from cancer two days ago. The world without him seems impossible but, because of him, I'm not scared. No, I'm not scared of anything anymore.
28. Love Drug
My dad recently lost his job, and with it his health insurance. He had a heart attack last year and has to take an expensive medication as a result. A one-month supply is around $250 without the insurance. When he went to pick it up, a nurse went in the back room, and when she came back out to see my dad, he was utterly stunned. She was holding a two-month supply of free samples for him. She saved my parents from paying $500 out of pocket for a drug he absolutely needed.
29. Fans Help Fans
I’m a Seahawks fan living in Arizona. In 2011, a regular at the Starbucks I worked at gave me four tickets to the Seahawks and Cardinals game. It was the last game of the year, so he also gave us the money that was left on his stadium food card. He said it was, “use it or lose it,” and that it had about $200 left on it. The seats were club level and my three friends and I ate like kings.
30. First-Class Trip to Awww-ville
My mom was dying, she lived in Australia and I live in Georgia. My husband had been laid off from work and I couldn't afford to fly to Australia on a last-minute basis. A person that I only know from a message board used her frequent flyer miles and paid for my trip to Australia...not only that but she booked me, first-class, both ways.
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31. Cool Dad
I spent half my childhood/early teenage years out sitting by this boulder, reading and daydreaming with my dog. When my parents got divorced and had to sell the property, my dad took a sledgehammer out to the rock, broke a big chunk off, and gave it to me so I would have a piece of it wherever I go. I cried like a baby.
32. Putting a Smile on Others’ Faces
When driving across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, at the tollbooth we were told that the car in front of us had paid our toll already. We tried to catch up to see who they were and to thank them, but they sped away. Now we do this sometimes at tollbooths and it is really fun and worth the small amount of cash.
33. Three Times the Generosity
I had triplets last year and someone I work with has brought me a hot meal once a week or so for the entire first year of their lives, so I wouldn't have to worry about cooking. The thing is, she drops them off ninja-style, not wanting to impose. I'm tearing up thinking about it. It has been one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.
34. Pay It Forward
My wife and I went out to eat at a local breakfast shop. While waiting to be seated, an old couple in front of us sparked some small talk with us. Later, once we'd eaten I started looking for our waitress to grab the check. She informed us that the older couple had grabbed the check, paid for us, and thanked us for talking to them that day. I still think about them sometimes.
35. All in the Family
My adoptive older brother has been my superhero. I may not be blood, but he never treated me any different as a younger sister. He would shield our younger brother and me from parents' wrath, taking the blame for us. He's a wonderful mentor, and despite the fact that we live far apart now, he always has time to be my pen pal.
36. Something to Be Thankful About
When I was a kid, my single mom mentioned something about how hard Thanksgiving was going to be to another mom. Later, there was a raffle where the winner got an entire Thanksgiving dinner. My teacher gave every student two cards from a deck. When she gave me mine, she kind of said "wait" and checked them before she gave them back to me. I won the raffle. That was the best Thanksgiving ever.
37. Everything’s Coming Up Roses
I was in a deep depression some years back and decided to just take a walk in the park. I had been sitting down for some minutes when a kid, who could not have been more than four years old, came up to me and handed me three yellow sunflowers. This little random act of kindness became one of the most memorable moments of my life.
38. Puppies Make Everything Better
We recently got a puppy, I walk him every day. Along the way, there is always this homeless guy sitting on the corner. Koda (the puppy) never hesitates to run up and start jumping around the man; he loves everyone. Today the man said Koda and I visiting has become the highlight of his days. Most people won't even look at him—but Koda treats him like a human being.
39. A Kind Act That’s Appreciated, Doesn’t Go Unnoticed
In my small town, there's an older guy who wears the biggest smile and stands on his porch waving to all the traffic. I always wave back. One time I honked at him while waving and the next day he came up to my car when I was at a stoplight and gave me flowers. I always honk and wave on my way home from work.
40. There’s Hope For This World After All
During a heavy rainstorm, a guy in a crowded parking lot noticed an elderly couple trying to pull into a spot where someone had left their shopping cart. He got soaked doing it, but he smiled and removed the cart so the couple could have the spot. There was a remarkable expression of gratitude on their faces, which I won’t forget.
41. Gentleman of the Class
I had to take a test in school immediately after I got kidney surgery. I barely remember the test, but when I was done I just curled into a fetal position and shivered. I'll never forget what happened next. A guy who sat next to me got up and put his coat over me. Didn't say a word. Just gave me his coat and sat back down.
42. The Gift that Keeps on Giving
My father-in-law came here as a refugee, and when he became financially comfortable, he didn't get greedy, he got generous. He regularly volunteers in the community and helps other people. He treats me like one of his kids. I wish I could be half as good a person as he is. I have no idea how he isn’t jaded.
43. Sweeter Than Chocolate
One day, when I was really down, I stopped at a store to pick up a bit of chocolate to make myself feel better. The guy at the register must have noticed how miserable I was looking, because he let me have the chocolate bar for free. It was a really simple act of kindness, but it almost made me tear up in the middle of that convenience store.
44. Bathing Suit or Birthday Suit?
One time on a cruise ship when I was young, my bathing suit flew off of one of those wave machine things in the pool. WHOOSH. Trying to stand, keep my boyhood covered, and look for my trunks all at once in the middle of a tsunami was tricky to say the least. All of a sudden, a towel from out of nowhere hits me in the face. Thank you, kind stranger!
45. Unexpected iPod Relay
I was running and dropped my MP3 player without realizing it on a busy city street. A nice older man literally stopped in traffic and flagged me down. People were beeping for him to go, but he was persistent. When he had my attention, he said, “He has it! He has it! Hurry!” I just managed to stop the guy who was trying to steal it.
46. A Touching Moment
I have two nieces. At the little one’s birthday, her friend gave her two unicorn toys. She immediately looks at big sis with a huge smile, “Look big sis! This one's for you! We can both play!” She was genuinely so excited to play unicorns with her sister and it never even occurred to her that she didn’t need to give one to her. My heart grew three sizes that day.
47. You Make the Best Friends Hitchhiking
When my dad was in college, his car broke down one night on the side of a road that was not very busy. The first person going by stopped and gave my dad a ride to a service station. It turned out that the guy who picked my dad up also attended the same college and they started hanging out. Now, close to 40 years later, they're still very close friends.
48. The Musician’s Code
I’m a record producer. On a particular song, the client wanted a child’s voice to open it, so the bassist’s 10-year-old son recorded a section. Once we wrapped, the singer said to the kid: “Musicians get paid,” and he handed the kid a £20 note. The bassist then did the same. It was amazing to see professionals showing how it ought to be.
49. The Key to My Heart
A deaf lady with a kid asked me for help because she had snapped her key off inside her car lock. I rang a locksmith for her, and it was going to cost like $150. She told me not to get him to come out because she didn't have the money. She was just going to leave her car and walk home. But it was getting late, so I just gave her the money instead (She could lip-read).
50. Someone Pass the Tissues!
My boss’ five-year-old daughter was drawing a picture for me and said, “This is you, a princess!” I thought my heart would combust because that was just so sweet. She proceeded to make a little collection of drawings, which she folded into a book, and gave to me. It was all hearts and rainbows. It made my day to be honest!
51. Shout Out to All the Lunch Ladies
My last week of high school, our lunch lady gave out small gifts to some of the seniors. Just the kids who took the time to chat with her that she got to know more personally. She took the time to get all of us a gift that was specific to us. This lady saw hundreds of kids a day and still took the effort to get to know us.
52. Airport Bathroom Hero
A stranger consoled me in an airport bathroom. I was crying my eyes out at having to leave my husband behind in another country for who knew how long. She saw that I was crying and without a word handed me a wad of paper towels. She then guided me to a little seating nook and just sat with me until I got myself under control. She saved me that day.
53. The Serve, Protect, and Feed
I am a police officer. Got a call about a kid at a train show at a museum in town. Found him, he was autistic and the jerk friends who took him to the show had left him there. He couldn't get ahold of anyone to come to get him. I drove him around with me for about an hour while we kept trying to call his parents. My bank account was negative at the time, the day before payday. I had $10 for dinner. Took him to Subway and fed him cause he said he had not eaten all day. I went hungry til 6 AM the next morning.
54. Putting Your Best Foot Forward
One of the students in my class was talking to a new kid. It came up in conversation that the new kid's shoes didn’t fit and made his feet hurt. The boys also realized that they wore the same size shoes. The next day the kiddo comes in with a pair of Jordans he never wears for the new kid, plus a note from his mom saying it was okay. It was one of the most precious things I’ve ever seen.
55. A Useful Gift
I gifted a used electric wheelchair to a family who couldn’t afford one. The kid, maybe 14 years old, was kinda grumpy looking when he arrived and didn’t say much. Once we got him in the chair and he was zooming around, he was all smiles. The next day, I heard that he told his sister to clear off the driveway so he could practice. By the weekend, he had gone to a fair.
56. The Kindness Cycle
I always see my daughter stop and chat with the old man who was the crossing guard. She is such a friendly kid! One day, it started pouring outside. I hadn’t anticipated the rain so I had no umbrella for her and felt terrible. When she gets to the crossing guard, I watch him hand her his own umbrella and send her on her way. The next day we made him some brownies.
Wikimedia Commons, GeorgeLouis
57. Putting the “Care” in Childcare
As a struggling single mom, I had trouble paying the daycare bills. This was especially hard if child support didn't come, which was often. The daycare director allowed my child to attend without me paying on time. She would delete all late fees and allow me to slowly catch up. They would stay after hours if my job ran late and meet me. They became a kind of family for my son and I.
58. Through Thick and Thin
My family put up with my depression, alcoholism, and theft, supported me as best they could the whole way. I'm now killing it as an apprentice electrician and have a clear goal that I care about and can work on, to make a living. I could not have done this were it not for them.
59. Going to the Cinema
When I was eight years old, my mom worked as a cleaning lady for a family. The mom of that family took her kids to the movies and invited me to join them. We saw Toy Story. I felt so happy that I consciously try to take a mental picture of that moment. It was like the second time I went to a cinema in my life.
60. Let Me Show You the Way
As a teen, I didn't know how to read the bus schedule. I took the wrong bus and ended up in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I was super lost, overwhelmed, and trying not to panic. A tiny, elderly black lady in a giant hat saw me freaking out. She told me to take some deep breaths until I wasn't on the verge of tears, then taught me how to read the bus schedule. I'm sure she didn't think anything about it, but I still appreciate what she did for me that day.
61. Random Camo Bag Man
I was carrying five paper bags back from the store when it started to rain and my phone died. They started ripping, and I could barely hold back my frustrated tears. This old man saw me and just took a couple of things out of this camo bag he had and just handed it to me saying, “Looks like this will help you more than me,” and he left.
62. Cool Shirt
I was an awkward teen and bullies loved to pick on me. One day, a guy was making fun of my shirt in front of the whole class. Those situations always made me die inside but that day another guy spoke up and said, “Actually, I think it’s a really cool shirt.” That was over a decade ago, but I still remember the incident as clear as day.
Flickr, Marco Verch
63. Free Gas
I just started driving maybe had my license for a week. I went to go fill up gas for the first time. Realized I never learned how to fill up a car. A guy saw me struggling for about 10 minutes and he walked over pulled out his credit and showed me what to do. Ended up paying for my gas and teaching me a lesson. Never got his name or anything.
64. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
My parents were both diagnosed with cancer within 30 days of each other when I was a kid. They were too sick to take care of me, and they both had to take medications with devastating depression side effects. I would just sit down in front of the TV and watch Mr. Rogers. I love my parents, but the truth is he was the only adult in my life who was always there for me. Always.
65. The Gift that Keeps on Giving
My father-in-law inspires me every day. He came here as a refugee, and when he became financially comfortable, he didn't get greedy, he got generous. He regularly volunteers in the community. He does not feel bitter or dwell on people who have taken advantage of his kindness. I wish I could be half as good a person as he is. I have no idea how he isn’t jaded.
66. Paging Doctor Hero
The doctors and nurses who have dedicated their lives to helping children with cancer give me hope for humanity. They saved my son’s life. Diagnosed at four months, he is now four years old and his doctor told us a couple weeks ago that she is confident that he will remain cancer-free.
67. A Friend in Need
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my friend took me to lunch, asked how many days a week we would like meals. I ended up having to have three surgeries that kept me out of commission for about six months. I didn’t cook in all that time, but I never worried about needing a ride or support—she was my rock and I'll never forget her for it.
68. Spreading the Love
When I failed out of nursing school after my first semester, financial aid wouldn't pay the fees for me to do it over again. I was heartbroken—but everything was about to change. My stoner boss cut me a check for $1,000 that night. He passed away a few years ago of brain cancer, and I visited him in the end even though I hadn't been working for him in a while.
69. Savings Grace
My biological father took off when I was young. When my mother met and married my dad. he treated me great, never tried to push himself on me. In third grade, I asked him to adopt me. Since we didn't have a lot of money, he worked 2-3 jobs at a time so they could afford it. I'm very proud of him and hope to become the type of man he is.
70. Sweet and Sad
When I was really young, we would go visit my grandparents occasionally. I remember my grandpa always giving me coloring books and markers/colored pencils. It may not seem significant, but it meant a lot to me. After he passed away, I would always get excited about going to grandma's, only to remember that my favorite drawing partner wouldn't be there.
71. Just a Little Short
I was at Goodwill waiting for my wife after paying. Saw a lady in line dump out her change purse on the counter, and I heard the cashier say it’s not enough. I knew what I had to do. I walked over and asked how much she owed. 40¢. So I put 40¢ into the lady’s hand and said have a nice day. She seemed equally happy and embarrassed.
72. Box of Joy
I got pretty sad as a teenager and one of my best friends gave me a box filled with all these tiny home-made envelopes. The instructions were to open one whenever I was sad. Inside the envelopes were things to make me laugh. For example, one was an article she'd cut out of a magazine and whited out a bunch of keywords and replaced them with the word "penis." I love them so much.
73. Little Brother Love
When I was 13 years old I was going through chemotherapy. My little brothers saved up weeks of allowance money to buy me a Game Boy Color and Tetris to play during my infusions. I didn’t even play video games before that, but it was so sweet that they got me exactly what they would have wanted. At 31 I still break it out occasionally when I can’t sleep and feel loved.
74. Updated Diaries
For my 21st birthday, my Mom went through all her old diaries and copied every entry having to do with me since the day she found out she was pregnant. It turned out to be five volumes and they're the most precious thing I own. She did the same for my three younger siblings. It took her about a year to do that for each one of us.
75. T-Shirt Blanket
I made an offhand comment to my mom a few years ago that I would love to make a t-shirt blanket out of all my old t-shirts, but I am too busy and not good with a sewing machine. Last Christmas she got me one and picked the absolute perfect t-shirts for it—ones from high school, college, summer camp, other memorable activities, nerdy shirts, etc. It was so thoughtful, I cried. I love my mom.
76. A Good Samaritan in the Bay Area
As I was leaving the subway, this guy answers his phone. “Hello?... Yeah?... Oh my God... What hospital?... Okay I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He hangs up and just looks super distraught. Someone taps him on the shoulder and says, “My car is parked at West Oakland. Do you need a ride?” He agrees and they get off together.
77. Ticket to Ride
An older guy tapped my girlfriend on the shoulder and said, "I spent a fortune on these tickets for my wife. She can't go anymore, and I just don't feel like going without her. So, I'd like the two of you to have them. The only catch is that the concert starts in twenty minutes." And that's the story of how I got front row seats to a Prince concert.
78. Everyone Gets One Oopsie
I was 16, borrowing my mom's car. Didn't look at the car in front of me when it stopped for a left turn, and I bumped into it. It was a brand-new car and has clear marks on the bumper from where I hit it. No damage to my mom's car. Dude clearly sees how distraught I am and says something that stopped me in my tracks. He looked at it and said: "Aw, don't worry about it, that'll buff out. No harm done," and drives off.
79. Girls Stick Together
A girl came up to me at the train station when a man was harassing me for my number/wouldn't leave me alone/generally being very creepy and asking what train I was taking. She said "Oh my God Sarah, it's been so long! So good to see you! Come over and say hi to me and Jake!" I'd never met her before, but I was eternally grateful she saved me from a potentially very dangerous situation.
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80. The Charitable Millionaire
My "uncle" (grandmother’s cousin) bought me and my girlfriend an apartment. He heard how expensive our rent would be so he said for us to find somewhere and he would pay for it and then just charged us half rent. This meant we could afford to live together in an apartment there was no way we would have ever have been able to afford otherwise with much more security.
81. Family Chips In
I went through some really rough times after I got out of the Army. I was broke. I got a job offer 2,000 miles from home and everyone in my family gave me money on loan to make it work. $5,000 they gave me. Due to the nature of the job I had everyone paid back in the first month. I love my family.
82. Being Kind in Honor of Vonnegut
I've always been a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut. One summer my then-boyfriend now-husband and I were in a bookstore and I saw a signed KV book behind a glass case that was like $500. I casually said: "Someday when I'm rich, I'm going to buy that book." That Christmas, we were living together and when I opened my gift that morning I immediately started crying. It was that exact signed copy.
83. Tears of Joy
One of my nephews is currently in surgery for something his doctors have never seen in a kid his age before. I just got news from my sister that best-case scenario has happened, and they were able to take care of things—he should be out of the OR in half the time as was expected. I burst into tears at my desk.
Piqsels
84. Congrats, Friend
A few weeks ago, when one of my best friends told me he's going to be a dad. I can go for months and months without shedding a single tear, but this news got me really emotional, in the best sense of the word. This has been an eye-opening experience for me, as I had no idea I was capable of feeling such things.
65. Kids Say the Darndest Things
My daughter told me that she was worried about me dying before her. I’m only 42 and healthy. So I had a conversation about how old I am likely to live and that she will be an adult when I pass on. Then she said, "But when you do die will you help me, because I need you so much." I lost it.
86. The Shirt Off His Back
I loved this band "Asking Alexandria" in high school years ago. It was my birthday and it was a bad day. My friend Odarius had an Asking Alexandria shirt on and we were waiting outside to be picked up. He knew it was my birthday and that it was not a good day. I casually mentioned I like his shirt and the band, and he literally took his shirt off right there and gave it to me.
87. It All Comes Around
When I was growing up my mom had a collection of little blown glass animals, including a little horse that I loved. One day I really, really didn’t want to go to school and my mom bribed me with that tiny horse to go. Eventually, she gave me the rest of her collection, which I still have. The horse I had up until last year when I bribed my daughter to go to school with it.
88. Just Do It!
I’ve been depressed for a while now and being overweight makes it worse. Three days ago I did my first workout and teared up because that was the time I knew I could pull through and do this. Although it’s a bit hard on me, I’m loving the challenge and I already feel happier than I’ve felt the past recent years.
89. Kids Who Pay Attention
My kids prepared a meal yesterday for mine and the wife's anniversary. They themed everything in our wedding colors and had everything ready when we got home from work. It was very kind. Balloons, cake, pudding. Everything made at home with the help of their Grandma. I was never so thoughtful when I was young.
90. Looking Fresh
As a teacher who works with young adults, I've noticed that they are more considerate, deeper thinkers, pragmatic in a good way (they know what they want to do with their lives and take action to reach their goals). Also, they are really beautiful kids, well-groomed, dressed with good taste.
91. The Importance of Knowing One’s Roots
I’m Native American married to a white man, I’m secretly so worried about my kids not appreciating & loving their Native roots. My best friend (who’s not Native) knows of my worries and my son recently started reading. So, for Christmas, she bought him about 20 books of Native American stories/adventures/history for kids. It has meant the world to me.
92. The Favorite Book
My favorite book in high school was a paperback that had been passed around and read (and underlined, and highlighted, and signed) by 20-30 friends. By the time I reached college, the cover was gone and it was in pretty bad shape. For our first Valentine's together, my college boyfriend bought a new copy of the book, removed the cover, reinforced it, and used it to re-bind my copy of it. It meant so, so much, and I knew he heard me when I talked about what was important to me. We were together for four years.
93. A Golden Friend
I have a chronic illness, and after I've been active, I need a LOT of recovery time. I have a friend who understands it and brought me a blanket. Not just any blanket, but a hand-woven cashmere blanket. It's one of my favorite possessions We don't see each often, but she's my oldest friend.
94. Leave Your Troubles at the Tree
I came home from work one day to find my dad in my front yard. I asked him what was up to, wondering why he was covered in sweat and dirt in the Florida heat. He pointed to the tree I hadn't noticed yet and said: "I bought you a trouble tree. When you get home, you leave all your troubles from the outside at the tree, so you're at peace in your house."
95. Feeding the Homeless
To give you some context: I’m homeless and ended up out of my house after coming out as trans. By December, I could barely feed myself to feed myself. On the day before winter break, my friend gave me her university ID. It had $174 in dining dollars on it. I bought so much, I could feed myself for a month. I’ll never forget it.
96. Cousinly Love
When I was growing up my cousin, who is 11 years older than I, would give me attention. I was highly abused so this meant everything to me. Last year, she sent me a beautiful bed quilt that she had made for me. I was deeply moved by this as it means now that she's constantly with me. She keeps me warm and taken care of. I love you, Janet.
97. The Butterfly Effect
My mother had sent my grandmother a butterfly necklace. Unfortunately, she passed away on Christmas Eve so she was never able to open the gift. This year when I was getting ready for graduation, my mother gave me my grandmother's butterfly necklace. One of my grandmother's final wishes was to see me graduate college, and this was my mother's way of making sure she could see it. I cried. A lot.
98. Anonymous Angel
One year, I was recently out of work and really had no way of getting the kids anything decent for Christmas. Out of the blue, this guy shows up on my door, confirms my name, and hands me a gift bag and a GARBAGE bag full of wrapped toys, even a couple things for me and the missus. To this day, don't know who my secret angel was, but it was just the best gift ever.
99. Wearing the Shoes of Others
My wife's a teacher, and she says empathy and adaptability are the two traits she has seen dramatically improve in kids over her last 15 years. Kids seem to be better at putting themselves in another’s position and understanding their situation. Also, they seem to be much more flexible with changes whether in the classroom or the outside world.
100. Nothing More Cathartic than Coloring
I was on one of those flights on a Friday at 6 from NY to DC where most of the flight consists of business people in suits drinking $14 double whiskeys. One such guy sat next to a mother and her kid. I didn’t hear what was said but at some point, the kid handed the rumpled suit a coloring book and they spent the remainder of the flight coloring and chatting. It was splendid.
101. Can’t Put a Price on Education
On September 14, 1986, my dad dropped me off at boarding school and gave me a five-dollar bill. I never heard from him again. He never paid my tuition bill. We get to graduation. I opened my little diploma thing expecting to see a bill in five figures. Instead there was a note: “Congratulations on your graduation. A group of us who believe in you and love you have taken care of your bill. We are proud to present you with your diploma.” I later found out that one of my friend's dads, who was a fairly well-off dentist, went fundraising among his golf buddies because he didn’t want to see me enter life at 18 under crushing debt.
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