Readers share acts of the kindness of the strangers

Readers have told the BBC of casual acts of strangers after research, which finds that people underestimate the good intentions of others.

In an experiment at the University of British Colombia, researchers deliberately lost portfolios to see how much they would be returned. Almost twice more have been betrayed than provided by people who have been interviewed for the World Report of HappinessS

40-year-old Athens Rowley, who lives in Ipswich with her four-year-old son Robert, was among the readers who contacted to say that they had benefited from a casual act of kindness.

During Halloween last year, they went trick or treatment in the city of Sfolk and filled a small bucket of sweets. Robert – whose cheerful behavior means that “makes friends wherever he goes” – went dressed as the hero of CBeebies Hey Douggi.

After they returned to their home, groups of older children were killed to knock for sweets. The last group, Athens tells us, were six teenagers who dressed and “looked very scary.”

Robert offered them the last of the sweets in the bucket. He also hugged each of them. Five minutes later, the teenagers returned.

“I thought,” Oh, no – I have nothing, “Athens says. “I opened the door and the kids stood with candy bags.

“And then they betrayed them to my child because they thought he might have no more candy.”

She added, “It was absolutely wonderful because teenagers get such a bad rap today.”

Athens says that their behavior simply confirms its faith in humanity, and more special, young people. “The next generation has so much kindness and empathy … At one point, the world will be in really good hands.”

Her positive view of young people has been shared by 88 -year -old Jocelyn Tres and her husband Mark, 89.

The couple was on the way to the airport from their home in Fulham, southwestern London, when one of their tires was pierced on the M25.

Given the age and speed of traffic, they do not dare to change the tire and ring AA. They were told that someone could be there in about half an hour. They were afraid they would miss their flight to Portugal, where they had to go on vacation.

Ten minutes later, however, a young man in a white van pulled behind them on the hard shoulder. He said they noticed them that they had been parked there after they originally passed them, so he turned off the highway and returned to see if they needed help.

“He quickly changed our tire,” Jocelyn says. In a hurry, she forgot to understand his name, but asked why he had stopped.

Jocelyn recalls that he says it, “When I went and saw that you were in difficulty, I thought, to assume that they were my grandparents?”

She adds, “He would not accept anything for his kindness.”

Jocelyn says there have been cases where she fell on the sidewalk just to help a young man nearby. “I think they are very, very useful for all young people,” she says.

The stranger, who helped 66 -year -old Sarah Martin, was older, but intervened at a similar moment of need. Her story is 25 years ago, but the impression she left to her remains today.

She was at John Lewis’s store in Brent Cross, West London with her children to find a summer, Tutu and tights for her three -year -old daughter Emily, who would start ballet lessons.

Finding the right size and style took a long time. Her son Joel, who was 19 months older than his sister, did not enjoy it. “Because he was so young, he was quite stressful in the morning to be honest,” Sarah tells us. “He was ready to return to the car.”

In the report, Sarah’s debit card was denied by her bank. She had neither a credit card nor enough money with her to make the purchase. After such an experienced morning and with their children now desperate to go home, Sarah is upset.

Then a man behind her in the tail stepped forward and asked her how much money they needed.

He opened his wallet and insisted on paying for the ballerina’s clothes.

He gave her £ 40. “It was pretty much then,” Sarah says. “I was very surprised that someone would do something like that and didn’t expect the money back.”

Although Sarah recorded her address and sent him the money shortly after.

“I remember he was really charming and very kind,” she says. “In fact, I told other people that he was an angel for me in these circumstances.”

Sarah, whose children are now musicians, says that by remembering this act of kindness and hearing of such deeds, it helps to restore her faith in human nature.