Really, really *nice* things...

I had one of those happen to me yesterday. See, last Wednesday, my psych teacher played some music while we were filling out some evaluations. I found that I kind of liked the music, and so I asked him who it was. He told me, and I nodded and said “well, I don’t feel so bad for not recognizing it, I’ve never heard of them.”

Well, yesterday, I get to class about two minutes before it’s scheduled to start, and he walks up to me. I’m nervous, because teachers generally scare me, and I’m already strung-out because I’d had a bad night before that. He then hands me a tape and says, “This is the music I was playing in class the other day. I have the CDs now, this is a copy of the vinyl. You can keep it.”

I stutter out a wholly unworthy “thank you so much!” and take the tape, placing it in my backpack. Last night, I listened to the tape, and it was good. It’s punk rock. I like punk.

I was really surprised by this, and it made me happy, especially after having had a completely crappy night before. The fact that people can do such small things that mean so much to the other person. . .my God. That’s just incredible. The tape made me feel so much better when I listened to it. Knowing that I was being noticed, that my comments were being remembered, that my teacher of a lecture which has 90+ students would remember me. . .that fact just made everything a little bit better.

Am I the only one to feel this way about such things? To have such gratitude for such small and insignificant actions? I hope that I’m not, 'cause I’d love to make someone’s day brighter myself.

Has anyone here had a similar experience?

No, you’re not the only one. It usually takes some age and experience and lots of bad things happening to make one appreciate the small things (I am assuming, of course, that you are young. Please correct me if I’m wrong). It has been a pleasure reading your post. We should all be more like you. :slight_smile:

A few years ago our beloved springer Emily died unexpectedly at home, rather suddenly and not in a pretty way, about a week before Christmas. It was pretty devastating. And then a few days later there was an extremely unpleasant scene at the pet crematory that upset both of us even further. The next day Mr. S was on his way to work, barely functioning, and stopped off at Hardee’s for his usual coffee and biscuit. As he went for his wallet, the cashier told him to put it away, because the manager was buying breakfast for all the regulars that day. Surprised, he put away his wallet, took his bag, walked outside, and started crying – just overwhelmed from a combination of all the emotion we’d been going through, plus the sheer amazement of a stranger doing a nice thing for him. He was so grateful he could hardly stand it.

The next day I called the store and talked to the manager to thank him, and told him why. He said he was equally appreciative of my call, because he was in the middle of a divorce, and it was nice to know that someone appreciated his gesture.

Never underestimate the power of random acts of kindness and senseless beauty . . .

It’s nice to know that gestures are really appreciated. I like to do small things for people that they would not or cannot do for themselves (and believe it or not, with no ulterior motives). It’s called listening and noticing, and it’s a pleasure seeing someone smile, or at the very least, look really confused that there might be some good in the world. Books that people mentioned they’d like to read, records they wanted to replace, a little trinket they admired.

I’ve bought groceries or gasoline for people a little short on cash, but most recently, I bought a birthday present for someone I would never meet. I stopped into a store and a young woman was purchasing stuff for her younger sister’s 16th birthday party, including some kids’ games (“Cootie”, I think) as a gag. She didn’t have enough money for all the games and some of the decorations. I was next in line, not in a hurry, and saw how disappointed she was, so I paid for what she couldn’t. The look of gratitude and amazement was certainly worth spending $20 for a party I would never attend.

I prefer being anonymous, though. Less chance of being thanked publicly.

(bump)

Heartwarming threads such as this should not die so easily.

Consider this my nice thing of the day. (OK, it’s pale in comparison. I’ll work my way up)

I was walking down the hall last week (and I was having the suckiest week ever) just nearly in tears going through the hallway and up the stairs, not sure if I could make it through last period. A freshman who was ahead of me opened the door for me, and motioned for me to go through and smiled. It was something very small but it really was nice and I was no longer about to cry, but was smiling myself. I really felt better.

I let the person buying a copy of The Straight Dope take it for free…

I would do that all the time if the other customers wouldn’t complain. :wink:

If I have an extra dollar handy, I always pay for the person behind me at the Harbor Tunnel Toll.

This girl was trying to write a check at the school Yum Shoppe - she had like $3 worth of stuff, so I bought her stuff for her.

I gave my new friend at work a book he really wanted to read but didn’t have money for.

I’m a strong believer in karma, so whenever I do something nice I feel good vibrations in return. Like yesterday I lent my brother a few bucks for lunch, and on my way back to my car, I saw a dandelion (the kind you blow and make a wish on) - I usually only see them in the spring around here - and then I spotted a penny on heads right in front of me. So I got to make a wish and recieved good luck.

As for being brightened, two great things happened this weekend: two people, on two seperate occasions, told me I was beautiful! That never happens to me! Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :slight_smile:

free donuts are nice. And good beer, not that piss beer, like miller, but stuff like Guinness, and Sammy Smith, mmmmmm. And fluffy kitties when they rub up against your afce and purr.
oh yeah, and I like that other thing, ummm… what was it called?

hmmmm…

OH YEAH!!! Sex!!! Sex is very nice. Did I mention free donuts?

(Somehow this sounds suspiciously like a homer quote)

Last night, in the throes of PMS-grumpiness, loneliness, and chocolate-craving, I mention to the guy I’m dating (we were talking on the phone) that I REALLY want some chocolate. We start talking about candy we like, and ten minutes later, he arrives at my dorm with a LOT of chocolate bars.

Isn’t that sweet?

Nocturne’s story reminds me of the tiny, cold apartment I was sharing with a roommate one winter. Mr. S (then my boyfriend, and hadn’t been for very long) stopped by on his way to work the night shift. He found us cursing the landlord who didn’t seem to believe our complaints about the poorly functioning heating system.

After he left, he says he felt guilty about going to a nice warm work building and then to his own warm house with its toasty woodstove. So he went to Fleet Farm, bought three electric space heaters, and dropped them back off with us before he went to work.

I think that’s when I fell in love with him.

I’m with screech-owl and the others–let me urge Dopers to try to be the nice person every once in a while. Make it a point to give more people on earth a chance to reflect on how darn nice people can be!

Some guy had a big armful of flowers once, on campus, and he was giving one to every female he passed. It wasn’t just a come-on, he gave one to dumpy old married me. I still smile to remember that.

As a married man, I don’t flirt with others because I think that’s disprectful to my wife. So this isn’t a flirt but umm, after seeing your pic, I think they’re right and I’m surprised to hear you don’t get more of those compliments.

To add something to the OP, my mrs. b is a big believer in the random acts of kindness stuff too. I am a grumpy old “let 'em take care of themselves” kinda guy. I think she’s wearing me down though. Last year, we were walking downtown and some homeless-looking guy asked my wife for money (supposedly, but I’m not cynical) for food. Well mrs.b didn’t have any so she looks at me and I’m like grumblegrumble no cash on me grumblegrumble he just wants to buy drugs grumblegrumble. Well this guy tells mrs b he really just wants food and he even knows a place where they’re having a special deal blah blah. So after more pleading looks from my wife, we walk to an atm and I get a few bucks and we walk to the restaurant (mrs winners or something) and mrs b is chatting up a storm with this guy all the while. They really had a good deal going and we bought this guy food and walked off. He seemed grateful. I still don’t contribute to 'em when the mrs is not around though. :stuck_out_tongue: