# So what was your simple act of kindness today? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540 "2019-02-14T15:50:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/1 "2019-02-14T15:50:25Z")
A simple act of kindness is one that does not cost you any money or a large amount of time. Just something you do to make someone else’s day a little better, and to make youself a better person. I gave four quarters in change to a person in exchange for a dollar who needed them for the parking meter. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/2 "2019-02-14T15:59:29Z")
This isn’t really a good deed, but I think I made everyone’s day a little brighter: I texted a Happy Valentine’s Day message to all of my good friends and family. And BTW…Happy Valentine’s Day everyone out there!🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/3 "2019-02-14T16:07:45Z")
Gave my cats a good portion of the salmon I’d cooked. Kept some of the best bits for them. The older one ate it but the 2 younger ones didn’t. Fluffy little shits wouldn’t have it because I cooked it on the stove. It has to be sous-vide salmon, otherwise it’s not up to their standards. Here they are having a negotiation session about who gets to sit in the box under the sunspot: [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/0AmB4aP) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/4 "2019-02-14T16:07:51Z")
Every day while she’s at school I send my daughter “Cute Animal of the Day” texts, with pictures of puppies, kittens, horses, cute mammals, and the like. Today I made sure that all the animals had heart-shaped markings on them. I’m also checking her out of school and taking her to Cracker Barrel (because she _loves_ Cracker Barrel.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/5 "2019-02-14T16:22:22Z")
I didn’t beat my daughter when she woke me up after three hours of sleep because she couldn’t get her paper printed that she procrastinated on. I’m old, she is supposed to be teaching me about technology. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/6 "2019-02-14T16:34:43Z")
I haven’t left the house or interacted with any people today. Yesterday I picked up a neighbor’s recycle bin and put all the recycleables back in it when I noticed it had fallen over and there was trash all in her ditch. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/7 "2019-02-14T16:59:25Z")
Not me and it actually happened last night but… I was on the subway when a blind guy asked if anyone was getting off at the next stop. He needed a little help navigating the platform and getting to his destination. No one was getting off. One elderly lady said that she could get off and help the man. She could just catch the next train. The blind man didn’t want to be a bother so he said he’d just find someone on the platform to help him. The woman insisted. He continued to decline. I thought of volunteering but I would be in the exact same position as the elderly lady and I assumed that he would refuse my help too. Other people on the train were visibly struggling with the same conundrum. Everyone wanted to help but also to respect his autonomy. One young man on the train rescued us all. He shrugged his shoulders and piped up with a calculated white lie: “I’m getting off at the next stop.” Everyone else smiled and nodded at him. He smiled back. The blind man gratefully accepted his help. I’m sure that young man had to get right back on the train when he was done but he certainly did his good deed for the day. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/8 "2019-02-14T17:11:42Z")
I pointed out to a friend of mine that a meme he shared on Facebook is fake. I don’t think he appreciated it though. I’ll leave it up to you to guess his political affiliation. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/9 "2019-02-14T17:32:22Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > A simple act of kindness is one that does not cost you any money or a large amount of time. Just something you do to make someone else’s day a little better, and to make youself a better person. > > I gave four quarters in change to a person in exchange for a dollar who needed them for the parking meter. Not to rain on your parade but a simple act of kindness would have been just giving the dude your four frigging quarters. If making change for a dollar makes you feel like a better person, you’re setting a pretty low bar for yourself. eta: I once went down the street adding a little money to each of the meters. It could have been an act of kindness but really I was just fucking with the meter maid a half block behind me. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/10 "2019-02-14T17:47:24Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Not to rain on your parade but a simple act of kindness would have been just giving the dude your four frigging quarters. If making change for a dollar makes you feel like a better person, you’re setting a pretty low bar for yourself. :rolleyes: I don’t think you understand what “Simple act of kindness” actually means. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/11 "2019-02-14T17:50:56Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > :rolleyes: > > I don’t think you understand what “Simple act of kindness” actually means. I certainly understand it better than some guy who thinks criticizing a meme qualifies. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/12 "2019-02-14T18:05:24Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I certainly understand it better than some guy who thinks criticizing a meme qualifies. I also think you fail to grasp the concept of sarcasm. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/13 "2019-02-14T18:17:11Z")
Thanks for the thinking, as wrong as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/14 "2019-02-14T18:31:24Z")
Not much opportunity 'round here. I did make breakfast for the people (with extra bacon and hash browns), but I do that pretty much every day anyway. Kinda my job. So, not much. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/15 "2019-02-14T18:37:05Z")
I’ve stayed out of a bunch of threads here. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/16 "2019-02-14T18:47:33Z")
I helped a neighbor get his car free from the snow and ice where it was stuck - and replaced the battery he had drained. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/17 "2019-02-14T18:54:55Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > :rolleyes: > > I don’t think you understand what “Simple act of kindness” actually means. Some things are neither kind, nor unkind. Some things are just general or routine. If she gave away her four quarters in exchange for nothing, that’s “simple kindness”. If she refused to make change, even though she had the quarters in her pocket, that would be “unkind” or simple cruelty. The OP had quarters and someone needed a dollar. I’ve got to agree with **CK** on this one. It isn’t an act of kindness, it is the typical act of a human being. The fact that a person feels the need to brag about making change for a stranger as if it is to be commended, or worse yet, explains how this was her attempt at “being a better person”–presumably better than she normally is… well that’s just… _peculiar_. Full disclosure, though, I was an asshole all day. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/18 "2019-02-14T19:07:23Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I’ve stayed out of a bunch of threads here. I didn’t. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/19 "2019-02-14T19:18:15Z")
I read to the English as a second language kids at school today. Also I got a cupcake I couldn’t eat, so I gave it to the office receptionist. She hugged me, a bit of ‘get outta my personal space’ ran through my head. But I accepted gracefully. That’s personal growth in my book:)❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Happy V-day, everyone!! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540/20 "2019-02-14T19:26:44Z")
Sent my daughter $300 for a last-second trip to Mexico. Had lunch with my best friend. Sent happy Valentine wishes to two friends. Going curling in a few hours. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-your-simple-act-of-kindness-today/829540.md?page=2)