by Readers have told the BBC about the random acts of strangers, according to research in which people have underestimated the good intentions of others.
In an experiment from the University of British Columbia, researchers deliberately lost wallet to see how much would be returned. Almost twice as much were returned than predicted by people who had been investigated for the World Happiness Report.
Athena Rowley, 40, who lives in Ipswich with her four -year -old son Robert, was one of the readers who contact us to say they had benefited from a random act of kindness.
During Halloween last year they went Trick or Treat in the city of Suffolk and filled a small bucket with candy. Robert – whose cheerful attitude means that he “makes friends where he goes everywhere” – was dressed as the CBEEBIES character Hey Duggee.
After his return to their house, groups of older children were beating and asked for sweets. The last group, says Athena, were six teenagers who had dressed and “looked very scary”.
Robert offered them the last sweets that were in the bucket. He also hugged each of them. Five minutes later the teenagers came back.
“I thought,” Oh no – I have nothing left, “says Athena.” I opened the door and the children stood their bags of sweets.
“And then they gave them to my child because they thought he might no longer have any candy.”
She adds: “It was absolutely great because teenagers nowadays get such a bad rap.”
Athena says that their behavior simply confirms her belief in humanity and young people in particular. “The next generation has so much kindness and empathy … At a certain point the world will be in really good hands.”
‘Young man in a white van has eliminated highway to help us’
Her positive view of young people is shared by Jocelyn Tress, 88, and her husband Mark, 89.
The couple was on the way to the airport from their house in Fulham, southwestern when one of their tires was pierced the M25.
Given their age and the speed of traffic, they did not dare to change the band themselves and to Belgians. They were told that someone could be there within about half an hour. They feared that they would miss their flight to Portugal, where they would go on vacation.
Ten minutes later, a young man put in a white van behind them on the hard shoulder. He said he had noticed that they were parked there after they initially drove them, so he put out of the highway and came back to see if they needed help.
“He quickly changed our band,” says Jocelyn. In the hurry she was forgot to find out his name, but asked why he had stopped.
Jocelyn remembers that he said, “When I passed and saw that you were in trouble, I thought, suppose they were my grandmother and grandfather?”
She adds: “He would not accept anything for his kindness.”
Jocelyn says there have been occasions that she fell on the sidewalk, only to be helped by a young person in the neighborhood. “I think that the very young people are very, very helpful,” she says.
An ‘Angel’ in John Lewis
The stranger who helped Sarah Marten, 66, was older but intervened at a similar time of need. Her story is from 25 years ago, but the impression it left on her remains today.
She was in the John Lewis store in Brent Cross, West-London with her children to find a gymnastics suit, tutu and panty for her three-year-old daughter Emily, who was about to start ballet lessons.
Finding the right size and style had lasted quite a long time. Her son Joel, who is 19 months younger than his sister, did not enjoy. “Because he was so young, it had been a pretty stressful morning to be honest,” says Sarah. “He was ready to get back in the car.”
At the cash register, Sarah’s bank card was rejected by her bank. She had neither a credit card nor enough money with her to make the purchase. After such a difficult morning, and with her children now desperate to go home, Sarah became upset.
Then a man stepped in line behind her and asked her how much money she needed.
He opened his wallet and insisted that he paid the Ballerina clothing.
He gave her £ 40. “That was quite a lot at the time,” says Sarah. “I was very surprised that someone would do something like that and not expect the money.”
Although Sarah wrote down his address and sent him the money shortly thereafter.
“I remember that he was really charming and very nice,” she says. “I actually told other people that he was an angel for me in those circumstances.”
Sarah, whose children are now musicians, says that remembering kindness and hearing similar actions helps to restore her belief in human nature.
