Anonymous wrote:Awww… Such a wonderful thread - thank you, OP, for your initial sweet story and everybody for sharing!

Nothing similar comes to mind at the moment but whenever I am waiting at IAD international arrivals it always reminds me about the phrase from Love Actually about Heathrow (had to google it now), "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport... look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion you'll find that love actually IS all around." I really don’t like Dulles as an airport but love seeing all those happy people from all over the world at international arrivals.

I always think that airports are the happiest and saddest places at the same time. It just depends which level you are on: Happy when you get to see your pick-up and sad when you are dropping off (or it could be the opposite, depending on the person! )

Many years ago I was on a very crowded metro car during rush hour. The train had stopped for what seemed like forever. A woman was traveling with her toddler who started to weep and fuss.

An older man reached into his pocket and pulled out one of those mini bubble blower containers you get at weddings. He started blowing bubbles and the toddler joyfully reached for them and started laughing. For a moment, until the train finally started again, everyone happily watched bubbles blow about the metro car.

I love this thread! May it reach hundreds of pages!

OK, here’s one. Back in 2019, I had worked on Pete Buttigieg’s campaign. I LOVE Pete and all my FaceBook friends know it. After Pete dropped out of the race, a former colleague I have not seen in 25+ years - and who voted for Trump - sent me a FB message saying something along the line of how she knew I must be bummed, but I had been so uplifting in the way I shared political posts (or something to that effect) and she hoped I was well. I ended up calling her through FB to thank her as I was so touched.

Our mail is delivered along the alley behind our yards, and the postal carrier brings dog treats to calm down the dogs along the route. During the summer instead of slipping the treat through the mail slots, she gave them to kids playing the yards to give to their dogs We don't have a dog because one son is allergic to them. The carrier gave each of our sons a dog treat so that they could give them to another dog and not feel left out. It was a nice small gesture for young kids.

Awww… Such a wonderful thread - thank you, OP, for your initial sweet story and everybody for sharing!

Nothing similar comes to mind at the moment but whenever I am waiting at IAD international arrivals it always reminds me about the phrase from Love Actually about Heathrow (had to google it now), "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport... look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion you'll find that love actually IS all around." I really don’t like Dulles as an airport but love seeing all those happy people from all over the world at international arrivals.

My daughter started middle school this year. There was a sign on the school wall advertising an "adoption support group." I asked her if she was interested. She said, "Of course, NOT.. I am so happy you adopted me!"

My daughter is now 24. At age 8, she told me she was not going to go away for college, she was going to buy the house nextdoor so she could live next to me forever.

I held that memory tight for a long time, esp through the teenage years when I frequently wanted to throttle her

My 12 year old daughter told me one today that is going to stay with me because of how she noticed it, and valued it and described it.

An autistic child her age/same school was sitting near her waiting for pick up and she was annoyed but sad that kids were making fun of him/about what he was doing. But he didn't even know that they were talking about him thank goodness as they were talking among themselves not near him.

But what she told me is that every day he takes off his shoes and socks and pours out his drinking water on his lower legs and feet and just splashes and marvels at/enjoys the sensation of it. She said it makes her so happy to see his joy every day and that he was 'so pure'. She said she loves this moment. And that she was so sad for the other kids that they couldn't see the purity and beauty of it.

When I was a new driver, I backed up into a lady’s car. I got out of my car tearing up. She was a woman in her 60s and she gave me a hug. Of course we still exchanged insurance info, but her understanding meant so much. That was about 25 years ago and I think of her often. And I’m a good driver these days.

When The Peanuts Movie came out several years ago, a bunch of us from the neighborhood decided to take our kids to go see it. Most of the kids were ages seven to ten, and we let them sit in the row directly in front of us so they could feel “big” while we could keep a parental eye out for misbehavior, spills, etc. The youngest attendee was only three, however, and it was his first movie in a theater, so he sat next to his mom. This little boy was an absolute Hummel figurine of a kid and had a sweet nature to match. He was so excited, and he was being so good. Then, during one of Charlie Brown’s many disappointments, he loudly exclaimed, “Mama!” I immediately thought, well, he lasted a pretty long time for a three-year-old, but then he continued, “Mama! Is he sad?” in the most empathetic, sweetly worried voice. Oh, my heart. This little cutie was legitimately concerned and did not want Charlie Brown to be upset.

When my third child was born, my middle daughter (4 years older) said
“Now we have our whole family!”
She was right.

I was outside church with my tantruming toddler who was a very difficult child (spirited, as they politely say). One of the priests walked by and said, "He doesn't mean it, Mom, and he loves you." It was just a kind word said with no judgment during a difficult time. I appreciated it.

That child is now a 15 year old, mostly delightful, and still keeping me on my toes.

I was at a store and the cashier commented to the customer that she liked the flower arrangement they were purchasing. The customer said she would buy one for the cashier if she wanted one. The cashier was so excited, ran to get the flowers and the customer paid for both and hugged the cashier. The whole moment was all of 3 minutes but the happiness I felt from that small act of generosity has stuck with me for a long time.

My partner and I and our newborn and toddler were in IKEA (in the warehouse section where you grab the heavy boxes of furniture off shelf and put them on the cart). I was going through post partum depression and very overwhelmed with a crying baby and overstimulated toddler. My partner was kind of milling around not being particularly helpful. I ended up sitting down on a stack of IKEA furniture boxes to regroup and I had tears in my eyes. Not boo hoo crying, just tears and a man and woman came up to me to ask if I was ok and if they could do anything to help. The lady gave me a hug and words of encouragement. I don't remember all of what was said between us but I still remember til this day the way that couple made me feel seen and heard and secure. My children are 11 and 13 now and I've been waiting for the moment to pay forward the kindness to another mom who is struggling. It hasn't happened yet but hopefully it one day will.

Several years ago, I was taking my son to his little league baseball game in SW. Its all street parking down there, but I surprisingly found a parking space adjacent to the field, and the previous game was still going on. As I was parking, I saw a woman in her 30s walking with her father (probably 60s) down the sidewalk. There was a bench, and he motioned that he wanted to sit down for a bit. They sat on the bench for a few minutes, and then I saw the man give a cheer and hop up. A little leaguer had hit a home run. The dad and his daughter appeared to have to no connection to the baseball game, but he was still excited to see a good play. They continued walking down the street. The whole interaction lasted a few minutes.

I think about this moment quite a bit, and I realize that its probably the most "Hallmark moment" that I've observed in real life.

Please share your real life warm-hearted moments!