Certain days pass by like any other, yet every now and then, a stranger comes along and changes everything. The following collection of short true stories explores moments as unexpected encounters left a lasting mark—some bringing kindness and warmth, others leaving behind confusion or regret. Each story captures the power of brief connections, showing how even the smallest actions can turn an ordinary day into something truly unforgettable.
Story 1
I was on a bus, 7 months pregnant. An old woman got in; no one gave her a seat, so I offered her mine. She sat and kept staring into my eyes.
While leaving, she slipped something heavy into my pocket, and whispered in my ear, ’’Always put yourself and your child first! Otherwise, your life will be as heavy as this!’’ Then she quickly stepped off the bus.
I reached into my pocket in a hurry to see what she had given me. I took it out and froze. My blood ran cold. She had given me a large, heavy stone.
This woman had the audacity to repay my kindness with anger and bitterness. But instead of accepting her lesson, I chose the opposite path. I decided to be kind and to teach my child kindness because I know the world needs more of it—even if some people don’t deserve it.
Story 2
I had a bad day. Missed two buses. I was furious when I came to my stop, knowing that I had to wait for another two hours.
An old man was sitting there, enjoying some chocolate, and calmly told me, “Anger mostly means you have a lot of sorrow.” With that one sentence, he made me realize how irrelevant my anger was. I calmed down quickly.
Story 3
Story 4
I was working to pay my way through university when a woman approached me at my job (I had a job gathering carts for a supermarket). I was pushing a line of carts into the store when the woman and her son walked up to me. She then pointed at me and said, “This is why we stay in school.” To this day, I still get angry because of that obscene comment.
Story 5
Had a lady come up to me at the mall and tell me, “Your skin looks horrible, you should really go to a dermatologist.” The worst part was that it made me feel even worse because, although I had gone before, I couldn’t afford the medication.
Story 6
I was 18 or 19, with a tiny hip tattoo that could be seen just peeking over the waist of my jeans. I was at the mall with a girlfriend when an older man came up to me, looked me in the eye, and said, “You’re very beautiful.”
Flabbergasted and not expecting that, I stuttered, “T-thanks?” Immediately, he stared at the tattoo and said, “It’s a shame you ruined your body like that,” then stormed away. I was so shocked I didn’t react and didn’t realize how rude his comment was until later.
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Story 7
I was about 8 years old and going on a trip with my family. While going through airport security, some guy emptying his pockets accidentally dumped a ton of coins everywhere. I started to pick them up, and as I was about to hand them to him, he snagged them from my open palm and scolded me for taking things that weren’t mine.
Story 8
Two years ago, my boyfriend and I hit a rough patch that ended in us breaking up for six months. Right before we broke up, I received a text message from a phone number I didn’t know. The text read, “Just so you know, (boyfriend) is done with you. He’s tired of being with you and thinks you look like a man. Just leave him alone!”
I immediately forwarded the text to my boyfriend, who called me asking what all that was about. We broke up shortly after, but not for the reasons the anonymous texter said. I still think about what that person said, and sometimes I get so down I cry.
Story 9
When I was 5, my mom took me to Walmart one evening. She bought me a balloon, and on the way out, the wind ripped the balloon from my hand. I started crying, as any 5-year-old would, and a lady who was coming into the store to shop said, “Awwww, sweetie. It’s okay, let’s go get you a new balloon.”
This kind woman, my mom, and I walked through the store and got a new balloon. She took me right to the checkout and made sure the balloon was secure. This was in 1995, and I still remember that interaction nearly 30 years later.
Story 10
Story 11
One night, my daughter and I were sitting across from an old man who was sitting alone at a restaurant. I noticed him a few times listening to us talk.
He got up to leave, stopped at our table, and said, “Hello there, I’ve been watching you two, and I just felt like I needed to tell you something. Cherish these moments because they are gone way too fast. I’ve lost just about everyone in my life—my wife and daughter included—and for now, I live to see moments like this. Your daughter is beautiful, and just please cherish every second.”
This man walked away, and I instantly started crying because I already knew how fast time was going. I always tell myself to cherish these little moments with my daughter… I’ll never forget that old man.
Story 12
I was on the London Underground many years ago on a train that was just pulling away. In a fleeting moment, I made eye contact with a guy on the platform, and he started smiling and running alongside the train, comedy-style, waving to me until the end of the platform. It still makes me smile thinking about it now.
Story 13
Years ago, I was standing in line at a bakery on Valentine’s Day. I’d had a truly awful day at work, was tired, and just wanted the day to end.
An elderly woman in a blue coat was in line ahead of me, wearing a pink camellia in a buttonhole. I complimented the camellia and told her they always reminded me of my grandmother, who grew them in pink, white, and red. We chatted a bit until it was her turn to order.
As she was leaving, she slipped the camellia into my hand and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day from your grandmother. She would be so proud of you.” I held it together long enough to pick up my order, but definitely cried once I got to my car.
I still think about the woman in the blue coat from time to time. Her simple act of kindness has remained with me for over a decade.
Story 14
I was a kid, and a gentleman at the next table in a restaurant could speak six languages or so. He gave examples of a few. I was so impressed and, since then, wanted to learn languages. I now speak six fluently, plus a couple more at a basic level, so it had a real positive impact.
Story 15
A homeless woman I saw every now and then on my way to the grocery store once asked for money, and I said, “I’m sorry, but I’m too broke to give you some.” She remembered and never asked me again, but we greeted each other warmly every time we met for several years.
One day, I met her, and she hugged me out of nowhere and told me she had found a proper job and got an apartment. She was spending the day in front of the grocery store to let the people she knew from seeing for so long know so they wouldn’t be worried.
This was one of the most joyful moments in my life, and I sometimes think about her when I’m in that area. I used to live there for a few years after that, and I never saw her again.
