Moments That Have Restored My Faith In Humanity

There is so much pain in the miserable city of Southampton that we live in; sometimes I sit in my student house watching Gordon Avenue just despairing at whats around me. Frequently I can see a lady staring into a bush drinking cheap cider, a man scribbling an angry note to whoever has blocked him in and a girl vomiting outside the Gordon Arms. Disgusting really.

Occasionally I’m lucky enough to see things that make me glad to be alive, fond of my fellow human beings and give me that warm fuzzy feeling inside. I figured I would share these to try to restore some faith in humanity as we get ready to pack up our stuff to leave Southampton for another summer.

1. The woman who bought a homeless guy some Greggs. 

Freezing cold, middle of January. A young man sits outside Greggs begging openly shivering, a lady walks straight past him stops then goes in. She comes out with a good £5 worth of food and gives it to him, he stands up to shake her hand and she gives him a hug instead.

2.  The student who snatched a toddler away from traffic.

Waiting to the road on Portswood high street. On the other side of the road I see a young mum with a buggy and a student waiting too. A small child of about 3 is playing with his toy car and throws it into the road. Mum is busy with her baby in the buggy as it’s screaming and I watch paralyzed as the toddler walks straight in front of a car. A student seemingly dreary with his hispter headphones suddenly animates and snatches the kiddy away from the car just in time. The toddler starts crying and mum does too.

3 The taxi man who walked an old lady to her front door.

Simple but sweet: a frail old lady gets out of a taxi and begins to struggle getting her shopping out of the boot. The taxi driver jumps up and gets it for her, walks her to her front door and bids her a nice day.

4. The 3rd year who sat with a nervous fresher.

Seat across from on a busy U1 I overhear a skinny just 18 year old fresh girl ask to sit next an attractive male 3rd year. She starts crying silently and he stops listening to music and starts chatting to her. He discovers she’s lonely and doesn’t get along with anyone in her flat in Monte. He patiently sits and tells her in between her sobbing about his experience of halls and how he found it difficult to make friends but is now working in the Monte bar. He convinces her to come for a drink tonight whilst he’s working and as it’s speed dating and he knows some freshers he reckons she will get along with that are going. She seems happier.

5. The group of people who stood up to a man for booting his dog

Walking down the busy high street the other day when I notice a man kick his dog so hard that it jumps and yelps in pain. 3 random people who don’t know each other next to me stop, look him square in the eye and say “you ought to be ashamed of yourself”. The man proceeds to argue with them for 5-10mins about his right to kick his own dog. After being thoroughly shouted down he slinks off in embarrassment. The gathering of people introduce themselves to each other and compliment each others arguing skills.

Have you seen acts random altruistic human behavior recently? Have you had a shiver sent down your spine from someone’s kind behaviour? Please share below.