These stories about acts of kindness from strangers will restore your faith in humanity

Amidst all the brouhaha surrounding Donald Trump, Brexit and the very public disintegration of R Kelly and Michael Jackson’s reputations, it’s prudent to sometimes take a break from the news and engage with some positivity online.

Enter awesome strangers.

People online have been sharing the nicest things that have been done for them by people they don’t even know.

It all started when writer Nicole Cliffe posed the following question:

What is the kindest thing a stranger has done or said to you?

She started with a short story of her own:

Mine: one baby of mine used to get airsick and the first time it happened we were just leaving the gate and there was puke all over my pants and the seat cushion so they had to BRING THE PLANE BACK to replace the seat and seatbelt and everyone hated me and...

I was standing, covered in puke, holding my now only diaper-clad baby & trying not to cry while business travelers glared at me, and then a flight attendant took my baby and gave me a pair of yoga pants from her carry-on & wrote her address on a napkin so I could mail them back.

And if that isn’t enough to make you go all mushy, she shared another brief anecdotal tale:

Oh, and once someone ran me off the road into a snowdrift and I couldn’t get out and no one stopped for EVER until a Latino couple with a baby did, and insisted on staying with me until the tow truck came. They did not speak English. They gave me some soup from a Thermos.

People responded with heart-warming stories of humanity, often small and otherwise inconsequential, about the kindness of strangers.

1. There’s this moment of silent female solidarity.

2. There's this woman who lends a much-needed hand.

3. These sisterhood-of-travelling-pants style ladies.

4. A pregnant lady in Canada is warmed by the kindness of strangers (literally).

5. 'BLESS YOU!'

6. An overtired parent hears just what she needs.

7. When one woman tries to body shame her pregnant belly, another steps in.

8. This universal grandma.

9. Also this helpful eavesdropper.

10. This touching exchange.

11. And this one.

12. This street fight that isn't.

13. The serendipity is unreal.

14. This story that could have ended badly.

15. And finally, if you're not already weeping, here's a wonderful moment of solidarity at an LGBT+ store.

Not all heroes wear capes.

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