The world can often feel like an unfriendly place. Just spend a few minutes stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or jockeying with other shoppers during a Labor Day Sale and you might conclude that everyone is a self-interested jerk who’ll happily screw you over to get what they want.
And yes, the world is full of selfish people. But it’s also full of Good Samaritans who will stop and help out a complete stranger. In fact, there’s a whole subreddit devoted to just this subject called r/MadeMeSmile. There, people share stories and photos of selfless people doing altruistic things, and it’s become one of the most popular subreddits on the whole site.
Below are 15 stories about people who stepped in and helped out someone who needed it. Hopefully it’ll renew your faith in the world, and maybe even inspire you to do a good deed yourself! Remember, folks: we’re all stuck on this planet together.
1. Digging your car out of a blizzard is never fun. Luckily, this guy has a good neighbor.
Photo Credit: @saladinahmed
2. This person was practicing their ukulele on the porch, unaware they had an audience.
Photo Credit: Reddit
3. Most of us wouldn’t turn our car into a private shuttle service. Not this guy.
Photo Credit: Reddit
4. This subway musician plays for tips, but he doesn’t always keep them for himself.
Photo Credit: Reddit
5. Imagine returning to your car and learning you just got new tires.
Photo Credit: Reddit
6. If a pregnant lady asks you for ANYTHING, you give it to her. Even if she’s never met.
Photo Credit: Reddit
7. This person forgot to close their sunroof during a rain storm. A Good Samaritan had them covered.
Photo Credit: Reddit
8. A girl had nowhere to practice shooting hoops. Until she asked her neighbors.
Photo Credit: Reddit
9. Be friendly, because you never know when you’ll meet a new friend.
Photo Credit: Reddit
10. During Hurricane Irma, this man was about to buy the last generator. Instead, he gave it to this woman who needed it for her father’s oxygen supply.
Photo Credit: Reddit
11. This Redbox renter was looking out for the next customer.
Photo Credit: Reddit
12. One Redditor saw an elderly guy hoping for someone to play chess with. And the universe delivered.
Photo Credit: Reddit
13. A couple had a rough dinner out with crying baby twins. When the went to pay the bill, somebody had already taken care of it.
Photo Credit: Reddit
14. Can’t tie a necktie? No problem.
Photo Credit: Reddit
15. Robert Frost said that good fences make good neighbors. But this time it was the other way around.
Photo Credit: Reddit
h/t: Buzzfeed