I had recently moved to New York City on my own at the age of 18, attempting to adjust to the fast-paced lifestyle after leaving a small Southern town. I had never used the subway before, and I had no idea how to buy a MetroCard.

A queue of impatient people gathered behind me as I stood at the only machine that was working and tried to figure it out. There was a noticeable sense of frustration in the air as people yelled at me to “hurry up!” and “what’s wrong with you?” I became more agitated as my anxiety increased and I started to cry.

A man then interrupted the line and ordered everyone to stop. He came over, carefully explained everything to me, and even got me a 12-ride card. “The next time someone yells at you, just yell back, and they’ll leave you alone,” he said, giving me a comforting pat on the back. I experienced a sense of support and connection at that precise moment.

I was inspired to remain in the city and take advantage of all the amazing experiences that followed because of his generosity and help. © Reddit/Wiffle_Snuff

Story 2: My cousins and I went to a bookstore when I was about twelve years old. We bought a couple of books and went outside to read. From a nearby bench, we saw an old man staring at us intently for a long time. He watched us for ten minutes or so before getting up and leaving the bookstore.

He came back with three gift cards about five minutes later. He smiled warmly as he walked up to us, said, “I love seeing kids read,” and gave us each a $20 gift card. His generosity moved me to tears and left me completely stunned.