‘This restored my faith in people’: Singaporeans share the most wholesome acts of kindness they’ve witnessed

SINGAPORE: Online spaces today are often filled with complaints, frustrations and dramatic encounters, so much so that many people have come to expect negativity whenever they scroll. But in a recent Reddit thread, Singaporeans did something a little different. 

Instead of grumbling about the usual daily stresses, they came together to share something far more uplifting: the most wholesome acts of kindness they had witnessed from strangers.

The discussion began when a Reddit user asked, “What’s the most wholesome thing you’ve seen a stranger do in SG lately?”

To start things off, the user shared how he once saw an uncle steady a child who had tripped near an escalator, earning a grateful smile from the child’s mother, as well as witnessing a passerby effortlessly help an elderly auntie carry her groceries up a few steps before heading off as though it was “the most normal thing in the world.”

Reflecting on these small but meaningful moments, the user wrote: “This quietly restored my faith in people. They remind me that even though everyone here is busy, stressed, or in their own heads, there’s still softness hidden in small actions. And sometimes those tiny gestures brighten the whole day in a way that feels quietly magical.”

Grab driver advises young man to “try new things”

Under the post, one commenter recalled a moment from years ago, back when he was still an intern working late nights in the F&B industry. At around 10 p.m., his Grab driver casually asked how his day was going. When he shared how tough things had been, the uncle gently gave him advice that ended up shaping his future.

“Ah boy ah, you quite young ah, why not try new things? Like work, if you fail, never mind. Pick yourself up and try again, something that you can earn a lot of money at and you are good at, don’t look at other people to find yourself.”

The man said that because of that simple but heartfelt guidance, he eventually found the courage to leave the F&B line and explore what he truly wanted to do with his life.

“Ever since then, I’ve worked in different industries as a part-timer to try new things, and finally, I’ve settled down into a line of work that I think is pretty good. It doesn’t pay much, but I enjoy it. Looking back, I gotta go and shake this uncle’s hand and treat him to some beer because that was what I needed to hear.”

Auntie sprints out of a restaurant to return a black pouch

Another Singaporean recalled a simple but heartwarming moment when an auntie sprinted out of a restaurant to chase after a diner who had forgotten her black pouch.

“She ran to catch up with a diner who had left her black pouch in a restaurant. The way she ran out of breath and talked to the diner was adorable. It’s not a big event, but acts of kindness like this make the world a lil brighter for longer.”

Auntie offers seat to struggling foreigner

A newly arrived foreign graduate student also shared a touching encounter from the MRT. After picking up several bulky items from Ikea, a kind auntie walked over just to offer her seat.

“This kind auntie came all the way to me to tell me to take her seat. I didn’t because my stuff was just large, not heavy, but that was such a sweet experience!” the student said.

Bus driver makes someone’s day by giving way

Kindness appeared on the roads, too. One commenter described how an SBS bus driver, despite having the right of way, stopped and motioned for their car to go ahead.

They said, “I was waiting to merge from a minor road onto the main road. The SBS bus driver on the main road stopped and gestured for me to go, even when he had the right of way. Made my day.”

In other news, a polytechnic student has turned to social media to question how low-income students like her are supposed to survive in today’s harsh economy when, as she puts it, almost no one seems willing to hire them.

In a post on the r/SGexams subreddit on Saturday (Nov 22), the young local explained that she has spent the past six months applying for jobs through various online platforms as well as doing walk-ins. 

Read more: Poly student struggling to land a job asks, ‘How can students survive in this harsh economy?’