To Make Someone Smile

[Kitti]

I happened across the process of this video being made and later the end product and I have to say that it was incredibly sweet. The person singing made this video for his girlfriend for Valentine's day because they live in different countries, could not see one another, and she was feeling blue. He asked a couple communities online, as well as friends, to help him make the video and the result is gorgeous in my opinion.

Now, I ask you, what's the biggest thing you've ever done to make someone else happy?​

 

[Insidious Joe]

I allowed them to live.

I've done plenty of things to cheer up my various friends and family, but I've never really done anything that was painstakingly elaborate or amazing, at least in my own eyes. I've written and played songs for friends, sent letters accompanied by gifts internationally to penpals on their birthdays, and just overall try my best to be a decent person to people that matter to me.

Sometimes giving a hug, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to listen is the best thing you can do for someone else.

 

[Minibit]

OMG that's adorable, it's so sweet I almost cried a little =') that little kid at the end killed me


I've never done anything that monumental :(

I've given up my personal time, my money, and I've put my inhibitions, pride, and fears inside in favour of other people's happiness.

I guess the most dramatic gesture I've made would probably be for my boyfriend

This was when we were first dating (under two weeks). He was working ridiculous shifts at a pizza joint, and it was winter in Northern BC. We had a bad snowstorm, to the point where the cops were advising people not to drive unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately it was also the night of a hockey game and, well, people still wanted pizza.

He was out running deliveries all night, texting me between trips. He was having a really rough and stressful day, and I felt awful that I couldn't do a thing to cheer him up, so I tried to think of the things I've done for my friends across the ocean when they're having a rough time and I can't be there. Usually I make them something digital that I can email (like a picture or a story) or something physical that I mail.
I knew he liked Bleach, so I drew a picture of Kisuke Urahara resting, and wrote a short note. I also grabbed a handful of cookies from the pantry and put them and the picture in a big ziploc bag. I drove all the way across town in the same ridiculous conditions he was driving in to pin it to his door and drive home. I remember I almost spun out because I lost control of the car in the snow for a couple seconds, fortunately the highway was empty because I was the only one stupid enough to be driving on it at night in those conditions.

Three years later, he still has the picture, and I'd do it again.

 

[Shokkou]

I don't know if I've ever done something on this scale before. I'm definitely one for the simple acts of compassion and understanding. Being there, giving hugs, listening and letting someone vent. I told a good friend of mine recently that was down and felt bad about dumping their sadness and depression on others, "You can feel free to bring your rain clouds over to me any time. If I can take some of that stress and sadness off of you and make it easier for you, then I consider carrying a part of that burden well worth it." That's basically my philosophy when dealing with people in general who are having a hard time.

There is one other specific little thing I can think of though that happened recently. Back when she was in high school, my sister started writing a story. She was really proud of it and showed me the first few pages. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I joined Iwaku, I hopped into an RP that was getting ready to start and made a character I wound up feeling really proud of (Keith Bradford, whose CS was the first post on my blog here). I remembered her story and that she was really excited to show me, so I decided to email her the character sheet. It was a simple act, but I'm not a great communicator so she was thrilled to have something that showed I was thinking of her and wanted to share something I was proud of with her.

 

[lynzy]

I met my BF over 20 years ago. when I started working at a local grocery store to raise money to support my two children who were babies at the time. I didn't start being his GF till the store closed its doors to the public in 1999. We have not been able to afford a place together that could keep me, my BF, his mother and my two children in. Sooo he lives on the north side of town with his infirmed mother and I live on the south side of town, the same town, with my children. Or at least I did til this last spring, almost a year ago now, my daughter married a man that lives on the other side of the world and she went to live with him. So now its just my son and me here but my BF has his sister living with him too now, her husband died last month and she cant afford a place on her own. basically all this is leading up to the fact that both he and I are together in spirit but not in person, like in a house living together. I wont leave him and he wont leave me but we can not live together...

My home of old is in Indiana, we live in Pennsylvania. I could have left to live there many years ago but I wont leave him, I love him too much and I know it would tear him apart if I did go. So I stay.

 

[Levusti]

My friend and co-worker had a shitty day at work after being accused of stealing and sabotaging the business when it was actually the new girl who did all this.

So I bought some stuff and dropped by her house and we made lasagna. From scratch.

We didn't even know how to make it from canned items, much less from scratch. But we winged it.

Best lasagna ever.