People Reveal The Moment In Their Lives Where Everything Really Changed
Life has ebbs and flows. The roller coaster doesn't stop for any of us--but for some of us, it significantly changes. A significant life event can alter the course of our personal growth and maturity. We might not even know who we were at one point, before that thing. It defines us.
SaviorNegan, looking to gather more intel on what that event might be for people, asked:
What moment created the divide between your "B.C." and "A.D." parts in your life?
Here were some of the answers.
A Hurricane Of Events
i'm from New Orleans, so everything is Before Katrina or After Katrina.
Quality Down
Having a femoral osteotomy. I went from being able to walk (albeit painfully), drive, do normal things. Had the surgery solely to improve my quality of life but it did the exact opposite. Something went wrong with my nerves and 15 months later, I'm left in constant agony. I can't walk, drive, do basic functions like bend my knee etc. It's the worst decision I've ever made.
Grief Shapes Us
Before mom died and after mom died. I was 18. It really shapes your life when you're forced to be on your own so young and face such an emotional roller coaster that never ends.
Before China
I came to China 12 years ago on holiday and am still here, so that's my B.C.
It would be perfect if I were from Denmark.
A New World
So this is super embarrassing as it was 10 years ago, but before and after my long time girlfriend in high school. This happened right around graduation - I really had no direction in life until she left me (rightly so) and I realized I need to put some effort into myself if I wanted to get anywhere. My thought process and actions seemed to do a complete 180 around that time.
I still don't know if this is a healthy thought process however, and am debating talking to a counselor about this.
Dividing Day
My sister dying.
Before, my family were close and happy and talked to each other all the time.
20 years on, we're still a fractured mess.
Carpe Diem
Going through cancer, without question. I'm one of the lucky ones though - my cancer was the very treatable kind, I'm fine now, and about a thousand times more motivated than I was before cancer. Facing mortality really shifted my perspective.
No Time
Not my daughter's birth, but her diagnosis of a brain tumor two month later. There was no preparation or warning, just BAM baby cancer. She survived the surgeries and treatment and is doing well several years later, but I will never be the same.
The Things We Do For Others
An 80 year old customer that came in to my place of work. He has no idea his impact.
I was in an emotionally abusive relationship at the time. A bit of backstory: my now ex would get irate if he heard I talked with my male coworkers even about work/training. I wasn't allowed to see my friends and the one time I forced it he texted/called the whole time.
This older gentleman came in just beaming and high on life. He joked and chatted with me and was genuinely the happiest person I've ever encountered. Mid-conversation his wife pops her head in the office door and cheerily mentions that she ran in to her old friend and they were going to have coffee. Somehow he seemed even happier than he previously was and told his wife how marvellous it was that they bumped in to each other, to say hi to the friend, and to take their time.
At that moment I realized I'd never have that if something didn't change. It's been the hardest two years of my life but I got out of that relationship. I had to/chose to move 3000kms to get away from the stalking and the fear but its done and I'm slowly getting myself back. That man saved me from a terrible life and I can't even thank him.
Some New Ideas
A.D for me is After Divorce. Got married too young, divorced at 26, basically had to rebuild my life. Now very happy :-)
A Change In Me
I was going to be a fighter pilot in the US Navy. I was very disciplined, attended Civil Air Patrol, applied myself to school, competed at the national level in both swimming and martial arts, went for the whole congressional sponsorship to the military academies, the works. One day right before graduating high school, I was doing a "rowing" motion with those rubber workout bands, and it rolled off the toe of my shoe snapped me in the face. Turns out my retina came partially detached, it caused swelling and bleeding inside my eye, and permanent damage to my optic nerve. The injury disqualified me From any sort of flight program and my life's dream.
Now I'm an artist. Mostly video and cinematography.
I'm really happy with how my life turned out. I love doing what I do. I never would have met my beautiful wife, never would have got the amazing job I have, or met the amazing people in my life. For those who wanted to be a pilot but weren't able, I highly suggest getting into flying drones. It's a huge part of my life as a cinematographer and it's filled a part of my life that I thought I was going to miss out on.
Commitment Appreciation
My second marriage, but I honestly feel like I'm in my "3rd age" now. We've been married for almost 15 years, but it's only been the last 5 or so that I realized what I really have. I've always appreciated, loved and cared for her, but it's a whole new level now. I had always engaged in joking around about the ball and chain and was generally a lot more negative when speaking about my marriage around friends. The 3rd age began one day when a coworker told me how his marriage changed his life for the better and for some reason it was like a slap in the face. Now I tell anyone who'll listen how wonderful my wife is. I probably overdo it sometimes, but it has honestly made me appreciate her more and more. It's a simple change of mindset, but it has been profound for me.
The New Longing
The time I realized I should stop sitting silently in the corner and get a social life.
Unimaginable
Before quitting hard drugs and after.
The Health Changement
Before weight loss. After weight loss.
The difference in quality of life after losing 100lb is almost indescribable.
Children Will Listen
Adopting my daughter.
I was a little older than most folks at 35. If you are looking for some kind of personal "Aha" moment, it didn't happen for a few months after we returned from China with our daughter. When we first got our daughter, it was more of a "Holy sh-t, what do I do now?" type of reaction. And that held for...well I'll let you know.
(*Pro-Tip on Parenting - It gets easier when you realize that no parents know what the f-ck they are doing. Do your best and try not to be a shitty person. What works in life works for parenting. Go figure.)
Ok so where was my watershed moment? I remember it vividly. I was driving and my daughter was in her carseat in the back. It had been a few months because I had finally gotten past the "I better check on her every few minutes because she might die on me and my wife will be super pissed" stage. I was in line to join a highway. My lane is single and due to the number of cars there is a long line that is moving semi slowly. Of course there is a way to move ahead of the line and make an illegal turn so you can bypass about 20 cars to still wait in line. Of course when I am getting onto the onramp, this is just what some a--hole decides to do. And of course he doesn't merge into the traffic, he just guns it and swerves onto the shoulder to jump in front of me. (Disclaimer - I may have a tiny bit of a problem with road rage.) This makes me see red and I gun it to catch up with the prick. So I do the same thing. I gun it and swerve around him onto the highway flipping him off. So here I am going 85mph down a highway on ramp swerving around a car because I am just raging. I look in my rearview mirror to see what a--hole is going to do and what do I see? My daughter just sitting there in her car seat all smiling and unaware just how much danger her father put her in because of his temper.
MOMENT OF CLARITY - I can still feel the same emotions that hit me at the time. Mostly a "what are you doing?" feeling. My daughter needed me to be better. She is totally dependent on me. I can't act like the same a--hole that I have been.
That's my AD moment. Don't get me wrong. I still rage in my car and in my head as my daughter can attest to. But I now limit myself to just cursing other drivers under my breath. I realized that my actions now directly affect another person who is entirely dependent on me to make good decisions. That was a heavy feeling. I'm glad it happened and that nothing worse did to make me realize I needed to change.
A Bad Weld
14 February 1998.
A Saturday. I was at work, voluntarily getting more overtime at the local shipyard.
The work day had just started, and I was working on my first project, fitting a small bulkhead to a deck plate. I was just an apprentice fitter, and was working with a 1st classer, with 15 years of experience.
He was using the crane to place several bulkheads, and bracing them off with a single piece of steel, and I was to come along behind as he did that, and fitting them to their correct places, and do partial welding to hold them in place, so the actual welders could come and "do it up right."
Except, I didn't check the brace's welds before starting to work, and it was a bad weld.
It broke, and 650 pounds of steel went from vertical, to horizontal. Right on top of me.
Broke my pelvis into 3 separate pieces, as well as a hairline fracture of my L2 vertebra in my back.
I never lost consciousness. I can remember -EVERYTHING- from the bulkhead shifting, while I was looking at the chalkline that it was supposed to be on, then shifting AGAIN, and then noticing it tilting towards me.
I remember instinctively putting my arms up to try to stop it. Yeah. That worked. NOT.
I remember just curling into a ball when I gave up trying to stop it.
I remember the pain of the impact just shooting through every inch of my body, like lightning.
I remember telling a coworker that if he tried to lift it off me, and dropped it again, that I was going to "beat the f-ck out of you when I get up! get the f-cking crane you idiot!"
I remember telling the paramedics that if they cut my brand new Wolverine work boots, that I was gonna kick their a--es.
Adrenaline is a hell of a thing.
I spent a month in the hospital, pretty much in the bed. I lost 50-ish pounds in that bed. I was a well-built 195 pound 6 foot tall man when I got hurt. I was a 140 pound weakling once I was able to move on my own again.
The orthopedic I was seeing recommended six months of bed rest.
I spent 2-3 weeks in a wheelchair, and then another week or so needing a walker to get around.
April 28th is the day I took my first steps WITHOUT a walker.
Six months bed rest, MY A--!
That was a life-changer. My life was never the same, since.
I've had other milestones since, married my wife in 2003 (in fact, 5 days from now is my anniversary!), my daughter was born in 2007.
But that accident on Valentine's Day of 1998? Nothing else in my life compares.
2014: An Odyssey
Hilariously, I was diagnosed with Cancer and got Divorced in the same year. The papers came through somewhere around my third or fourth round of chemo.
So, f-ck 2014, which marks both my B.C. and A.D. But also getting through that year is the best thing that's ever happened to me and I wouldn't change a thing. Man, I'm doing amazing now.
Near Life Experience
You know, my first thought was to say my time in Iraq was my before and after time but honestly it was the first time I did shrooms. I was 32 when I did them and I had been dealing with depression since I left the military in 2004. I was on a canoe camping trip with friends in the boundary waters and one night out of the blue, one of the guys says he brought us a little treat. I was terrified. Alcohol was my poison of choice. I declined to do them the first night he offered. While my friends went out on a rock in the middle of the night to enjoy the night with their "treat" I sat alone in my hammock tent having a panic attack at the thought of doing something stupid. Then, on the last night, my friend offered to do them again. I said no but he assured me that I was in a good place surrounded by friends.
I remember an immediate internal breakdown as soon as I put them down. But I sat there on a downed tree... around friends but terrified. About 45 minutes in I started to feel nauseous and my mind was saying, "well that's it a--hole..." Then I felt a vibration. It was like I was vibrating at one frequency and the world was at another frequency and we were trying to sync up.... like turning that old tracking knob on them old VCR's the fuzz went away and everything was clear. Buy clear I mean CLEAR... like the first time I watched a documentary in HD and I could see every snowflake clear. My anxiety was replaced by wonder. A wonder I haven't felt since I was a little kid and the proportions of the world weren't built for someone my size so everything was so odd and interesting. My friend came over and handed me glow sticks and that plastic sand that never dries out. I was amazed how new everything looked. Then I got tired. And I went to sleep. That's when mother mush really did her work. At that point in my life I had remained single for the better part of a decade because I thought I was damaged goods. I wasn't worth the hassle of a relationship. I was in one right after I got out of the military and I didn't want to do that to a person again. I was without hope. That night after I went to bed, I dreamed of every first kiss I had ever had. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach and the excitement of a first kiss. There is nothing quite like it. And I could play it over and over again... not quite like a time Machine but like I was a 4 dimensional being. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it. I was 32 years old. I gave up on a lot of things in life. Just a few months prior I had to be taken to a hospital in an ambulance due to a panic attack. But there I was, as giddy as a pig in sh-t dreaming about the thrill of a first kiss. And ya know what? That thrill never went away. I have been living life ever since. Free of fear. Free of anger. Free of anxiety. I feel "connected" with something bigger then me. I got married to an amazing girl last year. I'm finishing up my graduate degree in architecture in a couple of months.
The internet is an endless wealth of information. And that's both a great thing and a really stressful thing.
The moment you begin searching for information, the rabbit holes begin opening up. Rabbit holes are usually innocent, one moment you're researching how wine is made and the next you're watching old episodes of I Love Lucy to see it in action. But sometimes those rabbit holes take you somewhere you literally never intended to be.
Welp, This Product Works I Guess
<p>I bought my brother a taser from Amazon for his birthday one time.</p><p>Looking at some of the questions there was one asking if it hurt, the answer went something like "It does not I've tased myself in the neck 30 times."</p><p>Very very interested in this I go to his amazon profile where you can see what else he has reviewed and he reviewed a katana and stuff like that of similar nature.</p><p>Still interested so I type his name into Facebook and find a profile with a picture of him holding his katana. The first thing I notice is that HE'S FROM MY CITY.</p>Not The Drugs
<p>A straightforward guy wrote down his experiences with heroin. Basically he wanted to try it for fun and he was sure that he had enough willpower to stop after that. </p><p>Well he was wrong. Probably someone can remember the name of the guy or the Reddit post, it's fairly well known I believe</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/wuxy95/" target="_blank">wuxy95</a></p>Oh Not This
<p>Researching attachment therapy, as used on kids diagnosed with attachment disorders (aka holding time, compression therapy, coercive restraint therapy, rebirthing). I don't feel like typing out the details but a quote from wiki and link is below. It's messed up and has resulted in several child deaths and lots of long lasting trauma.</p><p>I have no idea why I kept reading and watching videos, etc., but I spent an entire night researching it. It was horrifying. Maybe I felt like I owed it to the victims to read their stories. I don't remember.</p><p>"A central feature of many of these therapies is the use of psychological, physical, or aggressive means to provoke the child to catharsis, ventilation of rage, or other sorts of acute emotional discharge. To do this, a variety of coercive techniques are used, including scheduled holding, binding, rib cage stimulation (e.g., tickling, pinching, knuckling), and/or licking." </p><p>"Children may be held down, may have several adults lie on top of them, or their faces may be held so they can be forced to engage in prolonged eye contact. Sessions may last from 3 to 5 hours, with some sessions reportedly lasting longer."</p><p><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_therapy" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_therapy</a></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/tuv0k/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tuv0k</a></p>To See What Nobody Has Ever Seen
<p>Cave diving accidents. They're always tragic and sad and insanely common in the community due to the dangers of cave diving. </p><p>But they have been to some of the most untouched areas of Earth and I kind of get the need to keep exploring even if it's dangerous.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/effietea/" target="_blank">effietea</a></p>Basically True Crime Docs
<p>I have fallen down 2, both lasted about a week.</p><p>First was John/Jane Does who have never been claimed or identified.</p><p>Second was people who have disappeared without a trace. I feel this one tugged more on my emotional strings, especially stories involving kids. One that has stuck with me is a little boy who disappeared on a Scout hike, Jared Negrete. That is one of my greatest fears when I take kids hiking.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Smart-Connection6154/" target="_blank">Smart-Connection6154</a></p>TW: School Shootings
<p>I did a bit of research about school shootings around the world, from Columbine to the most recent one in Mexico at the time. It was terrifying to read the survivor's testimonies, I just imagined what would I do if that happened in my school, and ended up crying thinking about my little brothers' fate in those circumstances. </p><p>Also, the statistical analysis and studies about the topic are unnerving, since they seem to be more frequent globally every year.</p><p>And I hated getting to know about those groups that praise shooters. I would prefer if I didn't know those exist, it's frustrating</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/JChavez29/" target="_blank">JChavez29</a></p>The Dangers Of Tall Mountains
<p>Deaths on Mt. Everest and how a lot of the bodies are still up there. This was a wiki rabbit hole I fell into after listening to the Casefile episode on David Sharp. </p><p>Read not only about him but also green boots, this couple that got separated, etc. Due to the extremely cold temperatures, the bodies aren't that decomposed so they still look recent even though it's been years or decades. It's creepy and sad. Some bodies have been there so long they are used as markers for climbers. </p><p>What is also sad is that there have been efforts to remove them, but doing so is extremely dangerous because of the altitude, temperatures, and uneven ground. People have died attempting it in the past. Not sure if they've managed to succeed since I last read about it in 2018.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/NerdyGirlChicago/" target="_blank">NerdyGirlChicago</a></p>Why Make Up An Even Worse Timeline?!
<p>A sci fi timeline pdf I found awhile back, I think it was on the world building sub. It was a timeline of humanity that started it off relatively normal detailing human evolution as they colonized mars and the stars beyond. It descended into body horror when they came in to contact with a advanced race that for some reason I forget gene modded the majority of humans into non sentient species and seeded them across the galaxy. </p><p>It then went into great detail with each of these species separately and their climb back to sentience. It ended with one of the new humans that evolved back to sentience standing beside a original human skull. I haven't been able to find it since but sh*t got dark.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Deepfriedsalad/" target="_blank">Deepfriedsalad</a></p>Her
<p>There's this guy on Facebook I wish I could remember his name but he married his sex doll and has photos together of them everywhere at first I thought it was a troll account but the more I looked the creepier it got. </p><p>The dates on the photos dated back years and he showed off his dolls wardrobe and all the Possessions he had of hers and then... there were multiple "friend" accounts of different sex dolls on his page that's completely public but genuinely the weirdest part to me was that he lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere like imagine if someone accidentally ended up there.. </p><p>Edit : I spent an hour last night looking for it and surprisingly it's apparently more common than I thought wtf is wrong with people anyways I'll look some more today because it was a viral share</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/KateTheBestMate/" target="_blank">KateTheBestMate</a></p>Image by Felix Lichtenfeld from Pixabay |
Years ago a young woman told me about her grandmother, who had survived a home invasion in South Africa. It was a very unsettling story. Her grandmother was never the same afterward and became consumed by paranoia. There is something so horrible about having your home violated like that, of feeling like you'll never be safe again, even in a space that's supposed to be your sanctuary from the outside world. The young woman confessed that the thought of going through something similar continues to scare the hell out of her and honestly, I can't blame her. It's a frightening thought.
After Redditor Kingofthelosers asked the online community, "What are you terribly afraid of?" people shared their stories.
"Being randomly killed..."
<p>Being randomly killed or abducted and tortured.</p><p>Basically, I'm most afraid of people, because while most people are inherently good, there are a few who aren't - and all it takes is being in the wrong place at the wrong time.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/govy1w4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">immortalpinecones</a></p>"People look at me..."
<p>Losing my mind. People look at me like I'm crazy, but I'm legitimately afraid of losing myself and becoming crazy.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/gowikv8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Taylor12142</a></p>"I've never been in such an accident..."
<p>Driving off-road into a body of water and being stuck in the car as the water level inside rises. I've never been in such an accident, I've never known anyone who has been in such an accident, but somehow this fear has been with me for a very long time. And this has only gotten worse since having kids because now I picture them strapped into their car seats behind me as the water level rises.</p><p><span></span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/govxej1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">angeliqu</a></p>Terrifying. Utterly terrifying.
<p>Anytime I see this in a film, it unsettles me.</p><p>Then I see movies like <em>I Care a Lot</em>, which somehow managed to take something very scary and make it ridiculous.</p>"There's no way..."
<p>Being falsely accused of a crime. The power of the State against little broke me. There's no way I don't lose in this situation.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/gowskxf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">DuvalHeart</a></p>"Rather than risk failing..."
<p><span>Failure. My fear of failure can be crippling. Rather than risk failing, I all out avoid situations where I might fail. I hate it but self-doubt really kills my ability to accomplish anything in life.</span></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/govtosz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">​SavingsBall_6548</a></p>This is all too relatable.
<p>I remember feeling this way when I was younger. It was paralyzing. Thankfully, time and age has been kind to me. I'm so different now. Hopefully things improve for this person.</p>"If I ever go back..."
<p>Dying in a plane crash. I can picture it so perfectly - the way the air would be pulled out of your lungs as you scream, the feeling of weightlessness warring with extreme gravity depending on the way you're falling, and the certain knowledge that you are about to die horribly.</p><p>I moved to Europe and haven't visited anyone in the states in about 5 years. If I ever go back, I'm looking into finding some sort of passenger ship if it exists.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/gox497c?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Lulu_42</a></p>"I don't know why."
<p>Fire drills. I don't know why. I have always had an irrational fear of them. Once the alarm goes off, it's fine, but it's like the anticipation that freaks me out. School was genuinely hard because of it and I know I can never be a teacher. That's okay though because I never wanted to be one.</p><p><span></span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/gow0io4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">whowhatwherewhenwhy6</a></p>Fire drills––any drills, really––have a way of amplifying your nerves.
<p>Growing up in the Columbine and post-Columbine world, fire drills and shooting drills were a way of life. And yes, they sucked.</p>"I've had sleep paralysis..."
<p>Losing control of my body. I've had sleep paralysis and I've been physically restrained/drugged in a dangerous situation, that kind of helplessness is just the most awful feeling in the world. My worst nightmare would be living in that state permanently.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/gowwc5i?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">bijou_x</a></p>"I just can't do it."
<p>Sleep facing a mirror. I just can't do it. I will cover the mirror with a blanket if it is facing the bed. It just freaks me out.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/gowzaqu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Nails_jello_2_a_tree</a></p>"But imagine..."
<p>Most people would want to die in their sleep when they're super old. But imagine being 95 or so, and night after night having to go to sleep and not knowing if you'll wake up the next morning.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lt7b0z/serious_what_are_you_terribly_afraid_of/goxb7he?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">mrderpfrog</a></p>How do we face our fears?
<p>That's not an easy question to answer. Thankfully, time and experience can teach you a lot about yourself and what you can handle. It's a big world and there's so much we still don't know about it. The least we can do is take care of ourselves and try to live in it.</p><p>Have some of your stories to share? Feel free to write about them in the comments below.</p>There are few things more satisfying than a crisp $20 bill. Well, maybe a crisp $100 bill.
But twenty big ones can get you pretty far nonetheless.
Whether it's tucked firmly in a birthday card, passing from hand to hand after a knee-jerk sports bet, or going toward a useful tool, the old twenty dollar bill has been used for countless purposes.
Breaking EvenÂ
<p>"I got a jacket and a pair of jeans at goodwill for about $20. My first time wearing the jacket I found a tiny zipper inside a pocket."</p><p>"There was a secret inner pocket with a twenty in it."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpdv70q?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">TheBrontosaurus</a></p>Keeps On GivingÂ
<p>"23 Years ago I was in the US for some work and was not prepared for the cold of Chicago. Went to wal-mart and bought myself a cheap, warm jacket."</p><p>"I'm wearing that jacket right now - still looks fine, still keeps me warm."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpe41xv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">TastyEnd</a></p>As Good As They ComeÂ
<p>"Wool pinstripe double breasted suit from Goodwill, fit perfectly and was brand new. Ended up wearing it to get married the next year." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpdw6mx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">verminiusrex</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"God I love Goodwill!!" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpe5aee?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Neverthelilacqueen</a></p>The Socks She Needed
<p>"I work at a thrift shop. A homeless lady came in and asked us where the socks were. We only sell new socks, so I directed her towards the new socks and she was... shocked and disappointed by the price tag, surely."<br></p><p>"I gave her a moment as she looked, and she moved to some kids' socks and picked them up, and I... just couldn't let that happen. I told her that I would help her, and told her to get herself some socks and a jacket."</p><p>"She kind of just... held out the children's socks, so I took them, put them back, and grabbed the extra fluffy socks that were hanging."</p><p>"She grabs a jacket and some pants, and I pay for it. My coworker looks the other way since we're not supposed to purchase anything while on the clock. The lady is in tears as she walks out."</p><p>"I notice that she's still outside a minute later putting them on, and ask her if they fit her or if she needed something else; and she told me they were perfect and proceeded to cry. I cried in return."</p><p>"It was a good day."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpen3w1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Snowodin</a></p>Not ForgottenÂ
<p>"A guy came into my work when I managed a mom and pop Pizza Place. He said he was stranded with no phone, and no money, but that the people at the Verizon store next door to us said they could get him a cheap phone with some minutes on it for 20 bucks."</p><p>"He offered to do dishes for a few hours to make some money so he could get this phone. I told him not to worry about it and gave him a 20 from my wallet. He thanked me, asked me for my name, and then he left and I never saw him again."</p><p>"Skip forward about 5 months, and when I get into work the owner was there and said she had gotten a letter addressed to me. 'Weird,' I thought."</p><p>"But when I opened it there was a 50 dollar bill and a short note from the guy I gave 20 dollars to thanking me for my kindness and for not turning him away."</p><p>"Turns out he was in a bad way (addicted to hard drugs and homeless) and really was stranded there. He was trying to get a phone so he could contact his parents (who lived in another state) for help."</p><p>"From what it sounded like, he seemed to really turn his life around. He was clean and working a stable job while still living with his parents."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpem2xc?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Mixmaster-McGuire</a></p>The Best FinaleÂ
<p>"It was the day before payday. My wife came to see me at work. My break was in an hour, so I asked for her to wait a bit, so we could enjoy it together. She did."</p><p>"I bought her some lunch, because it was what I could afford. I bought her a ham and cheese sub sandwich and two iced teas. These were her favorite. I bought gas with the rest of the twenty so she could get home. She dropped me back off at work."</p><p>"That night, she passed away. It brings me comfort to know that I bought her favorite sandwich and drink for her that afternoon. It was likely the last thing she ate, since it was near dinner. I'll never forget it. Best $20 I ever spent, because it was for her."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpe9c6d?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">LollipopDreamscape</a></p>Leaning Into the NerderyÂ
<p>"It was my ninth or tenth birthday. My grandparents gave me $20. The first $20 bill I ever held in my hand! I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it."</p><p>"A week later, we went into the city and Toys R Us. I went straight to the Transformers aisle. And there he was. My favourite Transformer. The one I always wanted...Soundwave."</p><p>"He's the one who turned into a Walkman and he could eject cassettes that turned into robot animals. The price tag said $19.99. It was meant to be."</p><p>"I took Soundwave to the clerk and gave her my $20 bill. "And here's your change!" she said, as she gave me a single penny."</p><p>"Ah, Soundwave. The best friend a lonely little nerd could have."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpdzzxe?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">originalchaosinabox</a></p>Different TimeÂ
<p>"I went to a Rush concert in 1982. The ticket was $9.50 and the t-shirt was $10." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpdyr0k?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">PaulsRedditUsername</a></p>Motivational SpendingÂ
<p>"My then six year old niece had a loose tooth she loved to show off and had resisted pulling out for two weeks. We were all at my parents and I was getting ready to leave, I pulled out a $20 and said 'I'll give you this right now if you pull out your tooth.' "</p><p>"She was already crying because her little sister had did something so when she ran into the bathroom none of us had no idea in what she was about to do."</p><p>"So she comes out crying still, but a little bit of blood I'm her mouth because of course, she pulled out her tooth. But the now removed tooth fell down the drain to the sink and she was crying because she lost her proof!"</p><p>"After she calmed down she was happy as a clam with a brand new $20 and everyone was quite proud of her. My sister told me she spent it on candy and shared with her little sister."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpdxi4k?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">themasimumdorkus</a></p>For the StoryÂ
<p>"It was actually to a scammer in Rome. There was this guy right outside of Colosseum who started tying strings around my wrist and told me to make a wish. I knew it was going to cost but I thought what the hell, last day in Rome so might as well go with it. </p><p>"My wish was to find love."</p><p>"I spent rest of the day getting lost in the city and stumbled across two weddings and one baptism ceremony. So I did find love, just not for myself."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lvu5aq/whats_the_best_20_you_ever_spent/gpe7b2w?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">FatalFinn</a></p>I realize that school safety has been severely compromised and has been under dire scrutiny over the past decade and of course, it should be. And when I was a student, my safety was one of my greatest priorities but, some implemented rules under the guise of "safety" were and are... just plain ludicrous. Like who thinks up some of these ideas?
Redditor u/Animeking1108 wanted to discuss how the education system has ideas that sometimes are just more a pain in the butt than a daily enhancement... What was the dumbest rule your school enforced?