The Kindness of Strangers

It’s easy nowadays, to focus on all that’s wrong with the world. In fact, I can spend the better part of a day recounting the sins of the universe against me. But when something horrible happens, people surprise us with their courage, their compassion and their willingness to go beyond their own comfort to help those in need. In crises, it seems, our humanity finds its voice.  That’s, fortunately, undisputable.  It’s also true, however, that the kindness of strangers isn’t limited, at least in my life, to crises. 

Take the time I had a horrible migraine. I lived alone and it was late and night. I desperately wanted lemonade popsicles. No, not a weird craving, I’ve found they help with the nausea and also keep me mildly hydrated. So I dragged my soggy butt and aching head into my car and drove to a convenience store. I had my popsicles on the counter, when a wave of nausea struck. I raced from the shop and almost unended myself (I’m not very tall), vomiting into a garbage bin. As I crouched beside it, shaking and feverish, a woman approached me, gave me a bottle of water and some tissues – and walked away.

I was recently in Buenos Aires. I long way from home for an Aussie with fledgling Spanish. As I stood outside my hotel, perusing my map, a man approached and asked if he could help. As it turns out, he helped more than he imagined. Not only did he advise on the best sites to see, he also oriented my map. 

You see, I’m hopeless with directions. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I can tell someone where to go.  I simply have trouble finding my own way. In Lima, for example, I set off to find a park that was no more than three blocks from where I was staying…at least it was when I started out. A young woman was walking towards me and she very patiently interpreted my Spanish. She was, as it turned out, going my way, which co-incidentally was the opposite direction to the one I was currently travelling in. She chatted as we walked towards the park. When we got there, she gave me a warm and genuine hug. Chances are I will never see her again. 

I’ve had public transport drivers wait for me – ferries, trains, trams, buses – as I sprinted my way to their doors. I’ve had people in supermarket checkout queues push me and my one item ahead of their trolley.  

One morning, on the train to work, a man sitting a few rows ahead of me kept turning around to look at me. I felt uneasy, especially when he stood and sat in the seat in front of me. When I was getting off, he handed me a piece of paper. He told me that he wasn’t sure whether to give it to me because I might think he was weird. He’d written simply, “You have a very beautiful smile”. Well, he got another one as soon as I read it. Again, I have never seen him since. 

It’s so easy, nowadays to focus on what’s wrong with the world, admittedly there’s such a variety of things to choose from. Yet, there are good people right here, right now doing small, seemingly insignificant things that make the hugest impact to the recipients of those deeds. 

So I thank everyone who has touched my life with even the tiniest drop of kindness. I pay it forward, whenever and however I can. Most days this costs me nothing. I look a stranger in the eye and smile. More often than not, they smile back and we share a blissful moment of true connection. Sometimes, I admit they look at me and I know they’re wondering what the hell I’ve been up to that I’m quite so chirpy at such an early hour.  And that’s okay, because moments of merriment are far too fragile in this troubled world.  

May your life too, be filled with the kindness of strangers.