A stranger’s kindness touched my life: Was it you?
Several years ago I traveled by myself for the first time out of state to Florida to visit my Uncle. It was my first time by myself in an airport, on a plane, and it was going to be the most memorable trip of all. It was also to be the first of many times a stranger’s kindness touched my life and the first one that changed my heart forever.
I drove to the hotel next to the airport and sat by myself in the hotel room nervously wondering why I was watching “Why Planes Crash” on the Weather Channel just hours before my flight.
Scared… I took the early morning hotel shuttle and sat beside a man who was flying home to WA. He stated that he was only in town working for CBS Sports and he was anxiously wanting to get back. We chatted a little more on our short ride and I told him that I had no idea where I was going when I got into the airport. When we arrived, he walked me through it and as he was heading to his boarding area, he pointed that mine was up the way just a bit, so I said “Thank you” and off I went.
As I was nestled into checking my Facebook and waiting to board, out of the corner of my eye I saw him walking by. He was past his boarding area. He was past the food kiosk. He was past the bathrooms. He appeared to be looking for something. I figured maybe he was checking… you know… making sure I got to the right place and that I was safe. Sure enough, he caught me looking at him, he winked, and he turned around and headed back to his boarding area. I knew it. I thought, “How absolutely thoughtful from a complete stranger”. I wanted to again find him and thank him… but I never saw him again.
Did you ever hear the song “Angels Among Us” by Alabama?… It was that kind of moment.
Fast forward several years… I was attending an off-road rock crawling event with a couple of my friends. I needed a break as I was under a great deal of stress from a divorce, a new relationship, a new home and a myriad of other small events occurring in my life. It was hard but I was determined to not let the little things bother me and I was going to have a good time. The event had a low turnout, poor food, and it was just not that spectacular except for watching a few buggies almost go over the edges of the rocks.
I was watching a Jeep crawling over a large boulder and as he was just about to lose it and go over the edge, a larger woman stepped right in front of me completely blocking my view. I made a comment… something to the effect of “how rude” but I didn’t think she heard… but she did. Instead of turning around and cussing me out for my apparent rudeness, she turned, was VERY pregnant, looked at me, smiled, and said in the sweetest, quietest, most pleasant voice ever, “I’m sorry. That’s my husband.” At the time I felt so incredibly awful that I just wanted to crawl under one of those big rocks, years later, I just wanted to thank her for her kindness, but I never saw her again.
Kindness, it costs nothing but means everything
Baz Gale
I’ve never forgotten either of those moments. I’ve never forgotten either of these two beautiful people. Their faces are blurred in my memory, their names I have no clue, but their impact on me has been enormous. These amazing people are the benchmarks for the type of person I strive to become, the type I strive to emulate on a daily basis, and the type I strive to reflect onto others. Sometimes I fail. I catch myself thinking or reacting in a way that I shouldn’t, but I try to catch myself, stop, regroup, and remember them.
February 17th is Random Kindness Day and was first created in Denver, Colorado in 1995.
“Research has shown that the very act of doing something for someone else gives us a chemical high…”
DaysOfTheYear.com
It feels wonderful and extremely liberating to be kind in a rude world.
Join me to take a moment today and every day to:
- Stop and help someone when you see them struggling
- Help load groceries into an elderly person’s car
- Help someone reaching for something on a store shelf
- Help someone confused find that jar of Maraschino Cherries in the grocery store (this would probably be me-I can’t find ANYTHING)
- Smile, make eye contact, and say “Hello” to a complete stranger
- Say “Please” and “Thank you”
- Open and hold a door for someone
- If you see the car beside yours is out of time on the meter, put a coin in it for them
- Write encouraging words on post-it notes and stick them around the office for others to find (this works great on products at the Walmart, Target, and at Lowe’s. Imagine reaching to buy a bottle of shampoo and finding a note on the bottom that says “You’re beautiful”).
- Instead of admiring someone’s dress, tell them how beautiful you think it is
- Let a stranger cut in front of you in line
- Pay it forward – Pay for the person’s order behind you at Dunkin Donut
- Take a treat to work to share with your co-workers… just because…
- If someone says something rude to you, smile and react positively, and
- Do something kind for yourself.
These are random acts of kindness and we don’t see them too often. Therefore when the receiver (just as I did at the airport and at the off-road event) experiences kindness, it leaves a lasting memory that could change their life. You may not immediately see the result that your impact has on others (and this may be the biggest pill to swallow in our society – we like that gratification), but it WILL touch someone’s life even if it is just your own.
Being kind doesn’t mean you’re weak. You’re not a pushover or naive. You can still stand-up for what you believe in, be strong, and be independent. You are just being kind. Do it deliberately. Do it without reason.
“It’s easy being positive” said no one… EVER. You may fail or even catch yourself thinking or reacting in a negative way. This is absolutely normal and it is within our comfort zone so we expect that in others as well. This is why a random act of kindness really catches our attention, touches our heart, and gives meaning to our existence. It is NOT what we expect to happen. It feels amazing and is something we need to share with our children. How easy are these ideas to teach to our kids. Even better yet, be the example for your kids by showing them the importance of kindness. It’s such a great way to help mold and shape inspiring, thoughtful, and considerate children.
So now I ask… by either being the stranger doing a random act of kindness… or the one being impacted by a random act –
Was it you?
Have you been touched by a random act of kindness? Did you see someone else receive an act of kindness?… How did they feel? How did you feel? Please share your kindness experiences in the comments below. I’d love to hear them… and…
Thanks for stopping by –
~Sue 😊
Oh I love this! Such a great reminder, especially when as a whole we are focused on ourselves. Small acts of kindness have such a large impact…and we just don’t know how far they will reach.
I love this! I find so much enjoyment is doing something nice for others. Especially when they least expect it! Great share that everyone should read
It’s amazing what a little bit of kindness can do.
Yes it is.
I love, love, love that list of ideas! Great challenge that I hope I can meet. I also love that you have those stories cemented in your memory (I think we all have one or two of those) ~ what a great reminder to be kind, smile and look out for others.
Great perspective! I love the idea of Random Acts of Kindness. I have enjoyed days of doing random acts of kindness with my Girl Scout troop and I know the girls enjoyed it too!
I remember my Girl Scout days… ahhh… such happy memories. I’m sure they really enjoyed it and I’m glad you could share in it with them 🙂
This is so wonderful! Small acts of kindness will go a long way! Thank you for sharing.
Yes they will… indeed!. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Kindness is everything, isn’t it. I love that those strangers have stuck with you.
Yes it is. Something so little… is everything. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Great reminders. And not to take ourselves too seriously. I have a niece who says if there isn’t any sunshine, then she will be the sunshine. So profound but why. Thanks.
We could all use people like your niece in our lives… That way there is ALWAYS sunshine. 🙂
I love this whole post. I never thought about the goal of doing random acts of kindness for 365 days, but that’s awesome! I’m going to focus on that. The whole lookout of my day changes when I receive kindness from someone else. I don’t really remember anything big, just even people being friendly to me and not rude makes a big difference.
Thank you. Kindness really makes a bad day seem… well… not so bad after all. It really sometimes is just the little things that are huge. I was just at the Walmart getting dog food and a man showed up behind me and offered to put the bag in my vehicle. First thing he said was “that’s like a 50 pound bag. I thought how in the hell is she going to get that in…”. Of course I was grateful. It made my day 🙂
I always told my kids that it costs nothing to be kind….even when people aren’t kind back. My youngest gets so upset when she holds the door for someone and they don’t say thank you. She’d later joke, “They skipped the manners class in school.”
Unfortunately a lot of people skipped that class. Tell her to keep emphasizing them. I’m proud of her… and you for teaching them to her. <3
Love positive uplifting moments. They make every day better.
I love them too. Happy moments make for happy days… happy days make for happy people… happy people make a happy world.
This post makes me want to run out to do a RAK. Thank you for sharing!
Go for it… just walk tho. I’d hate for you to run…trip… and hurt yourself. lol
Love love love this! Random acts of kindness really do go a long way and start to spiral in the most interesting directions to bring more positivitey into the world! Thank you for sharing this story it warms my heart!
It always surprises me when I do something for a stranger “just because & they are always at first so surprised. Nothing brings more joy than giving to others.
The surprised look says something about society… The act of doing something nice is a great feeling but to see that look… well that is just the icing on the cake. It fills the heart with love.
This is a great story and a good reminder to be kind..thanks for sharing!
Thanks. Kindness is wonderful.
You never know how your kindness can effect someone! My husband and I were going through some car troubles last year. One day when I checked the mail, there was an envelope with no return address, and check made out to us for $400 with a note saying it was to help with fixing our car! I was so touched that I started crying (pregnancy hormones may have helped with that). I will never forget that kindness. I have no idea who sent it, but wish I did so I could profusely thank them!
OMG… that is awesome. I wish too you could find them again to thank them (I know exactly how you feel). Pregnancy hormones or not… I’d by crying like a little baby… that’s a lifetime memory of loving kindness.
I wonder sometimes when I’m out and struggling to do something. That there would be an act of kindness. The other day, I was struggling with the trolley. Then, someone came over and helped me.
Yes they don’t happen all the time. Sometimes I think “Where were you the other day when I REALLY needed you…” but I think that’s what makes RAK so touching…
This is an area that I admit I need to work on. I want to be more kind to people every day. We are here to love one another and sometimes we take things and people for granted and don’t show any love. I wish every day was Random Act Of Kindness Day. Lovely post!
Thank you. Wouldn’t it be AMAZING if every day was Random Act of Kindness Day… 🙂
one of my FAVORITE things are random acts of kindness! I feel like SANTA!!!
That’s great Santa… and kindness is FREE so everyday can FEEL like Christmas <3
I try to ask my children everyday, what did you do nice today? I think it helps them think of others.
That’s a great habit to do. Asking them everyday does help them think of ways to be kind to others, but also to understand there is a certain ‘importance’ to kindness because you ask them daily… They will remember that for life and hopefully pass that habit on to their children. You are molding generations.
I’ve had similar experiences. I’ve had people show me kindness and I’ve said things that also make me want to crawl under a rock. It always feels better to show kindness.
Agreed… under the rock is not a happy place.
What a lovely story-thank you for sharing.
Thank you for stopping by.
What a touching story! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for stopping by.
Yes, random acts of kindness could mean the world to people! You never know just by how much you can turn someone’s day around by being humble and kind.
Absolutely. It made a great song too by Tim McGraw. Words to live by. <3
What a wonderful story!
Thank you.
Beautiful post! I participate in random kindness day every year, and now o make sure I try to do it daily!
Thank you. I think that would be awesome. I want to do it daily too… I’m starting to practice once or twice a week and work up to it.
Beautiful message! I have tried to do the same and have had them happen as well. It reminds us all that people are truly better than the news tells us!
The news DOES make it seem that the world can be a horrible place. They are so political and fear-based and people just eat that up. I stopped watching it a long time ago (except for the weather of course…lol) and now I feel much happier and less stressed. People are doing great things all the time, all over the world, and they NEVER make the news. That’s sad.
Nice reminders to just be kind.
Yes… and we all need a few from time to time. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Such a wonderful story. It reminds us all not to take situations for granted.
Yes – absolutely… situations OR people. 🙂