It is easy to feel like the world is becoming colder. Online we often see people fighting or acting selfishly which makes it hard to stay positive. However when we look closely at real life we can see that kindness & love happen every day in small quiet acts. These moments usually happen when no one is watching.
One night while working the late shift at a small pharmacy an elderly man came in with a prescription. When I told him the price he stared at his worn-out wallet repeatedly opening & closing it as if searching for a twenty-dollar bill. I could tell he couldn’t afford it so I told him to wait for a moment and went to pay for it myself. Two weeks later he returned with a handwritten note and a small green plant in a clay pot. He said that because of that medicine he was finally able to sleep again. That plant still sits on my windowsill to this day.
One day I went to an animal shelter to donate some old blankets. While I was there I noticed a young boy probably around ten years old sitting on the cold floor reading aloud to a dog. I asked him what he was doing and he told me the dog inside seemed lonely and scared so he thought the dog might enjoy hearing a story. The woman at the front desk told me he came every Saturday to read to the shy animals. That boy is making a difference in the lives of these animals and his simple act of kindness doesn’t go unnoticed.
On another occasion I mistakenly sent a large sum of money to the wrong person through a phone app. It was my rent money and I was panicking. I immediately messaged the stranger hoping they were a good person. Within two minutes my phone buzzed and the man had returned the money. He told me he understood how stressful it must have been and wanted to fix it right away. His kind words stayed with me long after the money was returned.
There was a time when I had a terrible day and ended up crying in a clothing store dressing room. Nothing seemed to fit and I just felt terrible about myself. Suddenly I heard a soft knock on the door followed by a small chocolate bar sliding under it. No words were spoken just the sound of someone walking away. That small gesture of kindness made me feel less alone even though I never saw the person’s face.
Once I was at a wedding where I didn’t know anyone. I felt awkward just sitting at a table and looking at my phone. An older woman noticed me and came over to sit with me. She spoke to me like we had known each other for years & introduced me to her family and made sure I had a plate of food. She even pulled me out to dance when a fun song came on. That woman turned what could have been a lonely night into a joyful memory.
At work my coworker realized that I was skipping lunch every day to save money. One day she sat down and shared a large container of pasta with me saying she cooked too much and didn’t want it to go to waste. She continued doing this every day. Later I found out she was waking up early to cook extra food just for me. Her selflessness helped me get through tough days.
During a delivery shift one rainy night I delivered food to a house. A little boy answered the door and handed me a folded piece of paper with the payment. After I returned to my car I opened it. The note was a drawing with the words “Thank you for bringing dinner to people.” He had written that his mom told him I was a hero for helping hungry families. It had been a tough week for me but that note made me cry happy tears.
Once I lost my wallet at a busy market & didn’t realize until I got home. It had my ID and cards & all my cash. About an hour later there was a knock at my door. A man was standing there holding my wallet. He had found my address on my ID and driven all the way to return it. He wouldn’t accept any money as a reward. He just smiled & said he hoped someone would do the same for him if he lost his things.
On another occasion I was at a bookstore admiring a beautiful book about art that I wanted but couldn’t afford. A man standing nearby asked me if I liked the book and I told him how amazing it was but that I would have to wait until I saved enough money for it. He walked up to the front & bought it & handed it to me. He told me that books are meant to be read now and just walked out without saying another word. His kindness left a lasting impact on me.
When my pet bird flew out of an open window I thought I would never see him again. I posted about it online but I didn’t expect anyone to care about a small bird. To my surprise neighbors I had never met started helping. They printed flyers and walked through the park for hours and one man spent the whole evening calling my bird’s name in the trees. The next morning we found him thanks to their efforts. It was a beautiful reminder that kindness often comes from unexpected places.
Lastly I once found my best friend’s number saved in my husband’s phone as “Work.”It didn’t make sense so I confronted her and she started crying without being able to say anything. When I went through their messages I discovered they had been planning a surprise for me. They wanted to set up a small art studio because I had once mentioned I missed painting. I sat there & cried but for a completely different reason this time. It showed me that even when things look bad at first love and compassion are quietly working behind the scenes.
