They just seemed to appear. I did not know their names. It was a gentle touch or a kind word. It may have been only a small gesture to them although it made a big impact in my day and in my life.
The tow truck driver who came to the rescue when my car broke down on a busy highway, smoke coming out of the hood of my car. I had two very young girls with me, one who made sure her precious “Mr. Bear” was tossed out of the car first, saved from certain peril. While transporting the three of us and our vehicle to the garage, this kind man first stopped to buy the girls treats, snacks and drinks. He turned a stressful day into a fun adventure, especially for these two little girls.
The lady sitting next to us at the Michael Jackson 3D show. Many hours of nonstop amusement park rides resulted in our 7 year old having an upset stomach. To our little girl’s embarrassment, she became ill on the lady sitting beside us. This very kind lady discretely joined us in the bathroom to tidy herself and help us. She was thoughtful and concerned. She helped turn an awkward, embarrassing moment into something minor and now it is a funny story we continue to share.
The lady that seemed to appear out of nowhere when I had a meltdown in the school washroom and I could not stop crying. It was the first trimester of an intensive school year. I was overwhelmed with the demands of school work, homework, lack of sleep and raising a young family. No words were exchanged. She stopped and gave me a big hug. I will never forget that hug and how it made me feel. I could now pick myself up and go on with my day, my morale bolstered by that spontaneous act of love from someone I had never met before and whose name I will never know.
Many strangers have made a difference in my life. Their acts of kindness have strengthened and renewed my spirit, oftentimes when I needed it the most.
Since I cannot go back in time, I can thank them by remembering, sharing and paying it forward. Hopefully, I will make the difference in someone’s day and ultimately in their life.
Behind the Scenery 
Isn’t it incredible when a stranger takes the risk and puts themselves out there to demonstrate kindness that is kindness of the best type, which means, it is anonymous, as you say, we often don’t even know the persons name. When kindness comes from a person you do not know, it makes us view strangers in a very different light.. And hopefully we can all be that kind of stranger. Going out of our way to be helpful when someone needs it whether we know them or not. Some specifics come to mind, like the day the front wheel of our car literally spun off while ww were living in Nicaragua. Within minutes, two men appeared out of nowhere to make sure we were okay and they had chased the wheel to retrieve it and return it and not only that, they replaced it on our car. No request for payment just a pure act of kindness. As you say, the best part of random acts of kindness, is that we can play them forward and start the process all over again.
Peta
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Hi Peta, I am delayed in my responses/comments since I had the privilege of attending the miracle of childbirth. A new little grandson, “Liam.” A flurry of activity around our home.
Interesting how this post surfaced recently. One of my original posts, where I did not know there was a button to toggle for comments. Yet, all of our stories are close to our heart.
Your comment is very insightful. The concept of us viewing strangers in a different light. The incidences may possibly resonate with us more since they are rare? They were also emotionally-charged periods in my life.
Your story about the men in Nicaragua and the pure act of kindness brought tears to my eyes. These are not the stories that make the headlines.
I love how you say, pay them forward. Thank you for your thoughtful response, Peta. xx
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