MONIQUE SLIEDRECHT: Acts of kindness have the power to lift all of us up
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The other day while travelling I experienced four small but precious acts of kindness which have given me a new perspective.
I was en-route to the ferry, and was pulling along a suitcase which was rather cumbersome.
At the local museum, the person at the desk offered to keep my luggage in her office while I viewed the print exhibition and even whilst I ran a few errands in town. Her quiet thoughtfulness lightened my load that day.
On my way back from getting groceries, I briefly stopped in a charity shop.
The books were on sale and I picked one up that immediately caught my eye – Elements of Drawing by Ruskin. It was only 60p. As I went to the counter to pay, I suddenly realised I didn’t have any change as I had just given it to the museum!
I mumbled something within hearing, and a voice piped up behind me: “I’ll pay. I’m a taxi driver and I get tips all the time. Here you go.” A small thing in some ways, but I was very touched.
When I got to the bus station I noticed how thirsty I was. I had forgotten to get something to drink. I ran across to the nearby service station and found a cold bottle of water in a fridge, remembering that all I had was my card and no change.
When I mentioned this to the man he said not to worry – it was on him!
A second unexpected gesture of kindness which warmed my heart. I thanked him and took a large gulp.
Then I got on the bus. The driver recognised me from an earlier trip that morning and when I mentioned where I was going, he said it was OK, there was no need to buy a ticket.
Four instances of kindness that day!
It’s the small things in life that can make a big difference, and it doesn’t have to cost us much. These acts of kindness can extend beyond our family or close friends into society and the everyday, just like they did for me. I was shown kindness by complete strangers and it altered my overall sense of wellbeing.
I once met a very old lady who was celebrating 65 years of very happy marriage. When asked why she chose her husband, she said simply: “He was kind”.
Kindness is an unsung virtue, a small word reflecting a whole outlook on life.
There is a big sign hanging in the Thurso Youth Club with the word ‘KIND’ painted in bold. This speaks volumes in today’s world.
In what ways can we share a kind act today?
Some ideas:
n Engage in conversation with a shop assistant when paying at the till;
n Have a clear out and take items to a charity shop;
n Make a cup of tea for your colleagues;
n Say good morning;
n Let someone jump the queue at the supermarket;
n Let a fellow driver merge into your lane;
n Pick up some rubbish lying around in the street;
n Plant a tree;
n Save a spider...
Nature offers us many kindnesses. We just need to step outside and look, to really see what is around us. While nature has proved consistently kind, supplying us with beauty and resource, we have not been so kind to our world. Technology and advancement, selfishness and greed are costing us the earth.
Yet it costs us very little to return the kindnesses we have been given. To show kindness to others, and to the world around us is also a wonderful gift to ourselves.
The Mental Health Foundation website has these words on its intro page: Doing good does you good.
Let’s do what the sign in Thurso Youth Club says and choose to be KIND. We have nothing to lose from this, and so much to gain.
