Lovely strangers

If I asked you when the last time you showed kindness to a stranger could you answer honestly?

And yes I honestly mean a complete and random stranger. Take a minute to be honest with yourself as I am going to be in the next few minutes it I takes for you to read this post.

The last time I showed kindness to a stranger was probably during summer. My memory is far too terrible to remember the exact date but I can remember that it was my day off on a Friday and I was off running errands for my mum. It's regrettable and quite shaming that I can't tell you a sooner time but I'm going to change that. 

On that faithful Friday morning I was walking down to the small family run post office that was a short distance from my house not knowing that my day was about to rapidly change. As I approached the cash point a woman approached me and asked if I had any money. I can tell you that at this point I hid my card as I thought I was going to get mugged by the cute lady that stood before me- I was ready to bolt! Okay I probably exaggerated but looks can be deceiving people!

I quickly responded "no!" but what came out of the lady's mouth next shocked me. "I need help" she exclaimed. My better nature kicked in and I was all ready to help but I was still unsure of what I could do for her so I took her to the side and tried to get an explanation from her. She quickly apologised for her accent and the fact that her English wasn't great but I smiled and told her not to worry. From her bag she withdrew a bundle of papers and handed them to me, leaving the letter she wanted me to pay attention to at the top of the pile. I looked at it and just knew it wasn't something I could deal with on the street corner. So being incredibly trusting and somewhat stupid I invited the stranger to my house so that I could sit at a table and go through the paperwork properly. 10 minutes later a complete stranger was in my living room and I was offering her a cup of tea.

About half an hour had passed and I knew all about her,  her name, Marguerite, her family and her date of birth. I knew that she had no family here and that she is a sixty-year-old lady who was a grandma. (I promise you she didn't look a day over 40) A few forms later and a lots communicating through our hands and small sentences we finally got through it. I directed her to the offices that she had to visit and gave her a pretty awkward hug with lots of thank you on flying around. I had asked her if she was okay and she took out her purse and tried to give me some money. When I had refused and told her that I helped her because I wanted to she just looked at me and broke down in tears, she grabbed me and hugged me and continued to sob while telling me that I was the first person who had ever helped her in this country. 

Little did I know that little old me had changed her life in the last hour and the next forth coming weeks in more ways than I could have possibly imagined. She changed my life too. I learnt a lot about myself and how good giving to others could feel. 

As usual life continued, I haven't forgotten about Marguerite and she hasn't forgotten about me but being actively kind to others took a back seat for me in my crazy hectic life in the same way I'm  sure it does for many others, but a stranger reminded me yesterday.

I had lost my ID without even knowing until a gentleman knocked on my front door and explained to me how he had found it. He told me that he was going to post it but was frightened that I wouldn't receive it so instead he came to deliver it by hand. 

That gentleman restored some of the faith I've been loosing in humanity and he reminded never to forget to show kindness to others. Especially ones we don't know.

So put yourself in other people's position and treat them how you would like to be treated because karma has a funny way of surprising itself on you when you least expect it.

Smile at a stranger, give up your seat on the train or buy the homeless human you walk past everyday on your way to work a sandwich. 

Be the best person you can be, show humility and above all be humane. 

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