Not for the first time, I'm sure, have you looked at the title for a post and wondered, "What the hell is she going on about?" I have a point, strangely enough.
Usually I spend my days out and about seeing the sights, come back to the hostel, grab a bite to eat, write my post for the blog, and upload the pictures. Usually after all that, I e-mail mom back and forward for awhile each night. It's a routine, and I get to talk to mom and sort of keep up on what's going on at home, etc...
Well, I was e-mailing her last night and had something occur to me in the process. On this trip - no matter how "alone" I've been doing it, I've nearly always had help. And because the only people I know over here are strangers, my only help has been from strangers.
Without even realizing it, I've had a quote running around in my head from the movie Valentine's Day. "Love is the most shocking act left on Earth." How (almost) very true. I would challenge the great writers of Hollywood to add "kindness" into that statement. I have been amazed at the immense kindness I've encountered. I work in retail: if you want to find out the make of a person, work behind a counter where people really don't give a -- sorry for the profanity -- shit, about you and treat you however they feel they can. Very rarely do I ever see kindness.
I realize it's idealistic but wouldn't it be great if every person put in even a fraction of the kindness I've been shown by strangers into their lives? Wouldn't that really make the world better. If everyone tried to be a bit kinder -- donate one more can of food to the foodshelf, help the old lady/man cross the street, let a mother with small children, who's clearly in a hurry, go first in line?
I find myself being more aware of others and trying to see if there is anything I can do for them. Not because I get something out of it, but because I would like to, in some way, repay the universe for the hospitality I've been shown.
So, my wonderful, devoted followers, friends, family, while it's definately not homework (because lets face it, homework sucks), I just want to challenge everyone to look for even a small opportunity to do something kind for someone else today, tomorrow, next week, whenever. I think sometimes we get so isolated in our own small portion of the world we forget there are other people who need a helping hand occassionally.
I don't know how my trip would have gone if someone wouldn't have helped me. I know it would have worked out, but this was so much nicer. I've been that person who needed help. Even having someone to talk with was a relief.
Well, that's the thought for the day. I'll post later with my first exploration of Dublin! Love you and have a fabulous day!
I know you said you feel like you're on a "good luck" meter that's going to run out. That's not it at all. You've suddenly become aware, in a very personal and grateful way, of the kindness of strangers. Because of that, you're going to become one of those people who extends a helping hand to someone in need, even if it's in the smallest of ways. And that's how you keep your meter from running out. You just put it back out there! You're amazing! I'd love to take credit for that, being your mom, but sadly, I cannot. It's all you honey!
ReplyDeleteYou should take credit for it. Remember, it's half yours. Including the bad stuff I get to tell my eventual shrink about.
ReplyDeleteBut it is good. And I do think we need to be more aware of other people. I know even now, I see people struggling and even if I can't help, I ask if I can. Sometimes it's nice just to have someone to work it out with.
This is something that I was SOOO impressed with when Brian was in Europe also! People opened up their homes to him! They let him ride with them in their cars when they knew he missed the train! They offered him sunglasses when they learned he had lost his (albeit they were God-Awful-Ugly....but still!)And this is only a few things that strangers did. They were AMAZING! Why is it so hard for us to do this type of thing in the states?
ReplyDeleteI'll whole-heartedly will take you up on your 'challenge!" If we all do this it will make our little slice on this earth a little nicer. Besides, I view it as 'paying it forward' for the kindness that was shown to both you and Brian.
Peace.
It's incredible. When Charlotte helped me with the train stuff from Genoa to Paris, I kept telling her, "I can't believe how nice you're being to me. You don't even know me." And all she said was "If I really needed help, I'd expect that someone would help me." Her friend Christoph said the same thing.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to focus outside of our bubble: sometimes I think we get in such a routine and caught up in our day to day and what's happening there, we forget there is a world around us. Like I said, I know it's idealistic, but people remember an act of kindness. And I think they think about it when they have an opportunity to help someone else.