In our society, kindness is often mistaken for weakness.
Perhaps on a more subconscious level, even I have been guilty of harboring this attitude.
I was raised in an “eye for an eye” household; “killing with kindness” was not necessarily a golden rule. Even the idea of offering a helping hand to those in need was never really enforced; why should I help someone who has never done anything for me and who most likely won’t return the favor?
I wish I could say that I was only accidentally, implicitly taught these life lessons, but the reality is that many in my family had these attitudes and they were assertively imposed.
But recently, I’ve had an experience that has given me a whole new perspective on the strength of kindness as well as the amazing things it can do for people, thus shattering old notions from my childhood.
This year has been especially hard on me.
Essentially, I have lost most, if not all, financial support from my family, and recently I was left to my own devices to buy a car.
I am not above buying my own vehicle; however, the situation was made exceptionally difficult when I was forced to save up money within a few months, and on top of that was offered no help in actually finding something reliable.
Considering the fact that I have little to no experience with cars and that I have to make three hour trips home for breaks, this quickly became a stressful situation.
One day I managed to actually find what seemed like a decent vehicle, so I called a local car place to see if I could have a mechanic look at it before I decided to buy it.
I got in touch with an older gentleman who expressed immediate concern when I explained my situation to him.
I told him the details about my predicament in the hopes that he could direct me to sources that would ensure that I got a safe vehicle, especially for those long trips on the highway.
What I got instead took me by surprise.
The man, concerned that I had little help in finding a reliable vehicle, told me that he would help me out. He explained that he had friends who were car dealers, and that he could most definitely find me a cheap, reliable vehicle by the end of the school year.
I was visibly taken aback by the stranger’s willingness to help out someone he had never met.
After all, this man had no idea what I’d been through, or whether or not I’d ever be able to repay him for his kindness.
But upon getting to know him better, I’ve found that this isn’t a concern for him. He told me that he was simply treating me like he would his own kids and grandkids; he just wanted me to be safe.
I’ve been keeping in contact with the man ever since: an unlikely friendship found in hard times.
What this kind stranger has done for me has left a huge impact on my life. As mentioned earlier, I’ve always had this idea, perhaps without even realizing it, that kindness somehow equates weakness, but this beautiful experience has essentially put that notion to rest.
I’ve seen firsthand how powerful kindness can be and the huge impact it can have on people’s lives.
This man made my life just a little easier through his selflessness, and the impression that he’s left will last a lifetime.
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