Kindness is not Dead

Kindness is not dead. I have become so accustomed to the vast majority of people being selfish that when someone shows kindness, I’m often taken aback by it. Yesterday was no exception. As you may remember, I work for a community action agency. I deal with people who are often overwhelmed by the struggles in their lives. I’m there to help them, not the other way around.

A lady came into my office with only her application yesterday morning. She had none of the documentation that is required for me to process her application. I explained what she needed to her deflated countenance. She politely took the list of requirements from me and told me that she would return soon.

She returned about three minutes later asking for my fax number. She explained that she could have some of the documentation faxed to me. I told her that was perfect for me, and gave her the number.

She made a couple phone calls to arrange everything. Then she told me that she could obtain her award letter from another agency, and would return shortly. As she stood to go, she asked, “Do you need anything while I’m out? A Coke? Anything to eat?”

In the eight years that I have been a community action worker, I have never had a client offer to buy me a Coke. I was completely speechless for a moment. I told her that I was fine, and thanked her for offer. I know how much money this lady makes. The fact that she was willing to spend some of her extremely limited funds to bring something back to the office for my comfort completely flabbergasted me.

There are still kind people in the world. Many of them are currently donating and volunteering for the disaster that Harvey brought upon Texas and Louisiana. The internet is full of stories of selfless citizens rescuing stranded flood victims and their pets. Meanwhile, one kind person who really has quite little to spare is offering to buy a perfect stranger a Coke. Kindness comes in all sizes.