You know when you have those terrible days, when nothing goes your way, and everyone you meet is just trying to put you in your place? When you miss a good human interaction, and you wonder what the world has come down to where the only people left behind are the ones with a nasty attitude and lack of complete empathy for another human being?

And then you ask the universe for a miracle. And it gives you one! Through a random act of kindness, through a random stranger you just met. And all is turned around for you. Your hope in humanity is restored. But much more is your faith in the universe.

Have you ever wondered why people were this way, and have they always been? Is it now only coming to light because of the reach of social media or were people better before and the overload of available information has made everyone so unhappy that we choose to take it out on each other instead of using those same resources to fix ourselves?

Why do some of us wake up in the morning and choose to be mean? The world is sometimes a harsh and difficult place to be and we don’t need to add that extra spoonful of meanness to the mix.

Everyone is struggling. Anyone who isn’t, either lives in a world of their own on their own or lives in denial.

I had one of these days during the last week. It pushed me to a point where I had to take myself to the hospital through the stress of it all.

A quick chat with friends helped me feel supported the way that I needed then to feel more regulated than I was feeling before that. I felt assured that I wasn’t alone and that bad days are normal.

I felt supported but it didn’t get me out of my funk completely. I was still nervous about stepping outside my home and any further interactions I may need to have with other human beings (a cup of social anxiety anyone?). The anxiety still persisted. And so, I turned to the universe for help. I said a quick prayer that the next person I meet would be nicer and would not cause me stress over my current stress. And oh, was that prayer answered!

I’d like to call out to that gem of a human being, who I had never met in my present life, with quite a complicated name that she assured me I wouldn’t remember (but I did, and I do). She took the time to be kind, and selfless. She chose to look out for me when she didn’t need to. She chose to use her words and her intentions with a care that she didn’t need to. We never knew each other, and we may never either. And yet, she chose to be the best version of herself to me, a complete stranger, just so. I walked in with a frown, and she helped turn it upside down 🙃.

I’d like for this post to be a reminder to everyone reading (and writing 😉) that kindness is not a waste of time. It may not be much to you at the time, but you never know what kind of day the receiver of that act of kindness has been through. Your one act of kindness may just turn another’s day around completely. And isn’t that worth something?

So, let us be kind, show compassion, and feel empathy, just so. Would we want to hoard it for tomorrow, when we may not need it anymore, or when we forget how to use it at all? Why not practise those skills now. Why not polish them with every person that we meet, to make it shinier each time till nothing in this dark world can hide its light. Let’s choose to be kind even when we know we can be anything else.

Love always,