Because that's what kindness is. It's not doing something for someone else because they can't, but because you can.
~ Andrew Iskander
There are precious little moments that bring tears to my eyes, a lump to my throat, and a great big smile to my heart.
I have quietly witnessed the kindness of others. And it is something that never ceases to floor me.
Several years ago, I was working at a coffee bar & smoke shop in Texas, two of my regulars, (lets call them the baker and the butterfly) who had never met before, were having a conversation. Over many shots of espresso and a few cigars, they talked. for hours. somewhere in this conversation, I saw a piece of paper pass from one to the other, and the recipient began to cry. Later I learned that the butterfly had given the baker a check so that he could go put four new tires on his car, which was so desperately in need of new tires he couldn't drive safely anymore without them. The butterfly didn't do it for applause, she simply wrote a check, and quietly slipped it to the baker.
Because she could. and he couldn't.
Several weeks ago, I walked past a homeless man (we'll call him Albert) who told me he could tell me the secret to quitting smoking. I smiled and said thanks. he continued talking, to no one in particular, kind of rambling and mumbling. as I stood there finishing my cigarette, a girl I know (we'll call her Samantha) drove by, stopped her car, spoke with the man for a moment, handed him a folded bill, and drove away. Later, I mentioned to Sam what I had seen, and told her it was the sweetest moment of kindness I had witnessed in a long time. She said: Albert has never asked me for money. I just felt like he could use a blessing today."
This past Saturday, I was working at the bar, and had stepped outside for a ciggie. The door to the salon next door opened and a stylist gently pushed a woman in a wheelchair to her waiting ride. It struck me as one of those above-and-beyond moments that people sometimes do for others.
Simple. Kind. Human. Love.
#66: what are some of the beautiful moments you've been lucky enough to witness?
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Don't know if I ever told you this story. But act of kindness was almost 6 years ago. When Hoppy proposed we went to dinner to celebrate. We ordered our steak dinners and a bottle of wine. We were sitting at the bar because I knew the bartender. So long story short. When we went to pay he told us it had been paid for by the guy who had walked earlier and told us congratulations on his way out. Never told us he had done it didn't want acknowledgment (Which for me is a real genuine act of kindness) Then we figured we should tip then since we did order pretty expensive meals and bottle of wine. Then the bartender told us that the guy had also, given him $100 tip I still tell people that story
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