The Kindness of Strangers
Stranger’s Kindness
WRITING PROMPT - Did a stranger ever do something nice for you? What did they do? How did it make you feel? Describe the experience.
BONUS CHALLENGE - What did this experience inspire you to do for someone else?
You never know what is happening in someone else’s day. Just because they’re smiling doesn’t mean they are happy. Some people hide their pain and sadness; while others just don’t feel like being judged for not fitting into other people’s ideas of what who they think they should be.
Just because they’re working doesn’t mean it’s their only job. Don’t judge the grandma who works at McDonald’s. She may be working three jobs just to make ends meet.
Just because they’re snacking doesn’t mean they don’t care about their weight. They could be diabetic and just need to get their sugar back up.
Stop judging them and just be kind. It may be the break they were needing all along
I was on my first ever Caribbean cruise. I was nervous about being on the water and even more afraid that my illness would flare up and ruin our time.
As we sat by the pool waiting for the ship to dock, I was explaining to my husband why I was afraid to be so far away from my doctors. I had a big case of the “what ifs” and I think I talked myself into feeling the fear instead of just enjoying myself.
A couple was sitting at the next table. The lady stood up and walked over to my table. She apologized for eavesdropping and told me that I can’t allow my fear to take over my vacation. She asked if she could sit down and explain.
She told me that she had an accident that broke her back in quite a few places. She said that she was bedridden for more time than she cared to remember. But she also told me that she had a neuro-stimulator implanted inside her body. This helped her with the pain so she could move and walk and do things she never thought she would be able to do again.
She sent her husband back to their room to get me a book that would be able to explain how it worked.
Once we docked, she told me that they were off to go zip lining and kayaking.
The woman had a broken back and was doing all these fun activities. How inspiring!
I read her book and decided that I wasn’t brave enough for a machine to be permanently attached to my body. However, her story has been my inspiration any time my illness flares and I feel like I can’t do anything.
She inspired me to take charge of my own health. I became a life coach so that I could help other people who struggle with living a life with chronic illness. I know how hard it is to feel “normal” when your body isn’t cooperating. I am determined to help people stop struggling so they can make life a little easier - even on the bad days.
