Wednesday

Kindness of Strangers - A Dose of Encouragement


We often take for granted the things our families do for us.

We sort of expect that they will come to our rescue when we have been in a car accident and need transport home as in  4 Accidents & a ...(pt2)






We usually expect to be understanding when things crop up to change our plans as in Which Point of View


We also expect to support each other & celebrate good times together as in  Olympic Torch Run



That's what we do for family.



Photo Credit: Bigstock Images


We also expect to be able to turn to friends for help and support.

We would be surprised if our friends were not willing to jump in to help at short notice, especially if we take ill and need babysitting help or those little trips to the chemist and shops for something we have run out of.

We are normally willing to check up on friends when we haven't seen them around or had contact with them for a while.


That's what we do for friends.









There are some other people we expect to help us and we are very thankful when they do a good job.  I can think immediately of the nice ladies in the shop I got my outfit for our son's wedding and some people who have helped Fred with queries over his work computer connections (he works from home).  These people of course are in jobs where that is their responsibility but we are thankful when they do it well and honestly and with a very pleasant attitude.


But then there are the people who do not have to help us at all.

Strangers who do something which just makes a moment of our life more pleasant or easier to bare.


When Fred's car skidded on the skimmed milk, overturned and ended up in a field there was the lovely considerate couple living beside that field who took him in to wait in their home while they contacted me and the police for him.  Fortunately he did not need an ambulance in 4 Accidents & a ...(pt3)


When Jonathan (6/7 years old) froze at the top of the moving stairs in the Main Shopping Centre in our city where I already had the pram containing Linda on the step that was starting to move & Daniel holding unto the pram; what could I do?
A kind lady coming behind me just said she would stay with Jonathan until I could get down and then up the other escalator again to get back to our oldest son who was developing a fear of heights.
It's not an easy thing to hold unto a pram and another child on moving stairs as you stand twisted round looking up at your son praying he will be okay with a stranger.
I was thankful to that woman who obviously felt compassionately towards our family.


Then there are the group of people I did not know and it may be said, still do not know in real life.
They are bloggers in a special Blogging Group who are always ready to answer questions myself and others have, ready to support and advise in situations where others have not been so nice.


I do not know the backgrounds, religion, politics of any of these people 
but I know how they react to others with 
consideration, help and kindness.







Where do we stand in acts of kindness?

Are we just there for our family?
Are we there for our friends?

Perhaps we are also there for the people in our church that need help.
Perhaps we would be there for the people who live in our street.


But





Are we there for the people we are suddenly next to in the shopping Centre?

Or the people who for some strange reason end up in our neighbourhood?


Or the people we don't even get to meet?



Why should we show care to people we don't even know?

Because


Photo Credit: Bigstock Images