It’s the Small Things

When I stumbled across this quote recently I screeched to a halt (metaphorically speaking) and electronically cut it out as a wise reminder. I thought of it when I remembered what happened yesterday.

I was at one of the big building supply stores picking up a half dozen 40-lb. bags of salt for our water softener. It was raining so I drove my truck to the covered loading area and was getting ready to heave the bags into the bed of the truck when an older white-haired employee slowly limped my way and apologized for not being able to help me out. He had a neck brace hanging loosely just below his beard and explained that his neck had been broken in an accident four months previously and that the doctors were amazed that he was even alive.

I was already running late. Chris was waiting for me to pick her up and yet I knew that the only right thing to do was to hear more of this man’s story. It was sort of like a seesaw. Each time I thought we were done I would edge a foot closer to the door of the truck and then he would start in again and I would edge my way closer to him. Finally he admitted that many customers didn’t know how to hear his story. I thanked him for sharing it and we traded names and shook hands before I wished him well and hopped in the truck.

Kindness is too often characterized as soft or squishy or one of the weaker tools to use for really important stuff. I couldn’t disagree more. True, unselfish kindness requires vulnerability (a huge gift to others) and way more strength and patience than other tools we are often tempted to grab.

Just think of times when you were completely disarmed by unexpected acts of kindness. Those moments are life-giving, sometimes life-changing. The be Kind • do Good t-shirts we’ll all be wearing on the Walk are just reminders of how to show up.