"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." ~Princess Diana
My last full day in London was upon me as well as a train ride out to one of our company offices to the west. It was a chilly but sunlit filled day as I entered the Underground Tube station. The train system is quite good with the occassional slow downs and outages.
This train ride was going to take two changes and the route was all mapped out in my mind. On my first switch, I waited as the train slowed and as the doors opened, two seats were immediately available. One next to a young woman and the other next to a sleeping man. With another young lady getting on behind me, the gentleman in me felt best to take the seat next to our sleeping friend.
Quickly enough I was able to tell that this sleeping man was asleep for a reason. A slight smell of alchohol was evident and sleep was his dearest companion for the moment. As we made our stops at the various stations, most everyone got off the train. Soon he and I were the only two sitting next to each other at one end of a train car.
As the train moved further down the track, the bright morning sun came shining through the window across from us. A high intensity of sunbeams shining onto our faces, which brought our sleeping friend from his quiet slumber. He shifted a bit, reached into his coat pocket and pulled a fifth of something and removed the screw cap. A sly lift and swig from his bottle seemed to light up his eyes.
He looked and offered his morning 'pick me up' to me. It was as if he were trying to be a gentleman amidst his blurry awakening. I turned down his kind gesture and commented to him that it looked like a long day awaited him. He smiled and shook his bottle a bit and said, "this will shorten the day." The train neared the platform and I gave a smile and wished him a good day. In return he wished me the same as he picked up his bag and disappeared into the crowd.
There had been others on the train giving this man a cross eye. I myself could have moved away further from him. But maybe a kind exchange with a stranger is what this man needed. It is hard to say what will become of him, but the last thing I know he encountered was kindness from me. Kindness instead of a cold and angry look of disdain that could harden his resolve that gives him a reason to drink.
Then again, shouldn't all of our exchanges with others be ones of kindness. Doing so without judgement if possible, doing so with the belief that it can make a difference in another persons life. Knowing that the last exchange they had with a person that you know of (you) was a pleasant one.
Take time to add a little kindness to your day by spreading it to others. It might be you on the receiving end one day when you need it most.
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