“So many people are hanging on by the thinnest of threads. Treat people with kindness. You could be that thread.”
– Unknown
On the day she learned about her husband’s affair, Sajna told no-one. She told no-one at all. In fact, Sajna kept the secret to herself for several weeks.
And for those weeks she would awaken in a state of shock at night. The pain was unbelievable. It cut her like a knife. She simply couldn’t process what had happened to her life.
And in the day, she paced the streets with wet tears running down her cheeks. Her world – an utter mess. She didn’t recognize herself.
She also felt alone for no-one knew her life had changed. She couldn’t share the pain for who would understand, or care?
But – a woman on her street would always smile when she walked by. She’d often stop and talk. Exchange some simple pleasantries. They talked about the kids … the weather … normal, mundane stuff. A neighbour who was kind; someone who held an outstretched hand
That gentle kindness showed that Sajna mattered, after all. That someone noticed her. That someone valued who she was.
We never really know the good we do by being kind.
But, it can be profound.
Kindness can change a person’s life.
“Kindness (Noun): Someone who brings warmth and value to somebody with no expectation in return.”
Beautiful. 🌹🙏🏻
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Thanks! Have a great weekend, DioRaw 🙂
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Reblogged this on Disablities & Mental Health Issues.
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Thanks Kenneth. Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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Sajna’s story is a prime example of the fact that we often have no idea what someone else is going through. People don’t have emotional gas gauges taped to their foreheads; you can’t easily tell how close they are to empty. One of my favorite restaurants (pre-COVID) has the most amazing wait staff! Everyone you encounter seems to be on “high receive”—they are perceptive to your general demeanor and compensate. In other words, if it’s been a long day at school and I’m emotionally drained, they don’t chat me up like it’s Saturday brunch. I always enjoy reading your posts. Great job. Blessings!
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So true. We don’t have emotional gas gauges taped to our foreheads, and we all wear a social mask. People can be dealing with terrible stuff and we’ve have no idea.
The servers in your local restaurant sounds like they’ve been well-trained in social intelligence … and it makes a difference!
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Amen! So true! We need it now more than ever!
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Thanks Amber. So true! Thanks for taking the time to read and comment ❤️
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Beautifully put. And the reason I try hard to act with kindness to all.
I see, as we age, so much more baggage carried around. And notice and embrace those who are kind back.
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I think you are so right, horsercumin. As we age we become more sensitive to the fact that many people are carrying baggage and wounds. Most of it hidden.
And I can tell you have a gentle, kind heart. It comes across very powerfully in your writing.
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Great post, dear Ann. It can be so easy to be kind and compassionate and the impact so huge. XxX
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Thank you for your kind words, Patty. Yes, the impact of something which seems so small can be so huge! Have a lovely week 🙂
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I could not agree more. ❤
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Thanks. I appreciate that ❤️
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It’s an important and timely piece, in my opinion, considering the horrific, hateful acts apparently increasing in frequency.
As strange as it may sound to some, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent emphatic suggestion that “the next time you see a woman in a hijab or a family out for a stroll, give them a smile,” is actually a very healthy and powerful, yet relatively effortless, potential response by caring individuals to acts of hate targeted at other identifiable-group members of society. One might also wear anti-hate symbolism, e.g. a colored ribbon or shirt.
I decided to do just that as my own rebellious response to the (as anticipated) acts of racial/religious intolerance that soon followed Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory. Anti-Trump demonstrators’ catchy slogan was “Love Trumps Hate”. Not much for the non-family ‘love’ part (except maybe for dark chocolate truffle ice cream), I would do the next best thing by offering a smile.
But when offering a smile, one should do so promptly. In my first attempt, with a passing woman wearing a Muslim head scarf, I hesitated long enough (likely for fear of possibly offending her modesty) for her to catch my blank stare and quickly look away. Bitterly ironic, the opposite of my intended friendly gesture was therefor likely perceived by her.
I made sure to not repeat the mistake, however, as I passed a middle-aged Black woman along the sidewalk. To me, she had a lined expression of one who’d endured a hard life. I gave her a smile, and her seemingly tired face lit up with her own smile, as though mine was the last thing she’d expected to receive. We always greet one another, since then, and converse when awaiting the bus.
In the current climate of heated emotions and even violent intolerance, I feel it’s not enough to just not think/act hateful; we also need to display kindness, perhaps through a sincere smile.
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