14 November 2011

Random Acts of Kindness

The small acts of kindness are the ones I appreciate the most.

A five-peso cupcake after a disappointing exam, a cup of coffee on a particularly tiring night, a belgian waffle after my phone got stolen, a friend hiding me in his room when I had to cry after a heartbreak, a supportive text message while going through a quarter life crisis -- those small things are the reasons I love my friends to bits.

But receiving a random act of kindness from a stranger is doubly touching. 

After living in Manila for seven years, I have had a lot of experiences which almost made me lose trust and faith in people. My phone was once pickpocketed by an old lady in Starbucks, I've had my wallet stolen by a patient in the clinic. I've had patients who were mauled, raped, or abandoned. But my faith in man is restored by acts of kindness from strangers. 
A security guard walking me home with an umbrella, because it rained suddenly and I was stranded in the middle of the road with no place to take shelter from the rain.
Or even as simple as a random guy giving up his seat on the train.
And today:
A jeepney driver offering me a free ride because it was a hot day for walking, and we were going the same direction anyway.
A Norwegian missionary couple buying me a cookie at Starbucks for no reason other than "I was a good girl" for studying. Hehe.
I am very blessed with a supportive family and wonderful friends. Even more so, to be surrounded by people who stand to gain nothing from me, but show me kindness anyway. :)

Today's events make me want to pay it forward, and do random nice things for strangers too. I just fear some people might think I'm creepy. Hahaha.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:45 AM

    Oh my goodness!!! I'm glad it all turned around for you into something really positive and uplifting. :) I find that happens to me too, usually when something bad/sad happens, life has a way of balancing it out with something unexpectedly wonderful. :)

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  2. Yes, life is good. :) I went through a very rough patch a few months ago, and after that it has been a series of very good things. The universe makes amends. :)

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  3. It's sad that we hardly expect things like that to happen to us, because we have lost faith in the goodness of people, but I guess that is the beauty of it - When it does happen, you are all the more grateful for the little things in life :)

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  4. You have a good point. In an ideal world, kindness would be the norm.

    "When it does happen, you are all the more grateful for the little things in life." -- Amen.

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