Through kindness, we are possible.
I’ll never forget this moment.
It was a typical day after college, and I was exhausted from a long day of lectures and studying. As I walked home, I was mentally going over the assignments and projects that awaited me.
Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any more mundane, something extraordinary happened that would change my perspective forever.
While I was observing the streets, everyone was busy and lost in their own world, hurrying to their destinations. I noticed an old woman fumbling with multiple large grocery bags as I glanced up at the corner.
She was carrying items that seemed far too heavy for her little frame, and she was bent down, visibly uncomfortable.
I approached her without hesitation, and I asked her if I could lend her a hand with these bags. Her eyes lit up with relief, and she nodded gratefully.
As I took hold of the bags, the weight and shape of each item pressed against my palms, leaving a tingling sensation as I adjusted my grip to help her. She gave me a warm smile, her wrinkles deepening, and I could see the gratitude in her eyes. “My house is just a block away from here,” she said.
She began to tell me stories of her life and experiences. She had a twinkle in her eyes as she reminisced about the adventures she had gone on when she was young. Despite her age, her spirit was contagious, and I found myself captivated by her tales.
In that moment, my own worries and stresses seemed to fade into the background as I listened intently to this wise stranger who had momentarily entered my world.
Eventually, we reached her house. It was a small house with a well-tended garden full of blooming flowers.
Though she insisted I come inside for a drink of water, I politely refused, knowing that I had chores to do and studies to complete.
As I set the bags down in her kitchen, she started thanking me and praying for me: “May Allah bless you in everything you do in this life.”
I felt a warmth spread through me, melting away the aches in my arms and the fatigue from my long day. As I walked home, her blessings echoed in my mind, filling me with a sense of peace and fulfillment that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
My experience helping that elderly woman taught me that kindness ripples outward. Kindness touches lives and encourages a chain of goodwill that lasts well beyond the first act.
Despite the temporary pain in my hands, I received a lasting feeling of warmth and gratitude in return.
Each time I remember that moment, it feels like a reminder of the connection we shared, a bond forged through a simple act of kindness. This experience showed me that, through kindness, we are indeed possible. We can create a world filled with compassion and understanding, one small act at a time.
