A few days ago, a stranger reminded me how powerful a small act of kindness can be.
I was walking in the park, and honestly, I was struggling. I’d overheated, was nearly out of water, and had to stop and catch my breath in a bit of shade. That’s when she noticed me, paused her walk, and asked if I was okay.
She encouraged me to rest, offered a few kind words, and even gave me a little pep talk: “You’re here. You showed up. That’s something to be proud of.”
And you know what? It was exactly what I needed. Her encouragement helped me reset, take a breath, and keep going. I made it back to my car where I had more water waiting. It was a great reminder that people can be wonderful.
To the kind stranger at the park: thank you. Your kindness mattered.
We’ve heard the sentiment that we don’t really ever know what someone else is dealing with. We’ve all become experts at covering our hurt, masking our pain and pretending all is well, when it isn’t.
We don’t have to share our pain or troubles with people who may not care, or can’t be bothered to listen, but we can do that for someone else.
I know that I want to be the kind of person who does that for others. Someone who can be kind in the moment.
Want to be that person for someone else? Here are 3 easy ways:
1. Offer a kind word or smile—it might be the best part of someone’s day.
2. Pause to check on someone who looks like they’re struggling. You don’t have to fix anything—just showing up matters.
3. Give a genuine compliment. Recognizing someone’s effort can mean more than you realize.
May you experience kindness today.
