I Believe the Kindness of a Stranger Is a Great Gift
Whether it's an unusually pretty show of courtesy, or a loving action that flows from a compassionate heart - the smile and friendly words of a stranger have the power to re-empower another. We experience this every day, from that shy child you walk past on the street to the tireless cashier at your market....
It reminds me of last Friday when I was in my university's cafe and, with my cup of soup, approached a table where a young man was already sitting. I asked him hesitantly, "Can I sit here?" He replied with a quiet, sincere smile: "Please do." When he got up to leave a while later, he thanked me for the company! I was left just about stammering, so grateful did I feel for his simple, kind welcome. It hadn't been an overly inspiring day for me, and this meeting somehow offered new hope for the often-dreary present.
An quote whose author is unknown to me: "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes can last a lifetime." I want to say thank you, whoever you are.