Acts of Kindness

cue "Times Like These" by the Foo Fighters

In today's society, all we hear about is how bitter and self-absorbed everyone is. The news, magazines, and the internet-it's all fueled on the negatives of life. Sometimes, it's the simpliest acts that remind us that kindness is still there, and people do still care for their neighbor.

Tonight, our car broke down. One of my best friends and I went to eat and to Wal-Mart with her two young sons. When we came out of Wal-Mart, the car would not start. Nothing. Dead as they come. Usually, I'm the worrier. I over-analyze, over-plan, and over-stress the smallest things. God gives me grace. He gives me patience and a clear mind when I need it the most. When it comes to the big things, I'm focused and calm. Tonight, God's grace surrounded me. I had to calm the boys as they were saying, "We'll never get home." "We're going to be stranded at Wal-Mart forever." 

Then, they came. Not five minutes after discovering the problem, a man came and offered to help. He was done shopping, most likely with somewhere to go, but he came. He didn't know much about cars, but he knew that help was needed. After him, a woman pulled up beside us-still in her scrubs from work. She called someone on her phone and about a minute later, her husband pulled around to lend a hand. He tried jumping the cables, he tried all her could. Even though neither were able to fix the car, they ca,e and tried. For that to be so surprising is sad, but to see their efforts was humbling.

About 20 minutes later, he came. Now, I've always believed that you come across people that help to lead you to where you are meant to be, but this guy was different. My friend and I called him our angel. I know, that sounds ridiculous, but to us, in that moment, he was. It was about 9:30 PM by this point, and he showed up in a suit, claiming he had come from church. Besides that, he had a presence. My friend was near her breaking point, but around him, it was calm. He stayed until her father-in-law came, and talked to him about possible ways to help for another hour.

The car is still not fixed. It's still sitting at Wal-Mart now, with a diagnosis of a starter problem. That's not the point of this story though. I'm not upset about the car, neither is my dear friend (okay she still is a little but still...). Tonight was a realization, a wake-up call, a reality-check that there still are generous people all around us. It's just hard to see them when we're constantly looking at the negatives. It came as a surprise. It came as a blessing. It came as a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a difference, every time. 

"it's times like these you learn to live again
it's times like these you give and give again
it's times like these you learn to love again
it's times like these time and time again"