The Kindness of Strangers

"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers"


I love that quote from "A Streetcar Named Desire," because it reminds me to be kind to strangers. Tennessee Williams captured the idea of Southern hospitality...the feeling that we are all neighbors and can rely on one another when we find ourselves in need.

The thing is, while I am more than willing to give to others in need, I find it exceptionally hard to accept help from others, be them stranger or friend. I am not sure why that is. Probably something to do with the way I was raised. My parents were always, always helping other people, but I don't remember anyone ever really helping them.

What I do remember is trudging in the cold from the very back of the parking lot at a shopping center, trying to help carry my little sister in a body cast and wondering aloud why we didn't get a handicap sticker like the bone specialist had suggested (because this was like her sixth body cast). My mama looked at me and told me that there were people out there that needed the help more than we did. They never said it, but I know we had to have had all kinds of financial problems with all the medical bills. Yet they wouldn't apply for disability for my sister. She would have easily qualified for it. Her diseases are severe and debilitating, but they always thought there were others that needed the help more.

I went off one of my babbles there, but the point was that for whatever reason I don't easily accept kindness from others, yet I find great joy in the giving of kindness. Well, something very simple happened at our playoff game Saturday (which we totally won!!!! Yay!!!!) that really made an impact on my heart.

I was sitting in the stands early in the second half and my hands were getting a little cold. This wasn't a big deal (it was hardly what anyone else would call cold), but it was chilly enough that I had slipped my hands inside the sleeves of my sweatshirt. I barely noticed that I did this because I was too busy screaming like a loon and cheering for our boys.

I may not have noticed, but someone else did. Earlier in the game a couple of really sweet, older cowboys came up and sat beside me. They were very friendly and chatted with me off and on throughout the half. It was one of these gentlemen that noticed my hands inside my sweatshirt. When he did, he instantly pulled off his gloves handed them to me saying, "I know they aren't much and they look nasty, but they are okay. It's only dirt." I protested lightly for a moment because I did not feel comfortable taking his gloves from him, but I stopped because I feared hurting his feelings. I didn't want him to think it was the dirt that was making me refuse.

Those of you that know me what a girly girl I am (oh hush up family) and probably have never been seen in anything dirty (especially not in public). But let me tell you something. I was so proud to wear that man's old, soiled gloves. He was truly being kind. I found out that I don't always have to do the giving to feel the joy. Accepting the kindness of this stranger brought it's own kind of joy in and off itself.

It occurred to me as I stood there with my clapping hands encased in the toasty warm dirt covered gloves that if I had refused to use that man's gloves I would have been robbing HIM of his own joy...the kind of joy that I myself feel when I do a kindness for another. At that moment I was very glad that I had not robbed him of that joy.

When he left he refused to take his gloves back. I tried very hard to get him to take them and felt bad that he would not. Secretly though, I was glad to keep them. I've held them several times since then and smiled at the memory of his kindness. As a result my giving spirit has been challenged to bring to others that same warm feeling that was brought both to my hands and my heart that night.



For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack - that there may be equality. -2 Corinthians 8:13,14.