Unexpected Acts

Sometimes just that tiny act can make all the difference in the world....

Kindness. When it hits you, it hits you. And when you’re feeling down, it can hit hard. In a good way, of course.

When acts of kindness come unexpected, their impact is even greater.

A friendly late-night offer of a ride home after the sky has opened up and it’s bucketing down rain. Or even when the skies are clear.

Pulling over and parking a motorcycle on the far side of the highway, dodging traffic to cross over, for no other reason than to say hello as I walk along, head down and oblivious.

Not only taking the time and energy to record a video of a music performance, but going so far as to edit and master the video and then send a link to it, with no ulterior motive; simply to be nice. (This is how I got the above video—and I am very grateful to Sane Sounds for doing such a cool thing for me and Lucy, the violinist!!!)

Helpful and encouraging words and compliments from fellow Substackers, out of the blue.

Good friends. Friends willing to drop everything and feed our cats while we are away for a long weekend, with very little advance notice, after we figured out the automatic feeders we’d bought were just not going to work (because even after over a week of trying to get him used to it, one of the cats simply can’t).

A mate driving all the way up from Emu Plains to be my one dedicated audient during a Friday night show at a local venue, and not minding in the least.

Doughnuts brought home, out of the blue. Yummy cheerful sugar rush goodness.

A sudden text message of “Hey mate, you okay?”

And this is one I will never forget, though unlike the above examples, it was not recent; this happened more than twenty years ago: A childhood friend driving five hours to surprise me with his presence and wish me a happy 30th birthday.

Obviously, I’ve been feeling a bit down; hence some of the examples I’ve listed above. But they were only a few of the random, unexpected acts of kindness that have come my way in recent months. There are many more I could list. I am humbled and thankful to be surrounded by such thoughtful people, both online and off.

And I do what I can to pay it forward. Because I know how big a difference it can make to give someone a compliment, or ask if someone’s alright, or even just to smile at a stranger or say a cheerful hello. It can lift a person’s chin up, lighten their load, brighten their day. Sometimes just that tiny act can make all the difference in the world.

We live in a cold, cruel world, and these are exceedingly dark times. I think we all should be mindful that most of us are struggling in one way or another. Even people you might think “have it together” or are “happy” or “successful” or whatever, even they have challenges they must face, uphill battles to fight, overwhelming burdens of fear or even despair to carry. You never know; even just today, you could well have crossed paths with someone who was, without your knowing, tottering right on the brink, right at the very edge, about to fall apart or give up or break.

Commit unexpected acts of kindness. Do it for your partner; do it for your family and friends. And do it for complete strangers, too. That, I believe, is one small thing we can all do to make the world a better place.

What are some unexpected acts of kindness you have experienced or committed recently?