A Little New York Kindness

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."
~ Mark Twain

In a busy New York coffee shop on a weekday morning, a woman ran in to get a cup of coffee.  A little agitated, she told another woman in line that she was supposed to be on a call "in a minute."  The woman in line let her go ahead of her.  The woman with the call was incredibly grateful and said that she would "pass it on."  The little kindness made those within earshot smile and seemed to fill the small coffee shop with good cheer.

The Kindness of Another Mother

"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others."
~ Audrey Hepburn

During boarding on a very full flight, a young mother was struggling to get through the aisle with twins (and it may have been triplets, but I lost count).  An airline employee was helping her, but the woman was carrying a very heavy bag in addition to one of the babies.  A nicely dressed woman traveling with two older children (both lost on their digital devices, ear buds in place) got up, grabbed the mother's heavy bag and lugged it toward the back of the plane where the mother's seats were.  After we landed, I found myself walking through the airport terminal next to the woman and I told her how nice she had been to help the other mother.  She smiled and said, "I have triplets.  I remember how hard it was."

The Kindness of Understanding

"A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can easily confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity."
-- Robert Hall

I recently had the opportunity to spend a couple of quiet evenings with one of my dearest friends from college, thanks to a business trip that took me to the city where she lives.  We don't see each other often enough, but our ability to have meaningful conversations seems completely unaffected by distance.  Our in-person, late-night conversations end only when we can't keep our eyes open any longer.  And one of the things I appreciate the most is how well she understands me.

The Kindness of Awesome Car Service

"Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it.  It's what the customer gets out of it."
-- Peter Drucker

As odd as it may sound, I love where I take my car for service.  My service advisor is a great guy and the woman who runs the service department is amazing.  On a recent Friday evening, a red light appeared on my car's dashboard telling me to stop the car safely as there was an issue with the coolant level.  In a panic, I called the service department and asked for my reliable service advisor.  He was on vacation!  Next, I tried the service manager.  She answered immediately and after listening to what I said, she told me to put water where the coolant goes and bring the car in on Monday.  And, she said, "Don't worry about this, don't even speak about it this weekend.  It's not a big deal."  She knows her worriers.

On Monday, I went to the service department.  It seemed that it would take a little longer than she had immediately thought.  But, she said, she had a loaner lined up for me.  So, off I went, incredibly grateful for the terrific customer service that keeps me driving the same make. 

As we navigate our individual life journeys, we come across a number of people -- doctors, store employees, customer service representatives and others.  Some make our lives easier while others, well ...  The ones who truly help us are real stand outs!

The Kindness of Friendly Recognition

"One never reaches home, but wherever friendly paths intersect the whole world looks like home for a time."
~ Hermann Hesse

A woman I know was not in a great mood -- nothing major, but just one of those moments that last a little longer than we would like them to.  Then she called her favorite pizza place to order a pizza.  The young man who answered the phone recognized her, not by her voice, but by her order.  They both had a good laugh and she felt so much better when they hung up.  We never know when the smallest act of being friendly can make a difference.

A Special Brand of Kindness

"There never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender and compassionate."
~ Robert Frost

There is something about kindness by children that especially touches my heart.  In one evening, I overhead two instances of kindness from one of the kindest and most special little girls I have ever had the privilege to know.  She is 12 years old.

A group of children was sitting at a table drawing.  One of the younger children, a nine-year-old boy, said, "I'm learning how to draw."  The 12-year-old girl looked at him incredulously:  "Learning how to draw?  You already know how to draw, my artist friend!"

Earlier in the evening, the same nine-year-old had found himself sitting alone in the back row of an SUV when his traveling companion got out of the car momentarily.  The 12 year-old girl, who was sitting in the middle seat, said to him, "Hey, do you want me to go and sit with you back there?"  And she immediately jumped over the middle seat and joined him in the back.

I wish I could bottle her special brand of kindness.

The Kindness of a Squeezed-In Appointment

"Kindness and good nature unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements whatsoever, since thereby the engagements of men's hearts become stronger than the bond and obligation of words."
~ Thomas More

I love my hairdresser.  I imagine that he cuts my hair well enough, but I think it's his welcoming and gracious manner that I treasure most.  I am not the best salon client -- I don't color or get blow outs, and I get a haircut maybe a couple of times a year.  Every so often, I reach the point where I am convinced that I need a haircut and then I call him and want to get in as soon as possible.  When I called this time, it turns out that he was going out of town for a month!  The first time that he has ever done that.  But he agreed to stay for an evening appointment.  The receptionist said, "I have never seen him do that before."  Unfortunately, a combination of a red alarm light on my car and a torrential storm forced me to cancel the appointment.  Then on Saturday morning, the receptionist called and said that he could squeeze me in midday.  I was absolutely thrilled and grateful.