Recognizing kindness and what it means

Clichés are phrases or words that are overused to the point that they no longer mean much when we hear them spoken. For example, “think outside the box” is a cliché.

We live in a world that is focused on me, myself and I, and seldom do we have the time for you, them and even us. Now, you might be thinking, “How do clichés, self-centeredness and kindness even relate to each other?”

My point is that “kindness” has become its own sort of cliché in our selfish culture where we cheer on what is not kind, and on the absolute contrary, we can often miss subtle acts of kindness that we encounter from those we least expect. This is what makes it, in a way, a rarity and something to be cherished and celebrated—something of utmost importance in our time.

When traveling back to Bethany (the institution I'm currently enrolled at) after Easter break, my car ended up breaking down. Unfortunately, Bethany is not in my backyard. I was around two hours from home and stuck on the side of the interstate. Just like anyone in such a situation, I immediately felt about the least calm possible with a wave of anxiety sweeping over me. Was it my fault? What was wrong? And most of all, what was I to do?

Whether we like it or not, we are dependent on others, and we realize this, especially in moments when we are in trouble. As Americans, we have this ingrained ideology of “independence” and “self-sufficiency.” As a country, this is a good thing, but as individuals, it is simply unrealistic.

When we observe our society, everyone is dependent on millions of other people to do even the most basic things in their lives, such as shopping, eating, and other necessary tasks.

In my situation, if I depended on myself, I could have been stuck on the side of the road indefinitely. However, not only would that be a terrible option, but it would also be extremely unintelligent. Despite how much it irks our ego and inner sense of pride, it is better (and smarter) to realize our dependence on others. Here, leaning on my parents, my roommate and countless others was all I could do.

Fortunately, I ended up at a gas station nearby, where I discovered I was definitely facing a much larger problem than I anticipated. However, it was here that I experienced even more kindness from people I would have never even known, who tried to help with my situation. From one of the employees to her husband, to a mechanic who happened to be around, to the other employees working there—all of these people helped a complete stranger who happened upon their town.

What I am getting at with my story is that there are truly kind people who are right here with us in all that is seemingly mundane, and ordinary—and we best recognize this when things happen out of the ordinary. Without all of the help, odd encounters and coincidental happenings, I could have spent my night stranded in Rochester, or worse. And how ironic if that were so, to be stranded amongst thousands of people.

However, I ended up safely back in Mankato, because of all of these encounters and coincidences. My parents helped me calm down and analyze the situation better than when I was worried and anxious. My former pastor graciously offered to give me a ride to Mankato if I needed it. The people I encountered at the gas station helped me realize that there was nothing I could do about it, which, while not sounding like much, helped me plan for everything else. And my roommate fortunately had to come the same way and was able to bring me with him to Bethany.

So really, how many times does kindness happen right under our noses, and yet go unnoticed? Out of the eight billion people on this planet, most of whom we will never know, there is room for so much love and yet we often neglect to show this. Why do kindness and help come when needed most to us who are so ungrateful, and selfish? Ultimately, we should thank God—the One who truly is kind.