A Simple Act of Kindness

A simple act of kindness can mean a lot.  I was blessed to be the recipient of an act of kindness that made me understand how true that statement is.

I had gone to Walmart to deliver my husband’s lab coat to him in the Vision Center.  I was thinking about trading cars with him for the afternoon,  so I parked in the employee parking area – a long way from the store entrance.  After dropping off the lab coat and meandering through the store for awhile, I decided to leave.  Unfortunately, a storm front had moved in and brought with it pouring rain and gusty winds.  The location of my parking spot seemed extra far away as I glanced out into the increasingly wet lot.

My sweet husband loaned me a small umbrella and I made my way through the downpour, sloshing through puddle after puddle, to my car.  By the time the umbrella and I were both in the car, I was drenched.  I drove to a nearby convenience store to get a drink before heading home.  I was already soaked, so I didn’t think a quick run into the store would do much harm. Boy, was I wrong!

After purchasing my drink and dashing back to my car, I discovered that the engine wouldn’t turn over.  It was pouring, I was cold and wet, and my car wouldn’t start.  This was not what I had planned for my afternoon.

After trying several times to start the engine, and hearing it click in defiance, I called my son and asked him to rescue me.  I had to wait  awhile for him to get there, and after 20 minutes or so, I tried to start the car again.  It worked!  The engine sputtered to life.  I called my son to tell him my car was running.  Since he was only a couple of minutes away, I told him to come anyway so I could put gas in his truck.

My car also needed gas, so I when my son arrived, I pulled up to the pump.  I got out, swiped my credit card for both of us, and got ready to dispense my gas.  There was a small cover overhead, but it was not keeping the wind and rain away from me as I began to fill the gas tank.

A very nice gentleman, carrying a big umbrella, climbed out of a nearby truck.  He walked up beside me and held the umbrella over me while I pumped my gas.  It was a small gesture of kindness, but it made a big difference to me.  His simple act kept the rain off my body and put some sunshine in my heart.  It alleviated some of the gloom of that rainy afternoon.

When you have the opportunity to do something nice for someone, remember that even very simple acts of kindness can mean more than you might imagine.