Treat People With Kindness

Words / Lou Andrews

No, this isn’t an article on Harry Styles, although the man has a good point! Kindness can be an overlooked commodity in this busy life of ours...

It’s not because we are not good people, no, it’s simply because we don’t often have the time to stop and look around us. To some extent I think we all live in our own little bubbles of life. Yes, we have our eyes open, but how often do we really see things? How often do we make a conscious effort to be aware of opportunities to gift someone a random act of kindness? With it being the season of goodwill and all that, I thought we would take a look at this simple subject – after all sharing is caring right?

How often do we make a conscious effort to be aware of opportunities to gift someone a random act of kindness?

This time last year, I was shopping for some stocking fillers in Tesco when I heard some loud shouting. When I looked up, I could see a woman trying to restrain what appeared to be an eleven or twelve-year-old girl. The girl was highly agitated and was trying to kick out at passersby. Initially, I didn’t really know what to do so I calmly walked past them and stood a couple of meters down. I could hear the mum desperately trying to calm her daughter down. Before I had even had the chance to think, the girl broke free, and the mum shouted to me to stop her as she would hurt the little kids just behind me. I had no choice; I caught hold of the girl and began to talk her down. I don’t know why I did that, it just seemed that was the best thing to do. She wasn’t trying to kick or hurt me, she had just stopped and was staring at me and listening. The mum came over and thanked me and explained that her daughter had autism, but she had needed to get some food shopping, so she was having to navigate how to manage both. My eyes had been opened and I realised that this was my opportunity to step up and do something for someone else, so I offered to escort her and help while she got the bits she needed. Through doing so, I got to see just how difficult even the simple things can be when you are in this situation. Some shoppers were fine, but others tutted and muttered things under their breath, many people stared and even the woman at the till became inpatient with us. I completed the shop and helped the woman load her shopping into the car. The woman was so thankful I actually thought she was going to cry. As I waved goodbye, I realised that the little girl and her mother had ignited a flame inside of me. A flame that made me feel warm and bright inside. By showing some kindness, I had, in turn, made myself feel good too. Surely that is a win/win, right? 

I went home wondering; if I spent more time being aware of my surroundings when I was out of the house, would I see more people in need of some kindness? And sure enough, I did! The next day with my alert button switched to ‘on’, I was stood in the queue at the newsagents. The lad in front of me had put some sweets on the side, but he couldn’t find his wallet. As he frantically searched for £1.50, looking embarrassed, I gave the shop assistant the money! The lad couldn’t believe I had done that. He must have thanked me 10 times before he left the shop. Again, came this warm feeling inside! It carried on like that too. There was the woman whose kid dropped his glove at the school, she smiled and thanked me as I returned the glove out of breath from running after them! There was the little old lady that grabbed my hands and said ‘god bless you’ when I swapped her broken trolley for a working one at the supermarket and they all made me feel happy too. 

A flame that made me feel warm and bright inside. By showing some kindness, I had, in turn, made myself feel good too. Surely that is a win/win, right?

After a couple of days, I had sub-consciously retreated back into my life bubble again and things stopped happening, but every now and again I remember to flick that switch back to ‘on’ and it’s always a worthwhile experience. 

Many people donate money to charity at Christmas and that is great, but for those of you that don’t have the spare money to donate, flick that switch and share some kindness...you never know, it could change your life...or someone else’s. 

Lou x