Truer words were never spoken, my good friend.

Eh.

In a book I read recently, the author went on a short rant about how the kindness of pure strangers always threw him so off-guard that he never knew how to respond.

Have you ever heard the following sentiment?

Sympathy from strangers can be ruinous.

Very true.

Well, in regards to negativity, any way. It’s difficult to stay completely “downtrodden” if you are a recipient of a random act of kindness.

Four years ago, I recall sitting on a bench along the Charles River in Boston, sobbing perfectly out in the open. I was seriously fucked up back then. Each person who jogged or strolled by without acknowledging me made me feel worse, perhaps even justified in my suffering and pessimistic attitude.

And then a woman about my age stopped and sat down beside me. She asked me if I needed any help, and if there was anything she could do. She ended up giving me her entire packet of pocket tissue, and she simply sat there with me for a while.

She was the only reason I was able to get off that bench and walk my sorry ass to the mental health clinic a mile up Commonwealth Avenue.

People like her make it difficult for me to completely give up on Life. Good people make it difficult for me to stay so incapacitated. And good people like her make me want to be just as kind in my own Life.

To be honest though, I’m still terrible at it. I try my best with the people I know, but I want to be more all-encompassing.

Sometimes all a person needs to move on with Life is a kind word or gesture. Sometimes an encounter like the one I had can be the catalyst for great change.

I know this better than many.

(via snip-snap-beep.blogspot.com)