Kindness Is Infectious
One gesture of goodwill can grow into an epidemic
Death is not convenient. It doesn’t look at the calendar and determine if it is a good time or not for the victim or their family.
When my beloved grandmother passed, I was living thousands of miles away from home. My husband had recently deployed to Iraq and I was busy raising our two young boys while growing a third. I vividly recall the phone call with news of her death— it was unexpected and devastating, but I didn’t cry. I immediately started planning my trip home.
This was an undeniably difficult time. I was in the first trimester of my third pregnancy and barely functioning through the morning sickness. My two boys were young, energetic critters, and the thought of trying to manage a flight across the U.S. without the help of another adult was daunting. Nonetheless, it had to be done.
I rapidly packed our bags and asked a friend for a ride to the airport. We arrived early at the gate, so I ordered some food and got my family situated at the table. Then, a wave of “morning” sickness hit and I knew I was in trouble.
I considered my options:
- Abandon the food, grab the boys, and rush to the bathroom
- Leave the kids with strict instructions to stay at the table
- Quickly eat our food and hope the nausea would pass without incident
I was pacing next to the table trying to decide what to do when an older woman, who was drinking coffee nearby, asked if I was OK. I did not look pregnant yet, but I was awfully pale and clearly suffering. I told her I was not feeling well and asked if she could possibly watch my boys for a moment.
She quickly replied, “Absolutely. I’ll be here as long as you need.”
I didn’t know her, but I was desperate and she didn’t look like a serial killer, so I prayed it would be safe as I dashed off to the restroom.
The Kindness of Strangers
Ten minutes later, when the sickness finally subsided and I could function again, I remembered I had left my kids with a stranger. I rushed out of the bathroom and saw the woman sitting at the table with my two-year-old on her lap while she listened intently to my jabbering five-year-old. They were laughing and I saw that my youngest was holding a dinosaur, a toy the woman must have had in her purse.
When I arrived at the table, I thanked her profusely for watching the boys. She inquired how I was feeling and then asked where we were headed. For the first time since I learned about my grandmother’s passing, the tears flowed.
This stranger’s kindness opened the dam and through my sobs, I explained that I was flying home for my grandmother’s funeral and I was traveling alone because my husband had recently deployed to Iraq. This was 2005 and Iraq was particularly dangerous at the time. She was kind, concerned, and sympathetic — exactly what I needed at that moment.
I told her I was eleven weeks pregnant and having a difficult first trimester, but hoped that once I got on the plane, my morning sickness would magically disappear. If not, at least the kids would be contained in an environment where I could freely run back and forth to the bathroom as needed.
This kind woman handed me a tissue for my tears and stated that she was on a long layover, with time to help me until we boarded our plane. I accepted her gracious offer because I knew I needed it.
She entertained my boys for an hour at the gate while I sat as still as possible in the chair to prevent further nausea. This stranger was a lifesaver and offered me a kindness that I can never repay to her, but which I continue to pay forward to this day.
She saw a person in need and asked if she could help. A simple act with far-reaching impact.
Final Thoughts
When I see someone struggling, I try to offer a helping hand. Not everyone accepts it, but those who really need help usually do. One kind act leads to another, and before long we experience a social contagion effect of epic proportions.
I hope that kind woman who helped me 16 years ago knows how valuable she was to me at an exceedingly difficult time. Kindness truly is infectious, so share it widely and often for this is an epidemic that should not be contained.
Jill is a clinical psychologist, runner, and mother of five. She shares behavioral health tips every Sunday on her blog.
This story was brought to you by Spread the Ripple. We are a publication dedicated to kindness. Kindness is our superpower. Read more stories and come and write with us here:
