Acts of Kindness

 

Understanding my search for better health, a friend of mine suggested a raw foods diet.  It's basically eating vegetables as if you picked them right out of the garden.  Pure and uncooked.  I am committed to keeping this style of eating so I brought my own food for the journey to Mexico.  Although, once I get there, I suppose a taco or two won't hurt.  Thank God the condo I am staying at in Mexico City does not have a weight scale.  It was salad with mixed veggies, some fruit and nuts.  Plus I brought an empty water bottle and insulated travel coffee mug.  After security I stopped at Starbucks.  There must have been a dozen people waiting for their mocha latte, no cream, extra cream, Frappuccino, soy milk, caramel delight concoction.  I am a simple man, I just wanted coffee, black, no cream.  The line to order was completely open.  As I approached, a friendly barista named Brenda  helped me (in my mindfulness practice I notice names).  I extended my insulated coffee mug and asked for plain coffee.  She reached over, filled it and said "have a good trip - no charge."  I don't know why, but I was touched by her act of kindness.  To think that somebody would do something nice for me hit my heart in a sensitive and caring way.  As I walked away, I started to well-up in tears.  Suddenly and silently I told myself "It is just a coffee Greg, get over it."  I mean it was not like Brenda offered to donate a kidney."

Next was an incredible and intentional act of kindness.  On my flight from Phoenix to Houston, I was assigned a center seat.  Normally I prefer an aisle so I can get in and out more easily.  I was in so much back pain during the two and a-half hour journey.  This is because I have some spinal stenosis in my upper back, and being old does not help.  When I got to Gate C42 for Mexico city, I asked for an aisle.  I was helped by a friendly Mexican woman named Sunny.  She cheerfully reassigned me to an aisle.   I explained I was in pain from my previous flight and thanked her for her kindness.  I found a seat in the waiting area where I sipped my kindness coffee from Brenda and chomped on my raw lunch when suddenly Sunny appeared.  She found an aisle seat in an empty row and found me amidst the crowd to exchange boarding passes.  At that moment, I thought I would lose it.  Nobody wants to see grown man sit and bawl in the gate waiting area, especially not Sunny who had just done something incredibly nice for me.  In this ocean of business travelers, vacationing couples, kids and other people focused on themselves, Sunny was a bright light of caring and compassion.  God bless you Sunny





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