Stories of Kindness from Around the World

 I always wondered how people would react if i tried to approach a total stranger for help in a busy place like a street corner or in a bustling mall. I have always hurried past a stranger who tried to catch my attention in a busy place or when I am rushing around.

I had a taste of both the kindness and callousness that you encounter in the street. Yesterday I was in a busy shopping mall buying a large piece of luggage because I just had the time to do it after many days of planning After the purchase in one of the large shops, I picked up my phone from my pocket to call my driver waiting in the parking lot and my phone was dead .

I then requested the shop attendant who had just sold me the merchandise (which was not cheap), if she could ring the number of my driver for me and she replied that it was the shop policy that they cannot use mobile phones while working in the shop.

I got out of the shop on to the busy street in front and approached a young mother with her two kids to make a request as soon as I said excuse me madam she grabbed both her kids and ran.  I felt like a kidnapper.

I stood there wondering how many times I had reacted to strangers like the young mum. I stood there in the busy street with people rushing by looking at their faces to see if there was a sign of kindness on their face.

I saw a man pretty shabbily dressed compared to me who seem to notice me and I just stopped him expecting him to rush past and I blurted our my request. He immediately called the number of my driver and waited till my car came to be sure I was picked up, turned around before I could thank him adequately and was gone. I was surprised by kindness and hope I will do likewise to strangers who try to catch my attention from now on.