I've been traveling through Southeast Asia for a few months now, and I've learned how to be a minimalist and carry only what I really need. I thought I had reduced my backpack down to the bare essentials after a few months, when a RAOK opportunity presented itself to me and proved me wrong.
It was laundry day in the mid-sized Indonesian city I happened to be in, meaning I was down to my last shirt, the least flattering shirt of my seven day collection: a ratty conference t-shirt of a well-known American company I've worn a hundred times. It's a shirt I don't feel particularly flattering in, so I try to stay indoors and use it as an opportunity to have a quiet, in
door day.
I hadn't thought anything of the shirt until a young Indonesian man staying at my guest house saw me and immediately took notice of the corporate logo of my ratty shirt. He was captivated by it! "Where did you get this shirt? Did you go to this conference? I love this company! I wish I could buy this here in Indonesia."
I was humbled by the idea that something I found so useless and unflattering could be valued so much by someone else. Without giving it another thought, I took off the ratty old shirt and gave it to him on the spot, leaving me shamelessly shirtless for the rest of laundry day, but content that I had a found a better owner of my shirt.
Here I am a month later - still traveling - with six shirts instead of seven, yet still abundant in my items and with a fuller heart. :-)
It was laundry day in the mid-sized Indonesian city I happened to be in, meaning I was down to my last shirt, the least flattering shirt of my seven day collection: a ratty conference t-shirt of a well-known American company I've worn a hundred times. It's a shirt I don't feel particularly flattering in, so I try to stay indoors and use it as an opportunity to have a quiet, in
I hadn't thought anything of the shirt until a young Indonesian man staying at my guest house saw me and immediately took notice of the corporate logo of my ratty shirt. He was captivated by it! "Where did you get this shirt? Did you go to this conference? I love this company! I wish I could buy this here in Indonesia."
I was humbled by the idea that something I found so useless and unflattering could be valued so much by someone else. Without giving it another thought, I took off the ratty old shirt and gave it to him on the spot, leaving me shamelessly shirtless for the rest of laundry day, but content that I had a found a better owner of my shirt.
Here I am a month later - still traveling - with six shirts instead of seven, yet still abundant in my items and with a fuller heart. :-)
2730 Reads
- Posted by kindness1st
- Mar 3, 2018
- Comments (18)
Readers Comments
mindyjourney wrote: A fuller heart fills all the abundance quotients :)). Thank you for doing, my friend and safe journey â¤ï¸....
scully wrote: That’s awesome, have amazing travels and enjoy each moment
cyctw wrote: It’s amazing how we can be in a place where we think we only have what we need...the next moment we have less and yet, still enough☮ï¸. Thank you for your kindness to a (now) friend for life🌈
lt33 wrote: Wow that's wonderful giving so much like that thank you for your kindness 😘😉
heirloommaters wrote: Oh, I just love this story! When I was in Haiti many years ago, we specifically traveled down with clothing we would mostly leave behind. It was such a blessing to be able to do that! We had a trip to the thrift store to stock up before I left, then I went with a suitcase full. Such fun to give!
Mish wrote: Love it, kindness1st!! ðŸ‘ðŸ‘ðŸ‘♥ï¸
leoladyc728 wrote: thank you for doing this. I know this man really loved having your shirt
AndiCas wrote: Wonderful story. That someone is so excited by something we'd dismiss is an amazing lesson.
DANCE wrote: :-)
lindariebel wrote: Quick thinking!
