Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I was on my way to the post office. I hadn’t found a parking place on my first pass up the street and was now making a left turn into a small parking lot in order to loop back towards the post office, in effect accomplishing a U-turn legally. It’s a tight space and there’s a mail box set up right inside the lot so people can pull in, roll down their window and reach out to stick a letter into the box without getting out of their cars.

As I completed my turn into the lot, I saw a four-door Buick pulled up alongside the mailbox in front of me. I would be delayed while the driver ahead reached out to put mail into the mail slot.

I happened to be in a high-energy mode and at first was impatient as I watched the hand tentatively trying to get a small package into the mailbox. But as I watched the ineffectual groping, I began to find it interesting. It was impossible to see the driver through the rear window, but I could barely make out the dim outline of a head that reached just above the seat. Part of the problem, it soon became apparent, was that the arm was too short. But also, there seemed to be a problem with motor skills. The hand balanced the package and gave it a weak fingertip push toward the mail slot. Nothing doing. The package now twisted to one side where it teetered. This prompted a crude stab at securing another grip on the package. No luck. And then it was falling and on its way to the ground. By this point, I’d been rooting for the drama’s successful conclusion. And it was a tiny shock to see the package disappear under the car.

For a moment my mind just came to a stop and I sat there a like a stump. But suddenly, a light went on; I realized I could jump out of my car and grab that package myself and stick it in the mailbox, probably quicker than the mystery driver could. And instantly, something inside just lit up. I knew I had to act fast, otherwise the opportunity would be gone. The driver in front would struggle out of her car and start looking around on the ground.

I flung my door open and in a few quick steps had bent over and retrieved the package. It was surprisingly light, I noticed. And as I stuck it into the mailbox, I looked in through the driver’s side window where I saw a very elderly woman smiling up at me.

I smiled back as she said “thank you. “ Heading back to my car, I saw there was another car that had pulled in behind me, a little sports car with a young woman at the wheel. She had watched the whole thing. The moment our eyes connected she gave me a big thumbs up. It was a total ambush of positive energy. This only served to bump my already good feelings about how things had unfolded a couple of notches higher. It all happened so fast. It was like getting hit with two quick judo-joy-chops. I drove out of that little parking lot with a huge smile on my face. So that’s how generosity creates abundance, I thought.