Simple Kindness

This week I witnessed something in my college cafeteria that was deeply moving. I could not help but smile as I saw and heard the beautiful scenario of compassion and embracement unfolding around me. 

It was the first day of fall semester and being a non-traditional college student in my early thirties, I often forget how nerve wracking and overwhelming the first day of college can be for younger students. I was sitting at a table eating lunch and was on the phone checking in on my kids' first day of daycare. There were two girls sitting at the table behind me and I could overhear them talking about high school and graduation and what they had done over the summer. I saw a young girl enter the cafeteria visibly nervous and anxious. She looked lost and unsure of where to sit or what to do. As a mom and as a naturally nurturing and compassionate human being, my heart immediately felt for this sweet girl. I wanted nothing more than for her to see a familiar face and enjoy her lunch with a friend; but that did not happen. 

As I was ending my phone call and she was preparing to sit alone, I heard one of the girls at the table behind me say, "Hey! You can sit here with us if you'd like!" A huge smile crossed my face and my heart melted upon hearing that simple invitation. I sat and listened as the two girls behind me embraced this new girl and made her feel welcomed and accepted. They introduced themselves, compared schedules, asked her how her classes were going and asked if she needed help finding anything on campus. They talked about how different college was from high school and all the exciting things that this girl would have to look forward to. The conversation ended with the three of them exchanging emails and phone numbers. As they all got up and went off to their perspective classes, I could not help but tear up at what I had just witnessed. 

It seems in the past several years that we have been bombarded by stories in the media of bullying. As a parent of two young children, it is very disheartening to hear these stories over and over again. Just the thought of my children experiencing any kind of pain or rejection from their peers simply breaks my heart. 

What I saw and heard in the cafeteria that day was such a simple act of kindness, but it really restored my faith in the human spirit. The desire and need we all have to be loved and accepted is so important. It would have been so easy for those two girls to stay in their comfort zone and stick to what was familiar, but the step they took to make another person feel welcome and not alone was simply beautiful.

The three of them may not become lifelong friends, they may never even see each other again, but the actions of that day made an impact that will last far beyond what any of them may ever realize. The lesson I took from this is that perhaps if we each made a little effort to put aside our own agendas and open ourselves up to making a difference in the lives of those around us, stories like this may become more common. It may not be something extravagant or highly publicized, but every single act of kindness we show to others will have an effect on that persons life, and that in turn will make a difference in our world. Start small, think big and in everything situation, show kindness.