I love to take my daily walk around the neighborhood. Beyond exercise it’s the sense of belonging I get as walkers greet one another – not because we know each other, but because we are in community with each other.
Having said that, one of my walks this week turned into quite a surprise.
I was approaching a mail carrier and his truck when he engaged me in a conversation. Seems that he had quite the day.
He told me he had delivered a package to the wrong address, left another package on his back bumper, and was in the midst of trying to straighten everything out. What ensued was a long conversation about all kinds of things we encounter in our lives. Forgetfulness, his relationship with his mother and her journey with dementia, and aging, among an array of other things on his mind.
In the rush of our days, sometimes we’re in the right place at the right time to lighten a burden, share kindness, and lift people up. We never know how kindness will change someone’s day, and it certainly changed mine.