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a random act of kindness
So on my subway ride home from work on Friday, I was feeling a little down.
There was a teenage girl seated across from me for most of the way, wearing headphones and writing in what I took to be a journal. Wearing a sweatshirt saying SENIORS and CLASS OF 2013 on it; there was a slogan, 2 + 0 + 1 = 3 and the only class that adds up. I remember noticing her, wondering idly what she was writing, looking away again. Thinking distantly She's pretty. I hope she knows it.
And either I looked a lot more down than I was feeling, or I was feeling a lot more down than I realized. Because as we were both getting up to leave the train, she said "Excuse me" and handed me a folded page from her notebook, and then went on out before I could ask anything further.
On the page was a drawing of a smiling face with big bright eyes, and the words:
have a smile
you look like you need one
you're awesome,
keep on going.
And I very nearly cried.
Thank you, lovely unknown senior of '13. You're awesome too.
There was a teenage girl seated across from me for most of the way, wearing headphones and writing in what I took to be a journal. Wearing a sweatshirt saying SENIORS and CLASS OF 2013 on it; there was a slogan, 2 + 0 + 1 = 3 and the only class that adds up. I remember noticing her, wondering idly what she was writing, looking away again. Thinking distantly She's pretty. I hope she knows it.
And either I looked a lot more down than I was feeling, or I was feeling a lot more down than I realized. Because as we were both getting up to leave the train, she said "Excuse me" and handed me a folded page from her notebook, and then went on out before I could ask anything further.
On the page was a drawing of a smiling face with big bright eyes, and the words:
have a smile
you look like you need one
you're awesome,
keep on going.
And I very nearly cried.
Thank you, lovely unknown senior of '13. You're awesome too.
no subject
It brings to mind a similar incident for me, when I was taking Amtrak up to Rene's funeral. (Our plots are in Mass., where we lived for 20yrs.) Of course I was massively roiling inside, and suddenly burst out with a loud string of ranting – not at anyone, just... I don't remember. Of course people were upset, though no one said anything. A few moments later I recovered enough to apologize to the car and explain in a few words the reason for my outburst.
At a station sometime later along the line, a young woman paused by my seat on her way to the door and handed me a folded paper. I opened it and read a warm and comforting message, signed "A stranger". I have kept that paper.