Kindness is a universal language that everyone can understand, regardless of their abilities. Today, I experienced not just one, but two Random Acts of Kindness. We were out in the middle of nowhere, riding our bike and searching for a gas station for quite some time. One nice feature of newer bikes, like my 2010 model, is that the display tells you how many miles you have left. We were down to just two miles when we kept riding further.
My “told you so” face was ready because my boyfriend had decided not to refuel 50 miles back, thinking we should limit our stops. The miles dwindled from two to one, and eventually, we hit zero. That’s when we saw a woman on a bicycle and asked her if there was a gas station nearby. We were in rural Poland and couldn’t understand a word she said, but she signaled to keep going. About half a mile down the road, we found a station, but it was closed for Sunday.
I imagined us camping there until Monday, with me lecturing my boyfriend all night. Shortly after, the same woman on the bicycle caught up with us. She spoke and gestured some more and was soon joined by a neighbor. They both seemed sure there was another gas station close by, but we couldn’t figure out where. Eventually, she told us to follow her. Another guy in a car also appeared, signaling for us to follow him too.
The road uphill was challenging, and the woman on her bike struggled to keep pace with us on our motorcycle. My boyfriend worried about wasting gas by going slowly, but she was our only hope. After what seemed like forever, we reached a small garage selling gas. The woman waved goodbye and rode off. We then noticed the man in the car had also followed us to make sure we reached the station safely. These two people went out of their way, spending their time and effort to help two strangers.
We have been traveling for about a year and a half, and we’ve seen countless Random Acts of Kindness. They feel wonderful, whether you’re on the giving or receiving end. Once, we helped an elderly couple whose car had broken down. The old man was trying to push the car with the help of his wife. We got off our bike to help, and despite the language barrier, we saw the gratitude in her eyes.
Random Acts of Kindness remind you about the goodness in humanity. They are simple, universal gestures that bring people together. They aren’t tied to any religion or belief, but they certainly make the world a better place.