Have you ever spent time standing in the rain? How about being STUCK standing in the rain? In a line? Without an umbrella? Not the most pleasant of experiences for sure. Especially when you are doing this with children. Ugh!
On a recent trip to a local amusement park, this was the scenario. A thunderstorm had popped up, catching many guests by surprise. Actually, that’s not really an accurate description. It was more like a torrential downpour from a monsoon that had swept over the entire park. My daughter and I tried to wait out the storm under a sheltered canopy, but there was no end in sight. Realizing the rides would be closed for quite a while (possibly for the rest of the evening), we made the decision to head home.
Apparently everyone else had the same idea. It took us almost 30 minutes just to make our way back to the entrance of the park. Luckily, we had umbrellas, so it was more of an inconvenience than anything else. As we stood in line, patiently waiting for our turn to board a tram to our car, I noticed a woman about my age standing near me, shivering, no umbrella, no jacket, no hat, just a thin t-shirt and shorts. She was DRENCHED! She literally had water dripping off her face, her purse, her clothes… and she wasn’t alone. Two children, both young girls, stood close to her, also shivering in the wet rain.
There was no hesitation. Reaching over, I tapped her on her shoulder and simply handed her my umbrella. “Here. Take this. Stay dry”. That’s all I needed to say. She smiled, her eyes wide with appreciation, and replied, “Are you sure?”
Am I sure?!? The question seemed so absurd. Here I am with my daughter, two umbrellas for the two of us, and you are standing there with three bodies total and no umbrella. Yes. I AM SURE!! Even though she was already soaking wet, there was no need for her (and her children) to suffer more.
It was such a small act of kindness, I almost hesitated to write this post today. But you know what? No act of kindness is too small. You never know how much your thoughtfulness could impact another person. Whether it be an umbrella in a rainstorm, a thoughtful text to say Good Luck or even just a smile to a stranger… Small acts of kindness make a difference, too.
Be blessed my friends and pay it forward! Have a wonderful week! 🙂
