Random acts of human kindness

I met a young lady today at the station. We got talking and as usual drifted into the usual mundane weather talk. She had just gotten into the UK from a relatively warmer climate and was still trying to get the hang of dressing to suit the weather forecast. When we shook hands after introducing ourselves, I noticed hers were colder than a slab of frozen meat. Now I am notoriously cold blooded  person and my hands and feet are always cold so to see someone with hands colder than mine......., Well, that seemed strange. I pulled off my gloves and offered them to her....."Take them", I said, "You need them more than I do." She took them without hesitation and soon we boarded our diffrent trains and that was that. I didn't even catch her name.

Hmm. I can hear you wonder........ where is she going with this? Nowhere exactly, the incident just set me to wondering. Random Acts of Human Kindness as I like to call them are few and far between but they still happen and indeed sometimes it is easier to be kinder to strangers than it is to folk you have history with.
I remember a kindly gent in Ireland who made me a cuppa just because he felt I looked cold. And a lady who gave me a handbag just because. Everyone has a story like this. The question is why? Why do we do the things we do is a puzzle sociologists and psychologists have struggled with since the dawn of time.

Many people believe that the saying 'What goes around , comes around' is true. So, if you believe in Karma, then you'll agree that to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction........... sometime somewhere our deeds , good or bad ,catch up with us. However there is a serious flaw in this argument ...........it simply isn't true and does not really apply to life as we know it. If it was, why would good guys finish last and bad things happen to good people? or good things to bad people??? Quirks of nature did  I hear you say? Nah. In my view, life is full of random acts and no one can predict the future so there is really no need to give yourself a headache pondering the inexplicable.

So if it's all doom and gloom out there,  if what is past is past , the future is uncertain and yet to be, then what may I ask is the point of crossing the borders of selfishness and self-interest to reach out to others with a helping hand or a kind word? If as the wise man said, it's all vanity , then why bother. What motivates people to support another who is in need?

Simple answer? Because we as humans are wired that way, it is part of our genetic makeup. Sure we have our fair share of weirdos and sociopaths but generally, humanity is happier when those around us are happy as well. Maybe it's to assuage guilt, or to buy peace of mind or maybe its a belief in a Higher Power that will hold us accountable or just a vague sense of karmic justice. Whatever.


Kings of leon's Use somebody is the track on my mind tonight, with Doughtry's What about Now


May you always have help when you need it the most. Peace People