Kindness from a Stranger

We recently made the big move from Germany to Fort Lee, Virginia. That on its own sounds daunting, but roll in the fact we did it with an 8-year-old and triplet 3-year-olds, and we were a walking circus! As with every move, there were highs and lows with emotions and all the frustrations that come from living out of a suitcase for months and packing and repacking more times than you can count. So, by the time we finished the first leg of our trip from Germany to Washington, D.C., I was an exhausted mother running on fumes and barely able to keep the smile on my face.

As we were gathering up our things and letting all the other passengers exit the plane before our herd attempted to get off, my 3-year-old son threw up all over himself.

Suddenly, what energy I was saving to get through the rest of the day was amplified.

I was able to calmly ask my husband for help who was in the row behind me, trying not to alarm any other lingering passengers. I cleaned up the mess the best I could between wipes and the complimentary blanket they gave us, all while my husband and I worked quickly and smoothly to keep our other children calm. When I asked the flight attendant for a garbage bag to throw all the soiled things away, she complimented how well my husband and I worked together and how well our children did throughout the flight.

My children were by no means perfect, but considering the fact that they are young and were able to keep a mask on for the majority of the 8-hour flight, they did really well.

Getting a stamp of approval and praise from a stranger allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. 

It was as if all the fears and anxiety I was holding on to were washed away, even if just for a moment. That kind woman could have easily kept her comments and thoughts to herself, but she shared them, and it meant so very much to me.

She would not be the only person to comment on our parenting or our childrens’ behavior during our journey of traveling nomads.

A few times, peoples’ kind words or actions nearly brought tears to my eyes, like while out to lunch and someone anonymously paid for our entire meal. My husband and I were so shocked we thanked our waitress, got everyone loaded back in the car, and sat dumbfounded, gathering our emotions and gratefulness.

There is still good in the world, and yes, it may come anonymously from complete strangers.

But isn’t that the best kind of goodness?

If you see someone struggling or exhausted, juggling kids and bags, think what it would be like to hear something kind at that moment which could help turn their day around. I was on my last mental leg when my son threw up into my hands, but when I heard that woman tell me how wonderful a team my husband and I make, I knew I could keep pushing and do it with a little more grace and patience than I thought I had left.