Years ago I was visiting Naples with my daughter. On our first day there, she was itching to go for a walk down to the port, so we dropped our bags at the accommodation and set off to explore.
I was feeling quite exhausted after the flight, and while walking down a steep cobblestone street, I tripped. I flew through the air and fell flat on the ground, face first. For some reason, the instinct to put my hands out to cushion the fall hadn’t kicked in, so I landed straight on my chin. I knew immediately that my jaw was broken – I’d heard the awful crack. Before long, blood was gushing down my face.
My daughter helped me get up and a crowd gathered to help. One of those people was an Italian woman, who opened her handbag and took out a pristine white handkerchief with a lace trim. She handed it to me and said: “Use this to clean up the blood.” I protested, saying I didn’t want to ruin her lovely hanky, but she insisted. Before long the ambulance came and I was whisked off to hospital.
Her kind act was the best thing that happened to me on an otherwise terrible day. I’ve learned that bad things happen in life, but, sometimes, good things will come from them that take the edge off. This was one of those times.
What that lovely woman did was so unobtrusive, offered without expectation of anything in return. Oddly, it was the futility of her gesture that made it so impactful – she was sacrificing something beautiful just to mop up some blood.
I never saw her again. But I have kept the hanky, washed and white again, as a reminder of how to be kind.
What is the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
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