Crumbling Pavlova

The kindness of strangers is a phrase often banded around, and I have never really thought much about it until earlier this week when I experienced its power at first hand.

I enjoy a morning walk to a well-known supermarket before starting work, so I was on route there a little after 7 am when I noticed a man (wrapped in a blanket) who I have seen a couple of times before. 

I decided that I would see what I could find in the store to offer to him on my way back to work.  I plumped for fruit juice and some bags of savoury biscuits, as these were fairly portable and non-perishable.  The man was still there, so I crossed over to him and offered the cartons of juice and biscuits.  It appeared that English wasn’t his first language, but we managed… he accepted just the one carton of apple juice and one packet of biscuits, although I did tell him that he could have all 3 cartons and multi-pack of snacks. 

The man thanked me and acknowledged that he had noticed me in passing earlier and repeated his thanks for noticing him and coming back.  This really did touch my heart, and then he went and topped it all by telling me that I had beautiful eyes… I thanked him for his kind words and walked away quickly as those eyes were now sparkling with happy tears.  I think that we were both very fortunate to be touched by the kindness of strangers that fine morning 😊