Kindness (haibun)

The kindness Blog

This man grabbed the nearest table umbrella to escort three women to their car in the pouring rain.  Now that’s what we call a GENTLEman!  

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Kindness

Hearing the ding-dong sound, I ran down the stairs, reaching the closing doors of the Metro car then suddenly, I saw two hands block the doors…they reopened and I rushed in. Looking at the owner of said hands, I was touched to see a very young man who had allowed me to step on the train. Thankfully, I would not be late for work…again! I know it’s illegal to do this but I was truly moved by this gesture. A young man barely in his twenties by the look of him and me, over fifty years old…why had he done this?

This was my first year returning to Montreal. I suppose chivalry still does exist but it’s more than that…it is acts of kindness people show regardless if they are living in a big city or a village.

How do you react when someone holds a door for you? Are you offended if you are a young woman? Or are you flattered or just touched? I grew up in the age when feminism became quite strong…well, it toppled to ridiculous in some cases for I would have cringed being a man just trying to be polite and holding a door for someone. It’s like you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Sometimes I just want to scream at people who get offended at acts of kindness. There does NOT always have to be a hidden agenda and what if there was…so what? You don’t have to reciprocate. Sheesh!

Years ago when I had just moved to Toronto, I had just dropped my daughter off at the bus terminal on Dundas and Bay. It was a Sunday afternoon and I knew I had to go home to a small empty apartment. So I decided to walk down Yonge Street. My heart was heavy with loneliness already missing my daughter and thinking of my son as well who both were in Montreal. My mixed emotions weighed with remorse and worry for them. The weight on my heart was heavy. It was busy on the street with city folks taking advantage of the glorious sunny day. I kept my head down and hardly noticed anyone.

“Hey, don’t look so sad, Lady. It’s a beautiful sunny day and tomorrow is another day!” I stopped and looked towards the voice. There was a homeless man standing near his belongings setting up for the evening in front of a closed down theatre. His genuine smile showed a few missing teeth and I smiled through my teary eyes, nodded and whispering “thank you”. Continuing on my walk, the tears just would not stop. I looked up at the beautiful blue sky and squinted at the sun. I was smiling now and realized my sobbing was not sadness but tears of joy. I had been touched by an angel…kindness.

(haiku)

metro doors open

woman limps in with a cane

young man gets up,  smiles.

© Cheryl-Lynn 2014/06/06

Submitted for a Tracesprompt: Is the Age of Chivalry Still Here?