Watching the news today can be depressing. We see people being mean, even cruel, to others. The world is rife with violence and war. Still, we can all recall times when people, including strangers, have shown extraordinary kindness to us. Here are two of my pleasant memories . . .
An Accident
Shortly after moving into a new home, I sat in the car, ready to go to early morning Mass. Glancing down, I noticed a coffee stain on my skirt. I returned to the house and took care of it. Back in the car, I didn’t want to be late for Mass. Swiftly I backed out of the impossible curved driveway that even baffled confident men drivers. No one ever parked opposite that driveway. But that day—CRASH! A construction crew was working on the house across from mine. The owner of the house had parked his car in the street to give the workers space in his driveway. A construction worker phoned him to break the news that his car had been hit. My car, the aggressor, was fine.
When the owner, a very tall young man, came out. He examined the damage and said, “I was thinking of getting a new car.” That was all. Then he introduced himself and said, “If you ever need any help, like changing a lightbulb, call on me.”
When people asked how I met Jim, I would answer, “Oh, I just bumped into him one day.” And Jim did become a good neighbor. He fixed my front door, and on Easter when a blizzard cancelled people’s visits, he invited me over to join his family for Bunny Buns he had made.
A Thanksgiving Day to Remember
Mom and I were invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with Sisters at a nearby convent. That morning, I phoned her and greeted, “Happy Thanksgiving.” She moaned, “It’s not so happy.” She explained that as she made her bed, something flew into her eye and it hurt. Because she had recently undergone cataract surgery, I was afraid this was a serious problem. I tried to contact her eye doctor with no success. Mom sent me to join the Sisters for the meal without her.
When I returned, bringing her a dinner, I managed to reach the doctor through his answering service. He said that if we came to his office at 3:30, he would meet us there. I deposited Mom’s dinner in the refrigerator, and we dashed out of the house. Luckily, no police saw me speeding and weaving around traffic to arrive on time. The town and the doctor’s office building were unfamiliar. In the parking lot as Mom and I emerged from the car, the doctor was walking toward us. He took my mother’s other arm, and we entered the building.
It turned out that Mom’s cornea was scratched. After treating her, the doctor mentioned that he had left twenty-eight Thanksgiving guests in order to be there!
Back at Mom’s house, I discovered that I had left the house key inside. My sister who also had a key was out of town and wouldn’t be back until evening. Aha, I knew the code for the lock provided for medical emergencies! In pouring rain, I tried over and over to open the lock on the front door. Finally giving up, I drove Mom to my convent, leaving behind her Thanksgiving dinner sitting in her refrigerator.
When we arrived at my convent, I received a call from Jim across the street. He asked if he could bring over some dessert. I explained our predicament. A little later, the doorbell rang and there was Jim with two Thanksgiving dinners. He and his wife were vegans. So, that day Mom and I feasted on tofu turkey.
In Tennessee Williams’ play Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche says, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” We thank God for family, home, and food. We are also grateful for the people who come to our aid in emergencies. Maybe when have a flat tire on the road, someone parks behind us and changes it for us. Or a friend gives us tickets for a concert. God’s love is channeled to us through these generous people.
• When has someone been an angel to you when you were in need? When have you been someone’s angel?
