The Gift of Kindness

Sometimes, kindness catches me off guard,
and I find myself wondering: What did I do to deserve this?
It’s not the weight of owing,
not the heaviness of a favor
that demands repayment.

It’s a heart that simply smiles,
a heart swelling with gratitude.
What did I do to deserve this love?

Thank you to everyone I’ve met,
to the states and faces I’ve crossed.
Kindness, far from home,
feels like a warm blanket on a freezing night;
more than I asked for, more than I hoped.

I don’t know what I can offer in return,
but I’ve learned the quiet power
of help, of belonging,
in a place that isn’t my own.
Far from home, I discovered kindness;
and the way it turns strangers into safe harbors.

Now I know:
One day, I must give this gift.
To someone like me,
to make them feel they belong,
even for five precious minutes.

This year has been a journey of gratitude. I’ve come to realize the immense value of kindness: not just as something to receive but as something to give. To those who were there for me, to those who helped me feel at home even when I was far from it: thank you.

The kindness I’ve experienced has shown me that it doesn’t take much to make someone feel seen, valued, and safe. And that’s a gift I want to carry forward.

Here’s to a world where kindness continues to ripple outward, one person at a time.