The Kindness That Finds Us. Isn’t it amazing how something as… | by MardRys | Sep, 2025

Isn’t it amazing how something as simple as a smile from a stranger can shift the weight of your day?

It’s quiet, effortless, and yet it carries so much light. Maybe that’s how God moves — through small gestures, through people we don’t even know, showing up in moments we didn’t expect but desperately needed.

I’ve had my share of heavy days. Sleepless nights where anxiety wraps around me like a fog I can’t escape. And then, out of nowhere, a stranger smiles at me — at the mall, in a café, walking past me in the library or even in the street. Just a smile. And somehow, that tiny act lifts the darkness a little. It doesn’t fix everything, but it reminds me that hope still exists in this hard, complicated life.

My partner would even ask me, “Do you know that person?” And I’d just laugh and say, “No, I don’t — but they smiled at me, so I smiled back.” It’s funny how frequently I’ve experienced it. These small, passing moments of warmth from people I’ll never see again. And yet, they stay with me.

There’s one moment I’ll never forget. When I lived in Japan, a sudden downpour soaked me completely as I wheeled my bike across a pedestrian crossing. I was drenched, cold, and just trying to get through the day. Then, out of nowhere, an elderly woman appeared and gently shared her umbrella with me. No words, just kindness. Just presence. I still think about that moment, and every time I do, it brings tears to my eyes — not from sadness, but from the overwhelming beauty of it.

That kind of kindness stays with you. It reminds you that even when the worls feels indifferent, there are still people who care. People who show up. People who, without knowing it, become the reason you believe in humanity again.

Maybe we don’t need grand gestures to feel seen. Maybe all it takes is a smile, an umbrella, a moment of grace. And maybe, just maybe, that’s God’s way of whispering, “You’re not alone.”