Coco Calling No.236 - The Kindness of Strangers Part 2

It’s very rare for me to write two consecutive blogs with the same title, but it’s a real joy to do so, because it means I’ve got another uplifting story to share with you. And it’s another story about human kindness.

Last week, the fledged son of my owner returned home from a long spell abroad. And he couldn’t wait to jump into his old car, and travel around visiting friends. Unfortunately, as he was driving along a country road some distance from where we live, he hit a very deep pothole. The force of the jolt was so great that it snapped the driveshaft under his car so that it was rendered helpless. And as he was standing beside his car, wondering what to do, a lady appeared from a nearby house, and let him push the car off the road into the comparative safety of her driveway. And not only that; she then invited him in for a cup of tea and a piece of cake while he worked out what he should do.

Well, the car remained in her driveway until the following morning when a breakdown recovery vehicle arrived to tow it away.

Now, there’s an old parrot saying which goes like this:

“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

And that is exactly what this kind lady did. She probably thought that she hadn’t done very much at all; certainly not enough to warrant a parrot blog. But no act of kindness, -however small, -is ever wasted. And this lady made a difficult situation a whole lot better than it would otherwise have been, and in her own small way, she made the world a better place. And there’s probably a lesson here for the rest of us, -parrots included. Because small acts of kindness are like grains of sand on the beach. On their own, they may seem small and insignificant. But when multiplied a millionfold, they begin to make an impact and to change the existing topography. And in the case of kindness, it establishes the foundations for peace, love and harmony, -those three core virtues that form the basis of a happy life…

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” (Lucius Annaeus Seneca: C. 4BC- AD65: Known as Seneca the Younger, a stoic philosopher of Ancient Rome)

“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now I am old, I admire kind people.” (Abraham Joshua Heschel: 1907-1972: Polish born American Rabbi; one of the leading Jewish theologians and philosophers of the 20th century)

“Kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else.” (Roald Dahl: 1916-1990: British author of children’s books)

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” (Mark Twain: 1835-1910: American author)

“To be truly good means being a good neighbour….And to be a good neighbour means recognising that there are ultimately no strangers…Everybody is my neighbour!”

(Brian D. McLaren: 1956 – present: American Pastor and author)

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”

(1 Peter 3:8)

“…Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3: 12b)