An act of kindess

I was at a supermarket today and was bending over to grab a packet of Vitagen when the buttons on my top popped. Now, the top was not very tight to start off with, and it was one of those linen pieces that was held together with only 3 buttons and came fully apart at the back.

So as you can imagine, I was mortified and trying desperately to keep cool and hang on to whatever shred of dignity I had left, which was not much. I fumbled with the buttons on my back and was praying that the gentleman browsing the cheese section three feet away wouldn't notice. As if.

Thankfully, a lovely lady came over and offered to help me. She was so sweet about it and even jokingly asked what I did to have popped ALL the buttons. I told her it was one of those things that happened. She deftly did up the buttons, I thanked her and we parted ways. The entire incident probably lasted about 2 minutes at the very most.

I think we are daily presented with opportunities to show kindness to others around us. Think of how we interact with one another daily and these opportunities are just there - holding the lift for someone, pointing the direction to another, or simply offering help when someone looks lost without being asked for it.

I, for one, am guilty of playing dumb at times when it doesn't suit me to be kind to others - jabbing at the close button when I am late for a meeting when I can see someone trying to walk faster for the lift, waiting to see if anyone else will offer help to a lost patron who's trying to figure out how the sophisticated food-ordering system at the famous Old Airport Road Rojak stall works (I did, but only after watching the lady looking lost for half a minute), failing to point out to a male stranger walking by that his pants are undone...I admit that it is embarrassing to recount these actions.

The lady who offered help to me today could have easily walked away. Instead, she offered help that I gratefully accepted and very much appreciated. I think we all could do with a reminder to be kind to one another - don't you?