Below, are two stories about two people. They both brought a smile to my face and I hope this post does the same for you.
A Familiar Face in the Stairwell
I love the moments when we slow down and allow ourselves to be comfortably vulnerable.
Often, I walk down the stairs quickly and I pout when the person in front of me is traveling half my speed.
This time it was different. I hastily speed-walked from my car to the stairwell. I held the door open for a woman behind me and we both took the stairs. Twice, she looked back and up at me in an adoring way. The woman told me I look like her niece. Each time, she sees me, she thinks of her. I told the woman I have one of those faces and that I’m regularly mistaken for other people.
We talked as we made our way down the stairs. I asked the woman if she sees her niece often. She told me her niece lives in another state. Sadly, she only visits her twice a year. I asked how her niece was doing and what kind of weather her state was getting. She told me her niece is a doll and she’s had a chain of terrible storms. Thankfully, she and her home were okay. The woman told me she could tell I was nice. I thanked her and empathized with the difficulty of loved ones living so far away. I told her my in-laws are in another state. Like her, I only see them in person twice a year. I mentioned how thankful I am that my brother and sister-in-law post pictures and videos of my only nephew.
When we arrived at another door, she opened it for me. At that moment, I recognized the kind stranger. I had complimented her color-blocked boots the previous week. Although, she wore a different pair that day. This time, I complimented her camel colored handbag.
A group of employees had exited the elevators in front of us. Each person seemed to pass a compliment to the next.
Once we were in the building, the familiar woman and I exchanged names and wished each other a great day. I haven’t seen her since. I’m sure when we encounter each other again, it will feel just as natural. I like to think that my new friend called her niece after work and they caught up on any updates.
Sincerity and Salon Style
As the saying goes, “If you can be anything in the world, be kind”.
Last Saturday, I went to the salon for a well-needed haircut. The stylist and I instantly connected. We had our generalized stylist-client chit-chat about life and work. When I told her a little about my job, she excitedly asked me if I was good with computers. I said yes, to an extent. The stylist told me she just finished her schooling and hours required for real estate. She just needed to take the test. The stylist told me she was not good with computers and had to register online. She asked me if I could help. I told her I was happy to try.
If you’re like me and have no experience in real estate, allow me to enlighten you. We visited the Commercial Occupation License Application (iCOLA) website and verified the potential broker’s information.
Then, the website requested the potential broker to apply for a real estate license. At this step, she needed to create an account. The stylist asked me to talk to her as if she were my grandmother. Since there were only a few years between us, we both laughed. I walked the stylist through the username and password requirements. The website accepted her login information. We high-fived.
Once this was done, the website redirected us to the registration form for the exam. We were both jubilant. I helped her complete the form and explained that she had to enter information in the fields that had asterisks next to it. Also, I explained what was meant by “MM/DD/YYYY” and other format responses. We entered the last of her information and submitted the electronic signature.
It worked!
The stylist received a confirmation email stating she would receive a password for the test in two business days. With that password, she could schedule her test. She was thankful that she didn’t have to call customer service for assistance. I was glad I helped her.
The stylist told me I was a good person. I thanked her and told her I considered myself to be a work in progress. I explained to her that I was inspired by Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project. In the book, the author focused on specific aspects of her life to improve each month. She did this for one year.
I told the stylist that I had a long depressive episode in the middle of 2017. Now that I’m in control, I’m working to improve my quality of life and develop my best self. In her most bubbly voice, the stylist replied, “Depression’s easy. I can help you with that”.
My gut instinct was to disregard that comment because Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has sincerely been the most difficult thing for me to overcome. I listened to her and saw passion radiating from within. At that moment, I realized that she had good intentions. I listened to her. The stylist opened up to me and revealed two devastating situations that brought her to her lowest low. She got help. She read the bible. Specifically, she read where Jesus spoke. She shared the names of her favorite inspirational speakers and the videos she found most helpful. I shared with her some of the coping activities that have been helpful to me.
Instead of cleaning or assisting with another client, the stylist sat and talked with me while my hair dried. I showed her pictures of the different hairstyles and colors I’ve had over the years. She said I was brave. She would like to cut her hair but is afraid to do so. I said I was nervous the first time I cut mine, but now I look forward to it. I told her to cut it when she’s comfortable and ready for that change.
The stylist looked down and was surprised by my wedding ring. She asked how long I’ve been married. I happily exclaimed for almost six years. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through pictures of my husband and me. She asked how we met. I shared with her my two favorite stories; how we met and our seven-hour long first date. She said it was the coolest story she heard.
When my hair was dry, we walked back to the styling chair. She told me how one of the inspirational speakers had to take a standardized test in English. It wasn’t his primary language and he took the exam nine times. On the ninth try, he passed. The stylist told me English is her second language. I wouldn’t have known. She spoke clearly and had a wide vocabulary. I told her that and she was most appreciative.
I told the stylist that I’m retaking a test at my work. She told me to do my best. She said if I failed again, I had to try again. I agreed.
When she was done styling, texturizing and straightening my hair, I gasped. I loved my new look so much and asked if I could give her a hug. She said of course. She said she enjoyed talking with me. I let her know the feeling was mutual. Also, the stylist thanked me again for helping her register for her exam and license. She said I greatly helped her and she didn’t charge me for the hair toner. I thanked her again and said it had been a great experience. She gave me another hug and we wished each other the best on our upcoming tests.
I left the salon feeling euphoric, confident and grateful. I’ll cherish that appointment. I’m glad I chose to listen to her and stayed in the chair. I hope she passes her exam and earns her real estate license.
Please be kind to others and yourself.
Feel free to share your stories of unexpected kindness from strangers. I would love to hear from you in the comments.
I wish you the best. 🙂