Kindness is a universal language understood by everyone, regardless of their abilities or circumstances – Mark Twain
Today, I experienced not just one, but two random acts of kindness! We were in the middle of nowhere, riding our bike, and had been searching for a gas station for quite some time. Fortunately, with modern bikes (mine is from 2010), you can see how many miles are left on the screen, instead of stressing about it. My screen showed 2 miles left. We kept riding, and I couldn’t help but give my boyfriend a smug look since he had refused to stop for gas 50 miles earlier, insisting we should minimize stops.
As we watched the screen count down from 2 miles to 1, and eventually to 0, we became increasingly worried. We asked a lady on a bicycle if there was a gas station nearby that we might have missed. Although we didn’t understand her Polish, she gestured for us to keep going. About half a mile down the road, we saw a gas station… but it was closed! It was a Sunday, and in rural Poland, people rest on Sundays. I was already picturing us camping by the gas station, waiting for it to open on Monday, and giving my boyfriend a lecture all night.
A few minutes later, the lady on the bicycle caught up with us. She tried to communicate again, and another neighbor joined in. Although we struggled to understand them, it seemed they knew of another gas station not too far away. After a lengthy one-sided conversation, the lady motioned for us to follow her. Around the same time, a man in a car also appeared, gesturing for us to follow him as well. The road ahead was steep, and the lady on the bike was clearly putting in a lot of effort to keep up with us as we rode our motorcycle. My boyfriend was worried about using up what little gas we had left by going so slow, but she was our only hope.
After what felt like an eternity, we arrived at a small garage that sold gas. The lady waved goodbye and rode off. We then realized the man in the car had followed us too, ensuring we found the station without any problems. Both of these strangers went out of their way, dedicating their time and resources—the lady by exerting herself on the uphill ride and the man by using his car—to help two forgetful tourists fill their gas tank.
We’ve been traveling for about a year and a half, and we’ve encountered countless random acts of kindness. They feel just as amazing whether you’re on the giving or receiving end. Once, we helped an elderly man push his broken-down car while his equally elderly wife tried to assist him. We got off our bike to help push, and the gratitude in her eyes was evident, despite the language barrier. Random acts of kindness improve your faith in humanity. They’re simple, universal gestures that bring people closer together.
These acts of kindness transcend religions or beliefs, making the world a better place each time they happen.