Roughly a month back, we had to rush to the vet with our beloved senior spaniel dog for an emergency procedure. It was without anaesthesia and he was crying in agony. I was stressed out and recked on all levels, as I had not had proper sleep or rest in 72 hours. Every time he howled, I cringed and felt my gut twist. I kept my brave game face on and prayed for strength.
To distract myself, I looked over my shoulder as the clinic door opened. A tall guy walked in, wearing jazzy clothes, with a helper in tow holding his tiny pug-dog, wearing an even jazzier-blingy winter coat. I mentally rolled my eyes and based on some past experience, my mind made an automatic snap-judgement and labelled him as a typical flashy, inconsiderate, brat type. I then turned my attention back to tackle my own situation.
Finally after a few minutes, what seemed like hours, we were free to leave and I was so relieved. But, I was reeling and on the verge of a meltdown, as I struggled to lift my dog off the table, when the guy, whom I had so conveniently judged, surprisingly and smilingly came to help. He quickly opened the door for us and helped us exit the clinic with ease. As I looked up to thank him, I saw a very kind and gentle person there instead of the cold label my mind stuck on him earlier. I was truly embarrassed. That small gesture on his part turned my day around. All I needed was a genuine smile and a tiny dose of humanity!
I learnt:
-Labels, conditioned judgements can be really deceptive.
-The tiniest act of kindness could be a lifesaver for somebody having a hard day. Every act is worth a lot more than we realise in the larger scheme of things!
Takeaway
Every act of kindness, like every drop, counts!