“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”—Henry James
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A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him off his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So, too, a Levite when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day, he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper.
“Look after him,” the Samaritan told the innkeeper, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
Of course, you are very familiar with the story above. It was Jesus Christ who shared this “parable of the good Samaritan,” as recorded by Saint Luke (Chapter 10:30-35), after those “experts in the law” asked him, “Who is my neighbor?”
“Which of these three men do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Jesus asked them. “The one who had mercy on him,” someone replied.
What the Good Samaritan displayed was actually kindness in action. “Kindness is more than deeds,” said C. Neil Strait. “It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person.”
Action speaks louder than words. If you want to be kind to others, just do it. Amelia Earhart once pointed out, “No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind of action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”
I was reminded of the story shared with me by my journalist friend, Alan C. Robles:
Twenty-eight-year-old Brent arrived in the Philippines and found himself stranded on the streets without any money. For anyone who subscribes to the alarming news narratives about this nation, his prospects could be encapsulated in two words: “dead meat.”
However, Brent learned that a visitor’s destiny in this country is not dictated by media reports, but rather by the generosity of its people. The kindness he experienced prompted him to reconsider the widespread perception of the Philippines as an unfriendly environment.
This was his second visit to the country, as he aimed to reunite with his fiancée in the southern region of the country. He recounted that during his first trip, his friends in Portland, Oregon, were horrified. They warned the truck driver that he was heading to a perilous location – and it is easy to see why. News articles and travel warnings emphasized bombings, lawlessness, and crime.
Interestingly, Brent’s initial journey was quite uneventful. However, it was the second trip that truly tested him. Upon his arrival, he discovered that due to a technical issue, the cash machines at the airport were unable to process his card. Consequently, he utilized most of the limited cash he had to take a taxi to a motel, where he spent the night before boarding an early flight to the province of his beloved.
The following day, after depleting the remainder of his funds on a taxi to the airport, he realized he had been taken to the incorrect terminal – the right one was several kilometers away. With no money, at the wrong terminal, and only an hour until his flight was scheduled to depart, he felt a surge of desperation. He attempted to run to the correct terminal with all his luggage, but he would not have succeeded if a cab driver had not stopped beside him and inquired if he required assistance.
Upon hearing the American’s explanation of his situation, the driver expressed concern that Brent might form a negative impression of the Philippines. Therefore, he encouraged him to get into the cab.
However, his problems were far from over. At the airport, the gate agent informed him that he was required to pay a departure tax of 100 pesos, along with an additional 500 pesos for excess baggage. When Brent explained that he had no money and detailed his inability to withdraw cash, the agent generously covered the costs from his own funds.
Ultimately, thanks to the intervention of two strangers who offered assistance at a critical moment, Brent was able to reunite with his fiancée. By the time you read this account, they may have already tied the knot.
Brent mentioned that he obtained the names and contact numbers of those who aided him, but only after he persistently requested them. Reflecting on his experience in a country often perceived as dangerous, he contemplated: “It is difficult to envision such hospitality being replicated in any other place in the contemporary world. Perhaps my narrative could alter a few perceptions regarding the Philippines as an exceptional travel destination.”
“When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I ought to feel,” observed Harold Kushner.
Neil Gaiman penned: “I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you’ll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you’ll make something that didn’t exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.”
