"I've Always Depended on the Kindness of Strangers"

In high school, I can remember studying Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" in both English 9 class with the esteemed Walter Robinson and in theatre class.  I can remember this because I enjoyed it was flat out obsessed with those deep South accents and twisty characters.  I enjoyed TN Wms so much, in fact, that I bring Streetcar up on my blog this very day.  Blanche DuBois, the fragile femme lead featured in the play, has a line she says right before she is taken away to a mental institution that always stuck with me...

"I've always depended on the kindness of strangers."



I believe the obvious interpretation on this line exposes Blanche's many inner weaknesses.  And you may say I am crazy and reaching far to make this connection... but in her largest moment of vulnerability, that is what Blanche DuBois chose to say... so I say...

What if we could all say this when we're at rock bottom?  Wouldn't it be nice if we also could depend on the kindness of strangers?

These are days where people must earn the trust of most people before anyone would let anyone depend of their kindness.  And kindness is not given freely as much as it needs to be.

Over the weekend, there was a car fire at the restaurant.  A severe blaze, really.  A mother and son who were coming to enjoy a Sunday meal at the restaurant, instead, were stunned as their transportation burned before their eyes.

Two twenty-something women were also dining with us Sunday. I should have checked them both for angel wings.  Of their own free choice, they took it upon themselves to stay with this family.  They came in and retrieved lemonades for them while they were dealing with the aftermath.  They walked in and checked them in to eat once the hustle had died down... and they even sat, hours after their own meal, with this mother and son while they had their meal.  These folks were complete strangers to them.  But these women chose to take their Sunday afternoon to comfort them with their company during this incident.  It really got me thinking... would I have taken the time to do that for someone I didn't even know?

These kind women were definitely my age... so you can't tell me it's because they are seasoned and have "life experience" that they stayed.  

It was a selflessness.  A purity of soul... it's what we should want to be.  We should want to provide any and every stranger with that special kindness that comes from within.  It speaks so much more powerfully than a message on the sleeve.

XOXO,