Author: M

Below are stories from the Act of Kindess activity station at the Walk for Hope. 

Different Worlds Meet
By Pam 8/25/2006
A few years ago, I was flying from Amsterdam to San Francisco. I was hours early for my flight and decided to just go to the departure gate and read my book. It so happened that a flight to Tehran was scheduled to leave before mine from the same gate. I was quite interested to watch all the people milling around, about to board that flight.

I became aware of a young Iranian girl of about 14 watching me quite intently. I wondered what she found interesting about me, when I realised that she and I both found each other interesting for probably the same reasons. She possibly figured I wasn’t on her flight, but on the San Francisco one and therefore associated me with America. I wondered if this made her feel resentment. Meanwhile, I was contemplating what it might be like for her heading off to Tehran – a city whose name struck some trepidation in me. As her flight was called, she got up to join her family and board, but before she left, she turned around and gave me the warmest smile and a wave. I smiled back and waved enthusiastically at her. It warmed my heart. I’ve never forgotten her and think on her every time I hear of victims of war in the Middle East.
Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness. – Seneca, philosopher (4BC)
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