Stranger Hero.

Every day we go out, we meet people and a lot of times, it just seems as though everyone is just so angry. Like people are just walking ticking time bombs waiting for the slightest chance to explode. You might get quite unfortunate and a random person you never knew from nowhere ruins your day. Or the sun might shine in your favour and you meet the good, kind stranger who makes your day brighter and etches an indelible mark somewhere on your heart.

In a world where anxieties and troubles have made people angrier, it's almost hard to believe that there are still good people out there. But honestly, there still are. And sometimes, they just happen to be there at the most crucial of times. A time where they become a knight in shining armour without even knowing it. I've experienced kindness from strangers a few times, from someone sharing their umbrella with me under the rain, to helping me carry bags from the market just because we were going the same way, to paying for my bus fare without asking. All of those moments have stuck with me, but one stands out in particular.

I probably might have told this story somewhere here but anyways, I remember one time my mom had a full-blown midnight crisis and we had to rush her to the hospital. Due to the time it happened, it was very hard getting a means of transportation in that dire moment. But all of a sudden, this man appeared with his bike from nowhere. He came to our house and took my mom to the hospital. He refused to collect any money as payment for the ride after successfully getting her there. We were all relieved that at least my mom was in the right hands now and she would get some treatment.

We were so touched by the kindness of that one man and we kept talking about it. My mom stayed for a month at the hospital and later got discharged. Two days later, this random man showed up at our house, and it was that same bike man. I didn’t register his face in my head that first night, it all happened so fast. He said he came around the neighborhood and wanted to check up on us. It was so heartwarming that he even remembered us enough to want to know how we were doing.

That is one kindness of a stranger that I would never forget. Not just because of what he did, but because he did it without expecting anything in return. In a world where everyone seems to be minding their business or only stepping in when there’s something to gain, his actions reminded me that pure, selfless kindness still exists. Sometimes it doesn’t come with fanfare or big announcements, it shows up quietly, does its part, and leaves you a little more hopeful about humanity.

Even now, whenever I see a bike on a lonely road at night, I remember him. I remember that night and the relief we felt. And most of all, I remember that kindness is never wasted, even if it’s shown to a complete stranger. Because you never know, you just might be the answer to someone’s desperate prayer in their darkest hour.

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