In Our Midst also deals with the idea of “the kindness of strangers.” Can you think of specific examples, small and large, of that motif in your own life? Should strangers be regarded as enemies or new friends?
I have encountered “the kindness of strangers” throughout my life in many different ways, so I understood the kindnesses bestowed upon the Aust family. I don’t regard these memorable people in my life as new friends. I see them as guardian angels who have helped me through stressful or difficult moments.
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There were times when I needed people to enter my life and help guide me through issues. I believe we can “sense” when the person is kind and genuine. If I feel the red flag in my “sensory gut” then I know to back away.
Earlier this year a friend and I were driving from Delaware to our homes in the Washington DC area. Shortly after getting on 95 S I got a low tire pressure alert. Fortunately I was near the Delaware Service Center and could get off the highway. When I went to where the air pumps were nothing made sense to me and I wasn’t sure how to get the air in the tires without deflating them. I drove to the convenience store to hopefully get help. I had just gotten out of the car looking pretty distraught when a man who had just come out noticed me and asked if everything was ok. I explained the situation. He told me to follow him back to the air pumps. Not only did he check all four tires and put air in the ones that needed them, but he also “educated” me and my friend on the whole process. I offered to pay him but he flatly refused. His trip was delayed almost an hour by helping me.
Like Lynne, I would never consider this person a friend (no chance we would even meet again), but definitely considered him a guardian angle. It makes me smile again just sharing the story again.
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This started with me offering help to someone I did know and working as a librarian. A woman came up to the desk to vent that could handle the math of her GRE’s and said do not worry my husband will tutor you. So I called him and said get ready someone will be there soon and you will tutor her for the math part of the GRE’s. Now very successful as a librarian and she treats us as her “fairy godparents” and has more than repaid us in kindness and assistance. Plus we are part of her family.
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I too have been helped by strangers many, many times. Even though the brain often remembers the negative more than the positive, I can only remember once when someone was unkind and even he, responded more gently and helpfully after my sad reaction to his first offering.
It’s interesting that in In Our Midst, thinking of the restaurant’s customers, some of whom were friends, how they lost their spirit of helpfulness towards the Aust family. I think of this as fear winning over love, yet what a loss to the giver and receiver.
Strangers should be regarded as new friends until they have proven to be enemies.