The kindness of a stranger
By sofs
@sofssu (23662)
June 29, 2016 7:00am CST
I have been speaking in my earlier posts about the facebook groups I have got involved with recently. On one 'plant swap group' I was trying to get some seeds in exchange for others.. The woman I was speaking too seemed rather curt in her manner of speech. ( Its only written communication and that would mean I really had no clue what the woman was actually feeling, however her written expressions seemed rather curt.) feeling uncomfortable I decided to stop the conversation but not before I had given her my address.
Just a little while ago I went to check my mail box ( for snail mail) and lo and behold I have a package from her in the mail. I opened the package and I was surprised to see so many varieties of seeds that I hadn't even asked for, neatly packed and labeled. There was no note accompanying the package.
I am so surprised that someone who was bargaining so hard would just decide to send me a whole lot of seeds without even waiting for me to agree on what I would be sending her. I am looking for something special to knock her off her feet. I know that she is not expecting anything from me.. But I am so moved by the kindness of this stranger.
Have you had similar experiences in your life?
22 people like this
21 responses
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
29 Jun 16
I had a dear friend that had a caustic personality. She was rough and gruff and I would moan a bit when I saw her walking toward my home.
She had a heart of gold though. She and I remained friends until she passed away about 18 years ago.
I remember the day she showed up at my home on my birthday. I wasn't expecting to see her, but there she was with a huge box in tow. Her son helped her bring it down. Inside was a Christmas tree. I was flabbergasted and humbled by her gift. Her birthday was the day before mine. I didn't know this at the time.
The next year I had a little party for her birthday. She was so surprised. Her face lit up like the sun. It brought me so much joy to see her so happy.
We need to look for that silver lining in every dark cloud. It is there, we just need to find it. Focus on that and you'll have a friend for life.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
29 Jun 16
@sofssu I'll bet she will be quite pleased when she receives your package!
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
•
29 Jun 16
@ElusiveButterfly You did find a friend for life didn't you? Wow.. the most precious gifts come when they are not expected and it seems the best gifts are those that shabbily wrapped. I am so taken up by this woman's goodness that I have made up my mind to pursue this relationship.. Thanks for sharing this story.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
•
30 Jun 16
@ElusiveButterfly I hope so.. I guess I will send her a rare bromeliad.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215428)
• Chile
29 Jun 16
I have met many people kinder than what I thought. But not by FB.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215428)
• Chile
29 Jun 16
@sofssu It is a matter of getting to know them more, I suppose.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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30 Jun 16
@marguicha So true..It seems that first impressions aren't always the best.
@sofssu (23662)
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29 Jun 16
@marguicha Truly .. our perception of people may often times be wrong.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
2 Jul 16
Thats when these little faces come in handy
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
•
2 Jul 16
@responsiveme Those are my everyday tools. I love these emoticons. 
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
30 Jun 16
Yes , I have some wonderful experiences with strangers helping me .. I too have tried to help to extend random kindness to strangers in return.. Hoping that kindness will spread to other strangers from strangers .. Because we really do not need to know each others personally to extend a helping hand ..
And we can not judge people by how they interact with us on social media either.. That's what I learned in the ten years that I have been interacting with people online ..
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
•
30 Jun 16
@epiffanie That is so true.. You really don't know what to expect and with my total dislike for FB I wasn't willing to trust anyone. This came as a pleasant surprise.
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
29 Jun 16
perhaps she just comes off abrupt online/in text
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
•
30 Jun 16
@Jessicalynnt She answered mostly in monosyllables and then she seemed to push hard with the barter. I found that too tough to handle.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
1 Jul 16
@sofssu could just be no social skills, some people social interactions are difficult
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
29 Jun 16
that's the troubles with this net-versin' - one cannot see the 'xpressions e'en given by the penned hand. what a true delight to've been the recipient'f such. i've no doubts that'cher gonna find somethin' most 'ppropriate to send her'n return.
i've gotten several gifts o'er the years from folks i've met online - from fresh maple syrup to calendars, holey britches to fabric scraps from their families treasure trove, lovely cards 'n e'en pictures. each act'f kindness melted my heart.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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30 Jun 16
@crazyhorseladycx I am sure they melted your heart.. Good deeds and unexpected good deeds seem to turn us inside out. I am still figuring out what to send this kind woman.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
29 Jun 16
I cant bring one to mind...but relying on written word communication only can be tricky...I found it difficult sometimes, trying to 'read ' what people were saying in their comments on the other site ...lol's
But what a blessing to get in the mail... it would be nice to respond in kind...
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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30 Jun 16
@sueznewz2 So true.. I make some tongue in cheek comments in good humor and then wonder how it will be perceived .. Written communication can be tough to understand since it lacks the nuances of facial expressions and intonation.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79731)
• United States
29 Jun 16
What a pleasant surprise from that stranger especially when you thought she wasn't really being very nice
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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30 Jun 16
@Marilynda1225 It was indeed a pleasant surprise. I was so shocked that I kept staring at the package for minutes later.
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
29 Jun 16
The communication did not went well, but the transaction was a success.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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29 Jun 16
@ilocosboy Yup , you are right.. the communication got derailed but the item was shipped.
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
29 Jun 16
@sofssu yeah, the communication is down but the item was up, he he
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
29 Jun 16
That was very kind of her. I have had several situations where people have done for me things that I never thought they would do.
Then there are situations where I have been gifted something extra that I didn't expect. Of course this latter thing is pertaining to purchases made and extra gifts given. I refer to hand made sellers here as well.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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29 Jun 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum It was indeed very kind of her.. I did not expect anything from her.. I thought that was a closed chapter. Isn't it amazing when people go out of their way to do something nice, especially when you don't expect anything more?
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 Jun 16
Just goes to show how inadequate written communication is to show what kind of a heart you have, She is obviously a very nice person and you may have made a good friend.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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29 Jun 16
@BelleStarr So true. Written communication is always very inadequate when it comes to deciphering what the other person feels. We miss the body language and the subtle nuances of the voice to read into what is being said. I do think she is a lovely person and I will try to start up a conversation with her.
2 people like this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
29 Jun 16
Maybe her manner of speaking (writing) is just that way, where the reader could perceive as curt or blunt? But it was the opposite when she sent you more than what you expected of her.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23662)
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29 Jun 16
@acelawrites Exactly! I expected nothing as I did not communicate further .. so for all purposes we did not make a deal.. She really made my day!
