The Depth Of Kindness

Tonight something happened to me that has never happened before. I got a series of text messages from a number I did not recognize. Now, getting messages from unknown numbers really is not that uncommon, but it was the content of these messages that completely threw me.

The person who sent these messages too me, stated in her first message that she did not think she'd have the courage to send them, but she did nonetheless. This girl poured her heart and her feelings out to me via text message, all the things she'd been aching to say, she wrote to me. It was beautiful and obviously nerve racking. You could tell through her jumbled words that she really cared and this whole series of messages was terrifying for her to send.

Her name was Sandi. . .and she had the wrong number.

I was not the guy these messages were meant for. I was not the one that this girl had to build up so much courage to say these things to. All he effort and all her struggle, only to be received by the wrong person. I felt devastated, it was terrible to think of this series of events. I didn't know exactly what to do, I had to tell her I was not the one she meant to send them to. I couldn't very well let her feel as if this guy she poured her heart out to was a jerk and ignoring her.

I messaged her back, I had to. I explained to her that I was glad she found the courage, but regrettably, she had the wrong number. I sent a series of text messages, telling her not to be embarrassed or discouraged. I did my best to encourage her to try again and make sure she told this guy, the right guy, all the things she was feeling. It is important to let people know these things, keeping them in rarely ends in anything but regret and hurt. As I hit the send button, I wondered how my message would be received, would she be ashamed and abashed? Would she find my response and advice creepy and weird coming from a complete stranger? I almost felt as if I had made a mistake, but there really was no turning back at that point.

I waited nervously, almost like a young boy waiting for the arrival of his prom date. I didn't even know if I would get a response, I mean, she might have been too utterly embarrassed to respond. That was not the case however, and after a few nervous minutes, I got a message back.

It was simple, almost perfectly so. She said, "Thank you, I will, you are really sweet."

We rarely ever treat strangers with the depth of kindness she and I had during this interaction and I think that is a shame.