I’m a
relatively upbeat person, but recently I’ve been feeling a bit low and external
forces are largely to blame for my malaise. The Germans have a single word that
captures this sort of emotional experience- weltschmerz- which loosely translates to feelings of melancholy and world-weariness, the result of how the
physical world stands in contrast to how you imagine it can or should be.
I work from
home and public radio provides a constant and steady voice in the background,
which I had found comforting. Now I don’t know where the “Firefighters Rescue Cat Stuck in a Tree” kind-of-segments have
gone, but they have been replaced by a constant stream of stories that highlight
the very worst elements of human behavior. The line-up a few days ago was
predominantly: xenophobic voices from the political sphere (both here and
abroad), the Syrian Civil War, the unstoppable refugee crisis, the curtailment
of constitutional guarantees in a handful of states…and Miami, being inundated with sea water, is staring to sink. It’s
a tough world, but there have to be some narratives that highlight our best
selves. So…
Today I’d like
to share a random act of kindness I witnessed while pulling out of a Trader
Joe’s parking lot. It happened a few months ago, but it really touched me and
I’d like to tell you what happened, so please indulge me.
Like I said, I
was in the parking lot, about to turn onto Colorado Blvd. when I saw a woman (probably
in her early 90s) driving a large car. There was a wheelchair icon on her
license plate, her reverse lights were on, and she was waiting for an
opportunity to pull out of her spot. Naturally I gave her the go-ahead gesture
with my hand, because you have to be a real POS to hit the gas pedal in a
situation like that…
Several
minutes passed, and I was still
waiting behind the woman’s car. It became clear to me that she was too scared
to make the turn (there are 4 lanes of traffic in each direction at this
particular intersection of the boulevard). Drivers behind me started honking
their horns, some people started shouting out of their windows, and the whole
area was quickly getting backlogged.
I put my car
in park, but instead of going up to the elderly woman to see if she was okay
(which I now regret), I went to the car behind me. I explained the situation and
told that driver we should start making u-turns and back traffic out onto the
side street, which she agreed was a good idea.
As I was
getting back into my driver’s seat, I saw a burly muscular man (maybe 6’ 3” or
6’ 4” and I’m guessing ex-military from his appearance) walk up to the elderly
woman’s car, at which point my heart started racing. I can’t explain my initial
reaction, but I started to panic. Was he angry? Was he going to bash her window
in? Shoot her? Maybe I’ve watched too many movies - like that Michael Douglas
one where he looses it on the highway and goes “postal.”
Anyway, the
ex-military guy gently tapped on the old woman’s window. She rolled it down and
they spoke for about a minute. Then the man walked across Colorado Boulevard and
stopped all four traffic lanes by
putting his hands up and waving them above his head (it was really hard to miss
him). The traffic came to a halt, a complete stand still. The man then turned
in the direction of the elderly woman and gestured for her to start driving
forward, and after a few seconds she made the turn and was on her way.
At that point,
everyone in the parking lot started clapping and cheering and it wasn’t because
we- who had been stuck in the lot for the better part of a ½ hour- were now
free to exit. It was because we witnessed something we don’t see enough of:
someone helping someone else, in this case a perfect stranger. Everyone in that
parking lot witnessed a random act of kindness. And the incredible feeling from
that morning’s event stuck with me all day. See, now I’ve got all the feels J
Which brings
me to this salad…
A friend of
mine had been having a tough time and we thought it would be helpful to provide
her and her family with a bit of nourishment. We brought over a main dish, some
wine, dessert and this salad. I know this small little act meant the world to
her because she thanks me (profusely) every
single time she sees me, and it’s been going on for weeks!
It’s not that
I think I’m such a wonderful person because I do a few nice things, but I do understand
how small acts can have a large impact because I was the recipient of this sort
of generosity a few years back. During my father’s last year of life, it was
the kindness of others that helped me through the worst parts of his illness
and subsequent death. There were calls, letters, play date pick-ups, flowers, texts,
emails, airport drives, and home cooked meals- nourishing food- for our family.
Each of those small gestures meant something so much bigger to me. And now, helping
where I can, is my way of paying it forward.
Where am I
going with all this? Do something nice for a friend who needs it, or even a
perfect stranger. Call up a new parent who seems overwhelmed and offer to give
him or her a break. Share. Care. Volunteer. Be kind. Get out there! Do
something! The world will be a better place for your efforts. And maybe, just
maybe, your act of kindness will be so great that it will make the evening news
and provide a nice contrast to those other stories broadcast on our airwaves.
xx,
B
Bar Fausto’s Amazing
Farro Salad (Printed
with permission)
Thank you Emily,
of Bar Fausto, for generously sharing this recipe with me.
Serves 4
people
For Salad
2 cups cooked Farro
½ Cucumber medium diced
1cup radishes sliced
1 medium carrot sliced
½ red onion sliced
¼ cup mint chopped
4 cups arugula
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup (or
desired amount) of Sunflower Golden Raisin Vinaigrette.
For
Sunflower Golden Raisin Vinaigrette
Yields ½ Gallon Vinaigrette (This will last you a very long time! I
halved the recipe below and it was more than enough, with plenty left over.)
2 cups Golden Raisins
2 cups Champagne Vinegar
2 cups Sunflower seeds
¼ cup Sugar
1 cup Lemon Juice
1 cup Shallots Brunoise
1 tablespoon Salt
½ Tablespoon Black Pepper
½ Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
6 cups Blended oil (I found my bottle Costco.)
In a blender, combine the golden raisins and champagne vinegar. Pulse
until raisins chopped up into smaller pieces. Combine all of the ingredients
into a mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate the flavors. (The vinaigrette will
look “broken” and will not emulsify.”) Store in a container and whisk again when
ready to use.
Inside Bar Fausto. The image (above) was generously provided by Lauren DiFillipo
(@regretscoyote).
You can see some of her work in Life & Thyme or on her website.
Thank you, Lauren!
