Anne Herbert’s “Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty,” published in 1993, was full of examples of just those two things. The phrase was suddenly everywhere — I remember a church discussion group on the topic — and then just as suddenly it dropped from sight — a bit like bees buzzing, buzzing, buzzing and then silence. (Well, unless someone has been stung!) That expression has been buzzing in my mind lately, perhaps because I’ve recently been the recipient of a random act of kindness and so has my grandson.
I was returning from my usual latte at Andy’s, and was about a block from home when my electric Go Chair suddenly went kaput. Thankfully, I wasn’t in the middle of traffic. I sat there for several minutes wondering what to do.
I had my iPhone with me but I couldn’t decide who to call. Suddenly, an older man was at my shoulder and asked if he could help. He pushed my Go Chair up the block to my house and right into the garage, where I have a much smaller indoor chair.
I thanked him and he smiled and said, “Glad to do it.” I’m sure he lives in my neighborhood but I’ve never seen him since. I have a caregiver, Elizabeth, who comes at 8 a.
m. weekdays to help me get showered and dressed. During that time, we share family stories and gossip.
She is from Fiji and I’ve learned about life there, as well as the Fijian community here. And she has listened to my stories about my adored teenage grandson, Jasper. I told her recently about a day he ha.