A Simple Act of Kindness

It was early evening November, 2024. The air was crisp against my face, and the leaves were just beginning to turn. I was walking through the streets of Yerevan, Armenia carrying my wooden weaving loom and a bag full of wool threads. I am on my way to my group carpet weaving class. It’s a 30-minute walk, and it’s easier than taking the Metro or driving. I was thirsty along the way, so I stopped at a medical center to grab a bottle of water from the vending machine outside.

The area was busy with people coming and going, some hanging around, others just passing through. A man was sitting on a small chair nearby. I fumbled in my pockets for change, but when I finally checked the machine, I realized I was short. I was about to walk away, ready to give up, when the man approached me.

He said something while gesturing, offering help, but I couldn’t hear him—partly because I don’t speak the language, and partly because I’m mostly deaf. Still, I can usually read people, and communication often goes beyond words. He pointed toward the water, and I understood: “Do you want the water?”

I nodded, gesturing that I didn’t have enough money. And then, with a warm smile, he said, “I’ve got you,” and dropped his own coins into the machine to buy me the bottle.

I was a little embarrassed, but mostly touched. I thanked him deeply and walked away feeling lighter, more uplifted. Maybe it was the “good luck of the loom”, or maybe it was simply the kindness of a stranger, but in that moment, it felt like something more.

Later that night, sitting down to a bowl of Borscht at dinner, my family asked:

“Well… How was your class!?”

I started with:

“I was shown a kindness”

…and told them what had happened. They smiled and said that gestures like that used to be a lot more common in Yerevan, Armenia.

For me, it was a beautiful surprise—an unexpected gesture that meant far more than just a bottle of water.

Thank you, stranger, for reminding me that kindness is still alive and to always be my Best.