I am going to tell you a little story. A story of an act of kindness that restored my faith in humanity. It did not particularly change or save someone’s life from a tragic end, but it was unexpected and sometimes those are the best kind…

Yesterday, as Baby Z, Baby A, my sister and I were walking back home from the local medical centre, the prescription letter that my sister K had stored in Baby A’s pram flew away and landed in the middle of a busy road. (Yes, there is in fact a lovely breeze now that winter has arrived in Dubai, and though it is nothing compared the gale force winds of England, it is capable of whipping my hijab back and forth.) Anyway, as each car passed by, the bright pink paper flew a little further with it. A taxi driver that witnessed the event tried to go after the paper, but was unsuccessful.

Let me tell you a little something about taxi drivers in this part of the world. Though they come to our aid in times of vehicle emergencies, they are also notorious for their rash driving, cutting lines and so on. I did not think more of the taxi driver as he retracted his steps after failing to retrieve the paper.

My sister went back to the medical centre to ask for another copy of the prescription but returned empty handed. We crossed the road, and once the little ones were safely out of harms way, I decided to see if I could track down the paper that flew away.

As I crossed the road, I heard the horn of a car, but since this is very much a sound you grow accustomed to in Dubai, I paid no attention and carried on. It was only when it got closer and louder that I noticed it was the same taxi driver in his car, waving the pink prescription letter out of the window. With the widest of smiles, I returned back to where the taxi parked next to my sister and retrieved the paper, not forgetting to repeat my thanks. The taxi driver had got into his car, tracked down the paper, and drove back to where we were standing to return it to us. My faith in humanity was restored.

This kind man went out of his way to help us, and he really didn’t have to. Though the return of this paper has not transformed my life in any significant way, the fact that it was not at all expected really made me smile. I suppose deep down, I was looking out for an act of kindness. In light of the recent events of tragedy and heartache around the world, I needed to be shown an unexpected act of kindness. Something that reinforces the thoughts that Good will always prevail over Evil. Something to tell me that good people do exist.

So thank you Mr Taxi Driver. I will pray a silent prayer for you today. I pray that perhaps tomorrow an unexpected act of kindness enters your life. Perhaps it will remind you too that good people exist. Perhaps it will restore your faith in humanity.

Have you come across or carried out an act of kindness lately? I would love to hear your stories, so feel free to share them in the comments section below. Thank you!