the kindness of others

We were in Mexico, and Christina was sick and we had to go to the local hospital.  That is only one part of the story.

The story I want to share is the taxi ride back from the hospital.

After Christina had been cleared of her medical diagnosis and we went out of the hospital and our only choice for transportation was a line of cabs.  I had to choose a taxi driver in the dark of night in the middle of Mexico.  I wasn’t sure exactly how it was going to end up. I heard about people being kidnapped murdered raped tortured from taxi drivers in various parts of the country, and here I was, not speaking the language with my young daughter to protect.

Christina needed medication, and so we had to go to a Pharmacy before going back to our hotel.  The driver took us to Pharmacy after Pharmacy after Pharmacy until finally at the 5th Pharmacy we were able to find all the medicine that she needed.

But that effort is only the second part of the story.

The amazing thing was the machines at the Pharmacy didn’t work for payment with any of the debit or credit cards I had on me.  I tried and I tried but they didn’t work.  And I didn’t have the cash.

At this point, a complete stranger, the taxi driver who had gone with us into the Pharmacy to see if they had the medication actually went to the taxi, got his wallet, got out his own card to try and see if he could pay for our medicine.  I didn’t know what to say, I was so grateful.  All my biases, thoughts and fears were completely wrong.  I couldn’t have been more wrong and I’m so glad he generously helped us in that situation.

What could have been so bad, instead was an insight into the kindness of others.  A father, willing and able to help out another father in need, despite the differences in circumstances makes me grateful to this day.

Hopefully this will help me learn and grow and to keep an open mind going forward.

You can’t depend on the kindness of everyone, but I’m a firm believer you can believe in the kindness of most.