This is going to be a short post as this was a thought that came to my mind which I felt like writing about.

Since arriving in Canada six months ago, I’ve experienced many new things and culture shocks. But, over the past few days, one thought keeps coming back to me: gratitude. This isn’t to say I wasn’t grateful before, but living here has changed my perspective in surprising ways. A quality I believed to be a silent companion of my journey, has unfolded its layers in unexpected ways.

For example, few days ago, holding the door open for someone at the metro station led to a simple ‘Merci’ from a stranger and an exchange of smiles. This nice feeling made me wonder, why did I do it? This and other small acts of kindness kept happening. The joy found in these interactions is undeniable, giving a sense of comfort and warmth.

Back where I come from, these small gestures aren’t as common. People seem too busy or maybe are too pre-occupied that they just don’t think about it. But here, I’ve learned that these small moments can actually be very powerful. When you do something nice and someone else does something nice in return, it makes you happy. This happiness creates a desire to continue being kind, which can have a positive effect on society. Maybe this is why such behaviour is ubiquitous here.

This also got me thinking why such acts of kindness seems more natural here than back home. Is the economic stability a factor? Is it about having time and money to think about such things? I don’t think those are the reasons because being kind doesn’t take much of either. Maybe it’s something that has grown over time, becoming as integral to the community as the very air they breathe. We will never know.

This contemplation brings me back to my roots, where we greet others by saying ‘Namaste’ (I bow down before you). Coming from such a culture, how, when and why have we drifted from this ethos of reverence and kindness? But, more importantly, how can we bring this spirit of kindness back to our own communities? I believe the answer is to start practicing such gestures without the expectation of reciprocation, quietly leading by example.

Ah! I don’t know why I wrote this. I feel like I’m trying to capture something much bigger than I can fully explain. Perhaps, I should be focusing on my work instead, but I can’t shake the feeling that these thoughts about kindness and how we treat each other are important.