The Little Things – The Kindness of Strangers

Two years ago today, I finished my hike of the Appalachian Trail. It was a seven-month long journey from Georgia to Maine with twelve states in between. It was hard at times. It was fun at times. But all the time I was amazed at the many people who came together to help us hikers out along the trail. People who went out of their way to drop off leftover meals to a trailhead. People who hiked a couple of miles with their kids a few times each week just to drop off a cache of water where the springs weren’t reliable. People who gave hikers rides to town. People who opened their homes, kitchens, and laundry rooms to provide us with a little comfort. Strangers who sent me post cards in the mail. Strangers who I still talk to via email that cheered me on. Strangers. Complete strangers.

Today I wanted to reflect on these people. They were the only way I ever could have completed my goal – my dream – of hiking that trail. Without the kindness of all of these people I had never met, I’d probably still be walking around in circles somewhere in Atlanta before I ever stepped foot in the woods!

Sometimes I forget how important it can be to take a minute and help someone else out. Today, I wanted to remind myself to remember. A little time, a little action, a little thing, can go a long way. If you put a bunch of little actions together, it go even further. More than 2,000 miles.