Acts of Kindness

No gesture is too small or insignificant. A health crisis turned my world upside down, and the best I could do was hold on to the simple things. A phone call, a brief message … Those little moments went a long way in reminding me I was not alone. And alone is how I felt when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer. I was young—in my early 30s—and didn’t know anyone my age who had been diagnosed. I felt lost and unsure of how to even assume the role of “cancer patient.” In what felt like an instant, I shut down a busy social and professional calendar in favor of endless doctor’s appointments and hospital visits. Nothing could have prepared me for this drastic life shift.

Meaningful gestures don’t stand out based on their perceived size or significance.

A turning point came once I opened up to others about my experiences. I was touched—and surprised—by the outpouring of responses and kind gestures. Former work colleagues, middle school classmates, my friends’ family members and even complete strangers reached out to me. There was no perfect message or gesture that would magically fix my health crisis. But my support community showed up with what they could do. Some chose to offer support with chores or meals while others checked in with phone calls and texts. All of these acts of kindness wove together a whole fabric of love and encouragement. Meaningful gestures don’t stand out based on their perceived size or significance. Rather, they are heartfelt. They provide a sense of connection. For me, they were a reminder that although my health challenge was my own, I had backup to carry me through it. Intentional participation from others nurtured my healing process. And that was a beautiful revelation.