A Ruse?

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Mark Twain.

One day, I was in a hurry to get out of my house because I was running late for my math class. Just as I was closing our door, this old man approached me clutching his stomach his face contorted in pain. He asked me for a glass of warm water because he wasn’t feeling well. Part of me felt bad for the man but part of me doubted him. What if he’s a thief? Or a rapist? So, I told him that I was late and I didn’t have time to get back inside the house, then I walked away.

Up to this day I still beat myself for turning him away. My mother even said “What if it was Jesus?”. I felt so guilty, I couldn’t sleep that night. Since then, I promised myself not to do things like that again. I vowed that I’m going to be more caring, thoughtful and kind to people who need it as much as possible.

But after all the promises, guilt and one sleepless night. I still find myself thinking what if he really was a thief? What if he really was just pretending? What if something had happened to me that day if I had done things differently? In this day and age, is it still possible to be kind to strangers?

I want to think that it is, but then i watch the news.