My KIND of LANGUAGE


A man in a Dominion Rd cafe in Auckland sat by himself in the same seat for a long time and would often just stare into space. He spoke to no one and no one spoke to him. He was from an Asian country. 
My twin brother Chris noticed him and then introduced himself. The man replied, “No speak English.” 
The next time Chris saw him, he gave him a wave and the man waved back. The third time Chris saw him, he decided to give the man one of his bird artwork cards that are sold in the cafe. He put the card, his gift to the man, on the table, but it was pushed away. Chris said, “It’s for you,” and pushed it gently back. The man smiled, gave Chris the thumbs up sign and held the card close to himself. 
I asked Chris why he persevered. His reply. “Because he is one of us and I wanted the man to know that someone cares.” 
Let’s be honest and admit that it can be more difficult to be kind to people that don’t speak our language or look like us. Be kind anyway and don’t give up if your first interaction seemingly doesn’t work.

This is my last blog story for the year. Thank you all for reading it (95 countries). It hasn’t always been easy producing a story every week, but it has been worth it. I am always greatly encouraged by feedback. Thanks. Hopefully my positive messages show that kindness is often just about noticing, saying quiet words that speak loudly to hearts and actions that reflect compassion and empathy. I will restart my blog sometime after mid January 2026. 
Arohanui (lots of love).
Steve


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