Noah and I made it to Cairo from London safely last night.
I travelled the world by myself some years ago. I went whitewater rafting down the Zambezi below Victoria Falls – with a lifejacket since I couldn’t swim. We also bush safaried on the Zambezi with lions and crocs and hippos around us and I was ok. I abseiled on some insane boot camp in Scotland a few years later, crying all the way – note to self, death-defying stunts rarely change your life or suddenly imbue you with the courage to fulfill your dreams – and I made it through somehow.
But travelling alone with an infant for the first time is, without doubt, the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done. The sheer logistics of it – packing for a five-month old, negotiating Heathrow’s complex liquids rules (how much milk?), going through security with your baby in a new stroller you’ve only just got the hang of while juggling his overstuffed changing bag and (stupidly) a carry-on case, all while trying to make it to your gate on time (parents travelling solo get no kind driver to whizz them there – I asked) is enough to drive the most measured of us to insanity.
Granted, I made several rookie mistakes (do travel light and make sure you understand how your stroller works beforehand) but I made it through, mainly – as Blanche Dubois says in Streetcar – because of the kindness of strangers. I’ve said this before but I’ve never felt more vulnerable than when I was pregnant and than I do now, as a still-new mother. Whether it’s a hormonal shift or the weight of caring for a precious little life or the endless daily challenges of new motherhood, I am raw and open and exposed like never before.
So, while thankfully my child was a trooper, I was a nervous wreck – if I could have taken a moment to sob quietly in the toilets, I would have. Crowded places like airports can be terrifying if you’re vulnerable for any reason. But for every person who rushed past us, there were others who stopped to help, and this is an ode to all those lovely people whose little acts of kindness made our lives easier yesterday.
To the wonderful woman in security in Heathrow Terminal 2 who held Noah for me and talked to him as I tried to close his stroller, and the woman on the other side who put all my things together as I tried to put him back in, thank you. To the man in Boots who let this harried mum buy his milk without making her delve for her boarding pass (‘because parents have enough to deal with”), thank you. These are not places where I expected kindness and your actions moved me to tears.
To the woman also travelling with her child on the same flight – but not encumbered by bags like me – who offered to go ahead and tell them I’d be late – and then helped me put his stroller away at the gate, thank you. To the lovely family I sat next to on board who gave me lots of tips and held Noah for me when we disembarked so I could gather our things, thank you. To the man on the other side who joked with Noah, the couple behind me who got my bag down from the overhead bin and carried it out, and then the Egypt Air steward who wheeled it to immigration for me, thank you, thank you, thank you.
I have struggled with vulnerability and asking for help my whole life but I now rarely have a choice, so these little acts of kindness mean more than you will ever know. Sometimes we hold back from offering help because we’re shy or embarrassed or don’t want to intrude (as a Brit, I get that). But kindness, in whatever form – whether it’s an encouraging smile or holding the door open for someone or letting them go ahead in a queue or helping a struggling mum find her feet – is one of the few things in life that costs nothing but can be absolutely transformative.
As the saying goes: Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
Black coffee and cigarettes 
Reblogged this on O LADO ESCURO DA LUA.
Thank you!
A lovely post. It is amazing how much kindness is out there and how much people help. Of courses everyone loves small babies so that definitely helps.
It’s true, but I have to say that there are an awful lot of people who could help but don’t for whatever reason. We could all always do with more kindness in our lives!
That is also true but it is better to remember the kind acts and the good.
Definitely.
Beautiful piece.
Life changing.
Giving and receiving is it.
Giving and receiving , experience it , be joyful.
Reblogged this on surrender884.
Amen to that and beautifully said.
Sometimes we just take the little things forgranted as we do people and we are also quick to judge.
It warmed my heart to read of the impact these small acts of kindness had on you. Thank you for the reminder that even a tiny gesture on our part can have a huge positive impact on someone else. I will carry your post with me into the week ahead …
Thank you Heide. x
I want to go to Egypt one day..I loved this story! You don’t find many nice people where I’m at. It’s sad.
Lots of kindness in Egypt, for sure. I think it does exist in other parts of the world too – it’s just that we’ve forgotten how to reach out to each other perhaps.
I think that sounds about right.
I love this post!! I’m currently travelling alone (without a child – you’re supermum!) and I never really noticed the kindness of strangers until now! You’re post is exactly how i feel! awesome x
Far from supermum but thank you Abi 🙂 x
journey is a way to find the kindness to each other.
I like the side very much.
Thanks at least you have made me realize one important thing in me I never knew before.
I felt really nice reading about your adventurous trip and knowing about your journey. I believe there is still humanity left in humans. And we felt really nice to know about your experience.
❤❤
Loved your post and your ability to be vulnerable and allow yourself to be human and needy. Your explanation of your trip and the humanity in it, I so appreciate. Many blessings to you and your family.
Thank you so much Kathy – you hit the nail on the head – it is all about being human and needy. In some ways, I’m still learning. Much love to you and yours too. x
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You got some nerve! Congrats!
Thank you!
Nice post. Inspiring
Thank you for your post, its really lift me to trust in good, cause I was pretty concern about such things never occur in real.
Thank you over again for share
🌹🌹
Reblogged this on Kindness Blog and commented:
Beautiful x
Thank you!
nice post,there are still some kindness out there
Humans are unpredictable. ❤️
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