Kindness.
I walk a lot, splitting my time between Fort Bragg on the north coast. Good fortune means miles on Highway 1 to MacKerricher State Park.
During a recent hike, a car pulled up next to me, the window went down, and a can of dog food was pointed in my direction. "Would it help to have some dog food?" the driver asked.
This took me by surprise. I'm used to being asked for directions, but this was different. This driver thought I was homeless. My immediate thought was that there's no shame in being unsheltered, but it made me reflect on my vanity. However, more importantly, there's still kindness in the world.
Despite my bruised ego, I didn't miss the warmth in the woman's gesture. The truth is, during our annual 100-mile walk in Sacramento, my daughter and I have been mistaken for homeless several times. Once, a homeless man even wanted to share his food with us. Kindness lives on.
