Mi father always tells me that everything in life comes back like a boomerang. When people are unkind to others, they often experience the same treatment later in life. This story, however, is about kidness, something, I hope happens more often and finds its way backt to those who show it just the same.
As a young boy, my father was quiet and shy, but he enjoyed school. Although that may sound surprising to some, he truly loved learning. He thought that knowledge was the best thing a person could experience. His curiosity seemed endless and he spent his time on all sorts of activities, from stuffing butterflies and dissecting worms to visiting museums and reading books. He always asked questions and wanted to understand how things worked. He was excited to learn new things, such as Latin and Greek.
One day, his elementary school class went on an excursion to Samobor, but my father had forgotten to tell his mother about it. So, shen he came to school that morning, he didn't have anything in his backpack except his books. He panicked, thinking: "How could I have forgotten about the school excursion?". His class had been discussing it almost a month earlier, but he had probably been daydreaming at the time. As soon as the bus arrived, everyone got on and took their seats. The kids were cheerful and noisy, laughing and chatting as they enjoyed their sandwiches and treats during the ride.
Even though he'd had a piece of bread and jam that morning, my father was trying hard to silence his growling stomach, and, by the time the bus reached Samobor, he was very hungry. He felt sad and miserable.
The moment the bus doors opened, the kids gathered and started exploring the town. They begun with the history museum, looking at each artefact into great detail. Then, they toured around the old town. "It's so beautiful" they all kept saying. With every step, my father felt the growling of his stomach growing louder and louder, soon becoming almost unbearable. Of course, none of his classmates could have heard it; they were completely mesmerised by the artefacts in the museum and the new sights around them. Yet my father could not properly focus on anything that day, as if his curiosity and interest had completely vanished.
After having visited the old town, it was finally time to play. While the other kids were playing and having fun, my father wasn't really in the mood to play and kept very much to himself. Then, all of a sudden, a boy sat down next to him and said: "Hi! I noticed you aren't in the mood to play. Neither am I." As he spoke, my father felt a sense of relief. Someone had noticed he was lost in thought. "I forgot to tell Mom about the trip, so I don't have anything with me today," my father said, disappointed. "Dp you like ham and cheese?" the kind boy asked. "Yes!" - my father replied happily. "Mom mane only one sandwich for me, but I am glad to share it with you, if you don't mind?" - the kind boy said. My father's eyes lit up with delight: "Uh, sure, yes. Thank you!". The two boys remained seated, gladly sharing the sandwich and chatting. They talked about the things they liked... most interesting of all was the fact that they both loved Latin. "I'm happy I shared my sandwich with you, you are really fun!" the kind boy said and added: " My name is Davor". From that day on, Davod and my father became great friends.
In my father's eyes, who was eleven at that time, Davor's act was heroic in every way. He showed real kindness, generosity and compassion. That small gesture transformed what could have been a very sad memory of the excursion into a day my father would always remeber with affection.
After elementary school, Davod and my father went separate ways and never met, not even by coincidence. Then, one day, while my father was doing his internship at the hospital, he spotted Davor. Moving patiently through the busy ward, Davor was assisting, an elderly patient who needed surgery. At first, my father hesitated, unsure if it was really him. So much time had passed, and he wasn't sure if Davor would recognize him. But the moment he heard Davor's voice, something inside him snapped, and he knew he had to approach him:
"Davod...is it you?" - he asked eagerly awaiting his response. "Do you remember me?"
"Oh, Darko? Of course, I do!" he answered and a large smile spread across his face.
They were both delighted to meet again and after so many years. On that occasion, my father told him how grateful he had been for the small act of kindness Davor had shown him back in fifth grade. They recalled that excursion with great fondness. My father had always believed that Davor would grow into someone truly kind and seeing him on that day only confirmed it.
In the years that followed, my father occasionally saw Davor helping elderly people make their way to the hospital. Whenever they met, they greeted each other with a smile that seemed to grow wider every time. As the years passed, the two kids kept meeting as adults, in situations that only confirmed the compassionate and kind nature of Davor, that young boy who had once, without hesitation, shared his only sandwich with a classmate he barely knew. That moment was one to be remembered by both kids, now adults.
Thought ephemeral, small act of kindness are big for those who receive them. Such acts have the power to transform someone's worst day into one of the happiest memories of childhood, or perhaps of a lifetime.
It is quite impressive that my father, even after more than thirty years, still remembers that day and mentions Davor whenever he wants to illustrate how kindness and generosity should guide our actions. I hope kindness has found its way back to Davor and I hope it does the same for all people who show it.
Have you ever experienced someone changing your day for the better just by showing a samll act of kindness? If so, I am sure you remember that person with affection even today. Sometimes, ephemeral acts of kindness aren't so fleeting after all.