Grateful for Offered Kindness & Company – The Offer to Walk Me Home After Seeing I was Upset Over the Loss of a Valuable staff Member via /r/gratitude

Today I was very surprised at the care and kindness from a lady at an agency I regularly go to. She knew I had a long walk home and that I was quite upset over the news a very attentive, empathetic well liked staff member being maligned and fired, apparently against the urging most other staff.

(There is a fair bit more to the situation and why it impacted me heavily which is not suitable to list here, in terms or over all and furthering impact upon myself and my concern for the staff with 7 children).

Anyways…the lady….She saw that it hit me hard and offered to walk me home.

I was quite surprised at the offer and did kind of want the walk on my own, myself, just to process my feeling and think it all over under the sunshine, but before this, I had hoped to connect more closely with this lady and have the opportunity to talk further on other matters, and this was the opportunity being given. I was grateful for that level of trust, recognition, acceptance etc. So, …of course I said yes. I often have extended the invitation to others for friendship or for a walking partner etc but usually the people say no, as they already have friends to walk with or children to run home to tend to. It was kind of a pleasure and a novelty to have this offered to me.

It was a nice gesture of care, comfort, and perhaps a movement toward extending friendship.

We walked and spoke and it was really nice to experience empathy and genuine care being extended.

My friends have all moved away and really have not had people to talk to or have extended themselves in that capacity.

She was no longer on the clock, not being paid to interact, it was just sincere and genuine.

I often extend myself to others that way, lift them up/show them they matter, express care for their feelings or circumstance- it is always taken and enjoyed but rarely reciprocated.

This was just such a sincere and nice gesture, I appreciated the empathy, being shown I mattered and was cared for. ( almost like old times before all my friends, one by one, moved to the other side of the country.

It just felt nice.

She didn't have to do that. I recognized that and I was grateful for it