I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk
down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs
to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you”
when someone sneezes, a leftover
from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying.
And sometimes, when you spill lemons
from your grocery bag, someone else will help you
pick them up. Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other.
We want to be handed our cup of coffee hot,
and to say thank you to the person handing it. To smile
at them and for them to smile back. For the waitress
to call us honey when she sets down the bowl of clam chowder,
and for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass.
We have so little of each other, now. So far
from tribe and fire. Only these brief moments of exchange.
What if they are the true dwelling of the holy, these
fleeting temples we make together when we say, “Here,
have my seat,” “Go ahead — you first,” “I like your hat.”
Danusha Laméris is Poet Laureate emeritus of Santa Cruz County, California. Her poem above went viral in the pandemic, and inspired a follow-on collaborative poem by 1300 teenagers from around the world.
Seed Questions for Reflection
How do you relate to the notion that the small everyday kindness we express and receive could be the true dwelling of the holy? Can you share a personal story of a time you felt blessed by a small kindness? What helps you remember kindness in a brief moment of exchange?
When I was in causality after collasping with a heart problem . The staff were preparing for an anaesthetic an a nurse took my hand and bent down so she was at eye with me and reassured that all would be well.
CS
Cindy Selby
Jan 11, 2026
The priest who celebrated the mass this morning included this poem (narrated from memory) in his sermon. I had never heard it, and when he said the line “We have so little of each other now,” I wept. I am considering cancelling all my social media, because it’s the IN PERSON, eye-contact interactions we’ve lost.
SL
Sandra Lacey
Jul 31, 2025
These moments of connectedness, particularly when unexpected and with strangers, do take on a special meaning often far more than the act itself. Usually with a quick smile and and seeing into the depths of the giver's eyes, I think I can agree with the concept that there in dwells the Holy. Of care and compassion and lovingkindness with someone we are unlikely to meet again, but sometimes we will remember that shared moment for the rest of our lives and that memory give us on-going joy.
MI
micheal
Dec 18, 2024
the author wants the world to be full of good people and for it to be perfect
KH
Kaden Hughes
Dec 13, 2024
The poem shows that no matter what, we can never know what someone is going through. It also shows how little nice things can make someone's day completely, but however, on the other end, even just one bad comment could ruin someone's day. So since you never know what someone's going through it's always good to just be nice anyways
JT
Jazlynn Thomas
Dec 12, 2024
The poem emphasizes the importance of these small acts of kindness in a world where people often feel isolated and disconnected. The poem's message is one of hope and optimism suggesting that even in a world that can feel increasingly disconnected there is still room for kindness and compassion. These small acts of kindness however fleeting can create a sense of connection,
MT
Mike Toska
Dec 10, 2024
I feel like this poem reflects on the simple fact that people should be more nice, it's the little things in life that we used to find valuable and now do not, moral of the poem is that you never know that if what you say or do can change peoples day or not.
LJ
Lexi Jett
Dec 9, 2024
I can relate to this notion because whenever people are nice it could secretly make someones day and when people are nice to me, it makes my day sometimes. One time I was at a Luke Bryan concert and somebody came up to me and told me that I looked very pretty and it made my day and made me happy. I never want to be a mean person and something that helps me remember kindness is when I see someone that is sad and seem like they need to be cheered up.
KO
kennedi odonnnell
Dec 9, 2024
i can relate to this poem because whenever people are nice it can light up peoples day and make them feel better on the inside. One time I was sad during the day and then someone told me they lied my outfit. that made me feel better.
GE
Gerardo
Dec 9, 2024
The poem shows how being kind to people make people day better and it can change their day from good to bad, really easily.
BW
Brandon Woo
Dec 9, 2024
The poem does a great job of showing how kindness and being nice to people can make a huge impact and make someone's day, I can share a time when I felt blessed by kindness because people are nice. Something that helps me remember kindness is my grandma. Brandon Woo Block 5.
LG
lilley gaston
Dec 9, 2024
this poem gives a good representation of how little acts of kindness can make your daily life better and happier
lilley gaston
block 5
CW
Christina Warnock
Dec 9, 2024
the story is just talking about how nice everything is like how the world is divided
PE
Peyton
Dec 9, 2024
The text highlights how simple gestures, like helping each other or sharing a smile, reflect our deep desire for connection and kindness in our daily lives.
LÉ
Léa
Mar 18, 2024
I like your poem.
WI
Wiesje
Feb 14, 2024
Krijg foto's opgestuurd van vrienden bij een gezellig etentje met de tekst: volgend jaar moet jij er ook bij zijn. Dat is zo lief.
JK
jasmeet k
Feb 11, 2024
this poem gives a good reflection of how the small kindness can make your daily experiences better
CW
Cor Westerholt
Dec 23, 2023
In deze zijn twee manieren om een situatie te beschrijven nl.
1. De titel van het boek van Rutger Bregman: De meeste mensen deugen.
2. De titel van het TV programma; Toen was geluk nog heel gewoon.
MM
max medina
Sep 21, 2023
the story is just talking about how nice everything is like how the world is divided
PA
Parul
Nov 17, 2022
I always seen many people around me who need everyones help,one though every time comes in my is I have to do something for them but suddenly one thought comes in my mind is it's not necessary, they are facing any problems who created by them and I stop.
I always trapped this kind of thought and stopping my self to allow helping people.
GA
GarthNov 20, 2022
Yes, this kind of fear stops many people from being kind. We have to push past the fear with knowledge of how important, how crucial love is.
i learnt this beautifully from my boyfriend, he never considers other human as stranger. For him, everyone is known. He will bluff anyone and make them laugh randomly.
I love when people, strangers stop and allow me to chat, touch and even let their dogs play with me. I love this exchange between strangers - and the pets like it too. I'm a stranger, a strange smell, a strange voice - yet when I stop and ask - or just simply embrace a dog that wants to jump on me - I am so blessed! Pets "know" love and who needs love - and I feel a 1,000 times better when I exchange love with a pet on the street. Inevitably, this leads to a greeting and smile with the pet's owner - friendly - kind exchange between strangers. Joy.
A few years ago, my husband and I ("gringos") were vacationing in Mexico. The first day after picking up our rental car, we drove to the grocery store and got the front bumper caught on an unseen water pipe in a landscape feature. Not knowing why the car wouldn't move, my husband stepped on the gas harder while backing up and the bumper came off!
Two young Mexican men came by and saw our dilemma. They jumped out of their vehicle and offered to help. They borrowed some tools from another Mexican nearby and spent 40 minutes under our car on the pavement, reattaching the bumper. When I tried to give them some pesos, they quickly got back in their car saying, "No, we're your friends!" and off they drove. What a heart-warming experience!
DE
Debbie
Nov 15, 2022
We forget that small acts of generosity and kindness that come natural to most people mean something. Beautiful reading.
TO
Tony
Nov 15, 2022
Oh so simple, and beautiful!
EV
Evelyn
Nov 15, 2022
I remember getting stuck in the snow at the bottom of my long driveway with my groceries and my twin 4 year olds. My neighbors who I didn't know because I was new here passed by & saw me. Moments later they were back with a 4 wheeler with a winch on it to pull me out & up to my house. They didn't want any money when I offered it. True kindness!
Thanks for sharing your insights Danusha Lameris. Your reflections made me reflect on how unaware we are of the small gestures of love that pepper our day. From giving to receiving we should be celebrating them more. As you say it could be the tribe and fire that is missing from many peoples lives. Connection. Covid has isolated us more than ever, from masks to remote working, human contact is being eradicated. I personally will pay attention to all the holy exchanges in my day today to ensure I bring connection back into my action and being. God bless
KI
Krishna iyer
Nov 14, 2022
Absolutely YES !!! Recollect in Incident in Saudi Arabia. While coming out of the Mall, twisted my ankle while walking to the car. Just sat down in pain. A Saudi gentleman, dressed in impeccable white local dress, made me sit on the parapet wall and he kneeled down and kept my feet on his thigh and gently massaged it, till the pain was manageable. He also gave me a bottle of water. His kindness touched my heart deeply and changed my perception about Saudis.
CL
ClodaghMay 7, 2023
That is a wonderful story. So unexpected - and all the more lovely - in that context.
In the hustle and bustle of daily life it's easy to forget our interconnectedness with each other. These small acts remind us and renew our sense of oneness and compassion.
These small unrequested acknowledgements of each other in daily life are a gift of recognition to true self, which is not as separate as our egoic interactions assume. Our culture encourages seeing fellow travelers with apprehension, yet how many face even worse apprehension visiting estranged family over the holidays? As long as we self-righteously revolve around *I*, *ME* and *MINE*, suffering results.
My relating to the notion is that there are many breaks or divisions in our natural wholeness which is also our natural holiness, and kindness helps heal the divisions and regain or increase wholeness and holiness. I feel blessed when someone holds open a door for me. My feeling blessed isn't that the door was opened for me, which I could have done for myself, but is the fact that someone did a small kindness for me which triggers in me an awareness in that moment of connection and holiness between us. In one sense such a moment is small and fleeting, but it is important and is a blessing. When I remember kindness, what helps me is knowing that kindness is healing, knowing that kindness is right action, knowing that I and the other benefit from and feel good about kindness, and knowing that I feel regret when I'm not kind.
Reading this passage by Danusha Lameris reminds me of two of my favorite authors: F.F.Schumacher who wrote 'Small Is Beautiful' and Mother Teresa who wrote 'Be Kind Anyway'. Kindness done from our loving heart opens the door to Divinty, "the true dwelling of the holy." We get many opprtunities to receive and express gifts of small acts of kindness everyday of our life.
Such gifts bring joy and happiness to the giver and the receiver. It creates holy or spiritual connections regardless of outward differences-financial, political, racial, or religious.
I was born and raised in a relatively poor family. Financially we were poor, but inwardly we were affulent. I saw my parents giving small amounts of food to hungry people. Seeing them happy by these small acts of kindness was a blessing to us. This gift of giving has opened my heart and has made me very happy and enriched.
I am blessed to have such parents for teaching me the value of acts of kindness. They provided good modeling and... View full comment
Reading this passage by Danusha Lameris reminds me of two of my favorite authors: F.F.Schumacher who wrote 'Small Is Beautiful' and Mother Teresa who wrote 'Be Kind Anyway'. Kindness done from our loving heart opens the door to Divinty, "the true dwelling of the holy." We get many opprtunities to receive and express gifts of small acts of kindness everyday of our life.
Such gifts bring joy and happiness to the giver and the receiver. It creates holy or spiritual connections regardless of outward differences-financial, political, racial, or religious.
I was born and raised in a relatively poor family. Financially we were poor, but inwardly we were affulent. I saw my parents giving small amounts of food to hungry people. Seeing them happy by these small acts of kindness was a blessing to us. This gift of giving has opened my heart and has made me very happy and enriched.
I am blessed to have such parents for teaching me the value of acts of kindness. They provided good modeling and I am very grateful to them for giving me the gift of kindness.
May we all do small acts of kindness in whatever way we can.
Namaste!
Hide full comment
I smiled. I nodded. I said, "yes." Smiles and kindnesses save lives, daily. I want to remember to look people in the eye when I say "good morning" and to smile, and make someone laugh when I wear my silly octopus hat.
BO
Becky O.Nov 15, 2022
I accidentally backed into a pickup leaving our local farmers' market. I left a note on the truck with my phone #, apologizing for causing a small dent in the truck. I got a voicemail telling me not to worry, that "it was just that kind of truck" so I didn't need to reimburse the owner for the dent. I had been so worried about the cost of repair, and this was a really wonderful act of kindness shown to me.
