sometimes, the people who support you the most are complete strangers

Hello everyone, how are you all doing today?

Let me ask you guys something. Have you ever received kindness from someone you barely know, and it made you wonder why people you have known for years couldn't do the same thing?

Thanks. I think this is one of those things that makes you look at people differently.

[source](https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-five-people-sitting-together-in-a-room-VLteyj-JGOE)

When we talk about support, the first people that usually come to mind are our family, friends, and the people we spend most of our time with. Naturally, you expect these people to be there for you when things are not going well. After all, they know you, they know some of the things you have been through, and you probably believe they understand you better than anybody else. But life doesn't always work that way, does it?

Sometimes, you can tell someone close to you about something you are excited about, and they barely pay attention. You might be working on something you really care about, but the people around you don't see why it matters so much to you. Some may even make you feel like you are wasting your time.

Then somebody you have never met before comes along and encourages you. Think about that for a moment.

This person doesn't know your family, doesn't know where you grew up, and probably has no idea what your everyday life looks like. Yet they take a moment out of their day to read what you have written, appreciate your work, give you useful advice, or simply tell you to keep going.

It may look like a small thing to them, but you might not know how much that little act means to the person receiving it.

See, not everybody needs money or a big favour before they can feel supported. sometimes, all a person needs is somebody who takes them seriously. somebody who doesn't laugh at their plans before giving them a chance. somebody who can say, "i see what you are trying to do. keep going." and honestly, i think we sometimes underestimate how much these little things matter.

this is one reason i appreciate communities where people can share their thoughts, talk about what they are doing, and connect with others who may have completely different backgrounds. you could be sitting in your room somewhere in nigeria, sharing something you care about, while somebody on the other side of the world reads it and finds a reason to connect with you. isn't that interesting?

you may never meet that person face to face. you may not even know their real story. but for that moment, you have connected over something, and that connection is real. Of course, i am not saying that strangers are always better than the people close to us. there are wonderful friends and family members who will stand by you when you need them most, and that kind of support should never be taken for granted. neither should we assume that someone who doesn't understand our plans is automatically against us.

sometimes people care about us but simply don't know how to show it. other times, they have their own problems to deal with. and sometimes, yes, we discover that the people we expected to support us are not the ones who will do so. that is life, i guess. What matters to me is learning to appreciate kindness wherever it comes from. if somebody encourages you today, appreciate it. if someone takes time to help you without expecting anything in return, don't act as if it means nothing. and when you find yourself in a position to encourage another person, try to do the same.

you never really know what somebody is dealing with behind the scenes. a simple comment, a thoughtful message, or a few words of encouragement could arrive at the exact moment they need it. And you don't have to be rich, popular, or influential to make somebody feel seen. sometimes, being kind is enough.

i also think we should remember that support is not only about what people do for us. it is also about what we are willing to do for others. we cannot always wait for people to encourage us while ignoring everyone else who might need a little encouragement from us.

imagine if more people made an effort to appreciate one another instead of competing over everything. things would probably feel a little different, both online and offline. Anyway, that is just something i have been thinking about, and i would love to hear what you guys think.

Have you ever received unexpected kindness from a stranger, either online or in real life, that you still remember today? What happened, and why did it mean so much to you?

Let's share our stories in the comments. Maybe somebody reading them today needs a reminder that there are still kind people out there. ❤️

Thanks for reading, everyone.