Sometimes the smallest gesture can make a big impact in someone’s life, and the kindness of a 70-year-old woman has reminded us that simple human interactions can calm the most volatile of demeanors. Unprompted, this septuagenarian reached out to hold the hand of a man who was “being aggressive” while riding the SkyTrain in Vancouver. Facebook user Ehab Taha was sitting across from them and snapped a picture of the inspiring moment.
Had it not been for this thoughtful woman, the situation could’ve escalated to something much worse. Taha reports that the man was having erratic movements, cursing, shouting, and scaring fellow passengers. While many stayed silent, this woman chose to acknowledge the guy and extend her hand. “She didn’t try to grab him or anything like that,” Taha explained to CTV News, “she just reached out her hand and waited until he reached back.” They held hands for 15 or 20 minutes until he arrived at his stop.
After the man exited the train, Taha thanked the woman for her selflessness. “I looked at her and said ‘God bless you, the world needs more people like you.’” The experience affected the woman, too–she started to cry after the stranger had left.
When Taha asked the woman why she reached towards the man, she replied, “I didn’t want him to feel so alone.” She continued, “I’m a mother, I have two sons around his age and life puts you in hard circumstances sometimes.”
Taha’s experience is a powerful lesson in comforting people–you don’t have to make a grand gesture in order to show compassion for a person. Sometimes, a helping hand is all they need.
