It is apparent that individuals in our society are constantly stressed and in a hurry, neglecting to stop and appreciate the little things in life. We tend to pay more attention to our worries and negativity more than what we enjoy; therefore, we focus on the future rather than the present, lacking the appreciation for what we have now. I am here to tell you a story about a time that I experienced kindness and gratitude because of the scarcity that we see today.

I was home for winter break and we went to go see a band play at a local venue. It was extremely crowded with general admission. To my surprise, there was no pushing going on in the pit as I've experienced at other concerts I've been to. I did not feel claustrophobic and the vibe was very laid back because of the older, more mature audience there. In the middle of the show, I noticed a man dancing while plugging his ears. I recalled seeing earplugs at the bar so I went and got him some. This man was smiling from ear-to-ear and could not stop thanking me. His gratitude exceeded my expectations to which he pointed out that there aren't people like me nowadays and that he's going to be talking about this weeks from now.

I couldn't believe my simple gesture which was common sense to me could make his day to which he then made mine with his gratitude. It also made me realize how correct he is that not a lot of people go out of their way to help others or do something nice these days; however, it thoroughly makes me appreciate the ones that do.

This made me realize that it is a commonality for people in this generation to act without kindness. Those growing up playing with technology instead of playing outside are very likely to be entitled and almost disrespectful. In our society, people do not often go out of their way to be kind to one another. This is because they are too focused on themselves to even think of others. An example of this may be something as simple as opening the door for an individual. However, that person does not bother to acknowledge you or the simple act of kindness you just embarked on them. As you see, kindness goes both ways — just because you are kind to others, it does not guarantee that they will always be kind to you.

That is exactly why I was surprised when the man at the concert was so grateful for my kindness. I often get upset over holding the door for someone when they walk right past me without saying thank you. It's moments like these that make one lose faith in humanity; however, the man at the concert increased my faith dramatically. Don't fret over others, appreciate the ones who go out of their way to acknowledge and help one another. The moral of the story is that it should be common sense to be kind to others; in fact, it takes more of an effort to be mean.