Strangers, kindness, and the power of belonging

Non-member post, personal reflection by Sarah Parkins. Published Nov 19, 2025.

I’m feeling particularly in love with New York today as I went about my neighborhood.

I started by dropping off my dry cleaning. I love this place - not just because they do wonders for my clothes and make my life easier - but because they are genuinely kind people. Each visit is a chance to exchange a chat, and today, it felt like a gift where the different lives of people were bought together in a nourishing connection. Our life can get brighter when we share a conversation with someone - we have the chance to learn about each other, and to genuinely care - without taking anything on, fixing, or advising. In being willing to simply be interested without agenda it is a human connection that makes a difference to all parties involved.

Next, I took some unused padded envelopes from my gift company days to my local FedEx office. Rather than throwing them out, I asked if they could use them - they could and gratefully accepted the donation. Small gestures like this remind me how simple acts can create meaningful ripples in a community.

Then I hopped over to my post office to post letters and parcels to those I love, and paused to appreciate the architecture - the intricate, unique style I’ve always admired about New York. It’s a reminder that there is beauty woven into the everyday - if we look - and these are the little details that add to making the place feel like home.

As I picked up my lunch, a wave of gratitude washed over me. Gratitude for this city, my neighborhood, my community, and the people who make it come alive - not just friends I know, but strangers whose lives intersect with mine in small ways every day. During the pandemic, when these streets were empty, I missed these encounters - even the traffic lines, the passing greetings, the shared moments of everyday life. The vibrancy of life swirling and moving all around me. 

I felt compelled to channel that gratitude into action. At the cashier, I asked to pay for the lunch of the person behind me. His face lit up with surprise. We exchanged names- “Thank you!” He exclaimed. “What’s your name? I’m Matthias.” “Hi, I’m Sarah. You’re so welcome, pay it forward,” I said. “That’s what New Yorkers do.” 

We may be famously grumpy, but we’re also capable of kindness and compassion. That brief exchange left us both lighter and brighter.

I first learned about the “pay it forward” concept from friends in San Francisco: back in the day someone would pay your toll over the Golden Gate Bridge, and in turn, you do it for someone else. The joy of stranger kindness is transformative. A friend shared another story just this week - she has NYC museum tickets that can admit guests, and when she visits on her own, she’ll offer the guest tickets to the people in the line behind her. That’s community in action.

These experiences highlight how our daily interactions impact our sense of belonging - and even our physiology. Research shows that feeling part of a supportive community can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve overall well-being. Small gestures of care, gratitude, and connection nourish us on multiple levels.

The way we move through our days matters - not just to ourselves, but to others. How we treat the people around us - neighbors, strangers, colleagues - creates a ripple effect that strengthens community and, in turn, strengthens us.

Can you tap in your own gratitude? How can you translate it into action today? A smile, a kind word, a small unexpected gesture - all of it matters. These acts create the invisible threads that connect us, giving life a little more warmth, a little more meaning, and a deeper sense of belonging.

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