Orlana: My Good Samaritan

I was in a house-warming party with a few friends about 2 months back. I didn't know most of the people although they were all totally cool. Spiked stuff was being passed around. I was into it that evening and went with the flow. Before I knew it, my head was spinning and I had to lie down on a bed to sleep. After a while, Orlana, a quasi acquaintance/friend from my Chapters days, woke me up and offered to give me a lift since she was heading out. My head was still spinning. I said yes. And she took me home and was gone. Had she not offered me that ride, I would have puked on every train stop until I reached home.

When my mind cleared up the following day, I realized that she had to triple the distance she had to drive by extending me that kindness. It wasn't like I was along the way. I was out of the way - way out. And although we hung out a few times with the Dos Amigos crew, we weren't really close. So that act of kindness was a pleasant surprise. In the last 13 years, I can only remember 2 acts of kindness by people who didn't have to, but did. Both of them have become lifetime friends.

From quasi acquaintance/friend, Orlana was suddenly a dear friend. What surprised me though was the number of layers I had to shed to put my guard down to regard her that way. I was totally unaware that I had built up that much protective carapace around me that calcified through the years...which kinda explains why there aren't too many people I can call friends...or people who can call me their's. I used to say,"How can you go through life and not come out a cynic?". I've come to realize just how jaded I've become...how much cynicism I've developed. Like Pandora's box, that act of kindness was HOPE...hope that if you take a little effort to extend yourself to others, new worlds might actually unfold. Pay it forward.

Comments?

Reader Comments:

Orlana (November 22, 2002)
As I was surfing the web, I did a search on my name "Orlana". At around page 4 of 10 searches, I saw your website....with my name in it. My curiousity got the best of me, and I had to read what it was all about!! I read it and I was soooooooo very touched!! No one has ever put in words, and written anything like what you wrote, that is soooooo genuine!! I want to say "Thank You". I am very happy that you consider me a dear friend. I too have very few dear and genuine friends, and those that are dear and genuine remain with me for life. Thank You!

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