It was a simple evening. A forgettable comedy film with a friend, followed by a casual walk toward dinner. We were at a busy junction, waiting for a break in traffic to cross the second half of the road. As my friend stepped into the street, a gentle, almost unnoticeable touch landed on my shoulder. I turned to see a short, elderly man, his hands gesturing silently. He wasn’t speaking, but his intention was clear.

My friend, already halfway across, turned back as I grabbed his arm and called him back. Seeing the old man standing behind, without hesitation or a moment of doubt, he asked, “Do you want to cross the road?” A simple nod and a grateful smile were all the man needed to give. My friend took his hand, and I followed as we walked together. Just as we did, two motorbikes sped towards us. My hand shot out in an anxious, cautionary gesture. In a moment of shared understanding, the bikers slowed down, offering a friendly smile as they almost stopped at us. We all made it to the other side safely.

My friend waved goodbye to the old man, who returned a bright, thankful smile. I smiled back at the bikers, a silent thank you for their kindness. Then, I found myself smiling at my friend, feeling a warmth that went beyond the simple act of crossing the street.

As we continued toward the restaurant, my mind replayed the scene. The old man’s gentle touch, his silent plea, my friend's immediate understanding, and the bikers’ spontaneous act of grace. These were not grand gestures; they were tiny, almost insignificant moments that wove together to create a feeling of profound goodness.

Life isn't made of huge, dramatic events. It’s the small things – a quiet plea for help, a hand offered without a second thought, a momentary pause from strangers on a motorbike. It’s the silent smiles and the shared gestures of humanity that fill our hearts and make us feel whole. When the waiter came to take our order, I found myself smiling unknowingly, still lost in the warmth of those small moments. They were a beautiful reminder that there are still so many good hearts in the world, and sometimes, all it takes is a gentle touch on the shoulder to see them.

Sarga Radhakrishnan is a civil engineer based in Kerala.

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We’ve grown up hearing that “it’s the small things” that matter. That’s true, of course, but it’s also not – there are Big Things that we know matter, and that we shouldn’t take our eyes, minds or hearts off of. As journalists, we spend most of our time looking at those Big Things, trying to understand them, break them down, and bring them to you.

And now we’re looking to you to also think about the small things – the joy that comes from a strangers’ kindness, incidents that leave you feeling warm, an unexpected conversation that made you happy, finding spaces of solidarity. Write to us about your small things at thewiresmallthings@gmail.com in 800 words or less, and we will publish selected submissions. We look forward to reading about your experiences, because even small things can bring big joys.

Read the series here.

This article went live on October eighteenth, two thousand twenty five, at zero minutes past eight in the morning.

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