Kind Stranger

I was walking to the campus and while walking, replying to a few emails at the same time. This is a very bad habit I picked up recently. If I’m not cycling, I usually listen to stuff while walking and since I have to multitask, I also check messages and emails and respond to things I can quickly. Especially if it doesn’t require many brain cells or thinking processes. Of course, nothing is so urgent it can’t wait the thirty minutes it takes to reach my office. But I justify it as lightening my workload.

When I first started writing emails regularly as part of my job, I would reread them five times, terrified of unintentionally offending someone. My most irrational fear was coming across as rude due to language barriers. On top of that, most of my emails were addressed to people far senior to me, which only added to my anxiety. Over time, though, this fear faded. Now, I’m much more relaxed.

I usually end my emails with “Kind regards.” I’ve never used “Best wishes” or “Warm regards”—not sure why, but “Kind regards” has been my go-to since I started writing professional emails. Sometimes, when I type emails on my phone, Outlook predicts what I’m going to write. Today, when I typed “Kind,” it suggested “Stranger.” That word stuck with me. What does it mean?

I am sort of a kind stranger though, if you think about it. I mean, I always begin my emails by hoping the email finds them well or asking if they had a good weekend. I bring them an opportunity, offer my support, and thank them in advance—even when they haven’t done anything yet. I even apologise sometimes for potential inconveniences. Who does that? No one. If this doesn’t make me a kind stranger, I don’t know what else does. So, in a way, I am actually the kindest stranger.

Wouldn’t it be funny if I actually wrote “Kind stranger” one day? Just once. Imagine the other person’s reaction—confused but amused, maybe even smiling. Unfortunately, my “professional self” would never allow it, but I wish it would. I wish I could accidentally do it just once, purely for the sake of lighting the other person’s face up for a brief moment.

Let’s face it: most emails in the workplace are boring. They lack sincerity, personality, and soul. I live for moments when someone adds a funny “Out of Office” message or sneaks an emoji into an email. Those tiny gestures can make my day. I try to do the same, adding small personal touches wherever I can. If someone’s on holiday, I ask if they enjoyed their time off. If they’re on sick leave, I wish them a speedy recovery. It may not seem like much, but a little bit of personal touch can work wonders.  

I’m desperately waiting for the day the universe will conspire to make me accidentally type “Kind stranger.” Just once. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll make someone smile on the other side of the screen.