Near the end of summer this year, I was having a rough time.

I was crying a lot and feeling like I wasn’t making progress in the two areas I wanted to move forward in my life.

One sunny yet windy day, I opted for some fresh air, so I hopped on my bicycle and went for a ride. I ended up at the beach, and, since there were not many people around, I decided to sit with my feet in the sand, face in the sun, and watch the waves.

I was crying quite a bit sitting there. The few people who did wander by likely noticed, but no one said anything, and that was OK.

But then a young adult wandered by. He first went past me, but then turned and came over to me.

He asked me if I was OK.

I told him that I would be OK and thanked him for asking.

He paused and then told me that, no matter what it was, it would always get better. I agreed with him and thanked him again.

He stood there for a moment, and then told me that he wasn’t having the best day, either.

I asked him if he was OK, and he told me he had just become homeless after getting kicked out of the place where he had been living. He told me a few other details and said that, although it wasn’t a good situation, he knew it would get better.

We chatted a little more, and then he wished me well, I wished him well, and he went on his way.

I didn’t pay attention to where he went, but, minutes later, he returned.

That time, he had a loaf of bread in his hand, and he extended it to me. He told me he got it for me to feed the birds while I sat there.

He couldn’t tell that his kindness made me tear up, because I had already been crying, but the fact that he was at a very low point in his life and still took the time to try and cheer me up was so special to me.

I declined the bread, telling him that, although it was incredibly nice of him, he should hang on to it for himself. What I did not tell him is that I don’t like big flocks of birds near me. Perhaps because I got pooped on once by a bird flying overhead.

Again, he told me that things always get better, asked once more if I wanted the bread, and then went on his way.

I sat there for quite a long time after he left. He had such a significant impact on me that I still think about often.

He reminded me of many things that day.

He was someone who had so little and was going through a very difficult time, yet took the time to try and make life better for someone else. He reminded me that, even at low times, things could always be worse, and we can always be a bright spot for someone else.

He approached his situation with such a positive outlook. He reminded me to look at things in the context of the big picture, so we can see that many things are just a small blip in our lives, even though they feel so significant in the moment.

He also reminded me that we truly do not know what someone else is going through, so we should always use kindness as our default mode.

What he didn’t know and what I didn’t know at that time was that I was at the beginning of a spiral into a period of severe depression. Months later, I was at an all-time low, barely able to function.

Thankfully, I had access to people and resources to help me climb out of the muck.

Everything was exhausting.

That young man was on my mind a lot during those few weeks. The impact he had on my life during that brief encounter was part of what motivated me to keep fighting to get back to good mental health.

If you’ve never dealt with depression, believe me when I say the hopeless feeling is strong and giving up is in the back of your mind.

We truly never know what impact we have on others. I will forever be grateful for that stranger’s kindness.

The way we interact with others often influences them well beyond that moment. Let that guide your actions and words.

Thank you, young man, for the kindness you showed me that day. You’ve made a real difference.

Jackie Krawczak is president of Jackie Krawczak LLC. Her column runs every three weeks on Thursdays. Follow Jackie on X @jkrawczak.