CP Abroad With Dave Kimball

Dave Kimball, Chief Growth Officer

Dublin’s Roadside Lesson: Embracing True Kindness

Spending a month in Dublin offered me more than just professional growth, I encountered an experience that reshaped my perspective on kindness and human connection. We were driving in Galway on a beautiful but narrow road when, out of nowhere, a flat tire struck. Unfortunately, I had no spare in the car, and my family and I were stranded. What followed was a vivid lesson in the essence of genuine kindness.

As I stood by the roadside, every single passing car offered assistance except for one – which would have been me if roles were reversed, so no judgment there. But what stood out was the sincerity of their offers to help – each driver proposed to take me to a garage or help call for assistance. These small, authentic acts of kindness made me more trusting than I normally would be. So I accepted one of their offers (very unlike me), and had them bring my family to the intended destination (why have all of us sitting around when they could still have some fun).

Three hours later, when I reunited with my family, I discovered something remarkable. As my wife checked in with the service manager to collect our reserved tickets and mentioned that I couldn’t join due to the car trouble, the manager’s expression changed dramatically. He confessed that he was the driver who hadn’t stopped to help. Overwhelmed with regret, he showered her with apologies, explaining that he had been running late for work and had been carrying a heavy burden of remorse ever since. People from Ireland are just flat out nicer than Bostonians (no real surprise I guess).

This experience underscored a powerful lesson: kindness isn’t just about grand gestures; it’s about being considerate and caring, even when it’s inconvenient. The authentic kindness I experienced reminded me that our everyday actions, no matter how small, can significantly impact others.