Leon Logothetis is a British author and television host. I don’t know anything about him, except he’s the latest stranger to remind me of the thing I believe most: that kindness returns kindness.
Logothetis is the subject of a docuseries called ‘Kindness Diaries’. It popped up on my Netflix recommendations Friday night, because, well, Netflix knows me awfully well these days.
The series follows Logothetis as he goes, in his own words, “traveling around the world relying entirely on the kindness of strangers”. What does that mean? It means I’m only one episode in and I’ve already cried.
Yeah, it’s that good. I mean, I’m a crybaby. I know it. I own it. I’m a sap and I don’t think I could change it even if I wanted to, but trust me when I say that this series is good.
Logothetis doesn’t bring much along with him outside of a moped (motorcycle?) that he admits is nearly as old as him (1978). He calls it ‘Kindness One’.
Along the way he faces vehicle troubles, awkward conversations with strangers in which he asks if he can stay in their homes, and refuses offers of money, saying “I can’t except money, only kindness”. And he makes sure to return the favors in his own kindnesses.
The concept is nothing, if not bold, though I wish it wasn’t.
The idea of somebody, in these wild times, trusting in the kindness of strangers so much that he will venture around the world with an open mind and open arms for anyone who might be willing to do the same for him is beautiful, but shouldn’t have to be surprising.
Logothetis, in one 19 minute episode, has reminded me to live the thing I believe most There’s enough good in this world to balance what isn’t.
There always will be.
Elizabeth LaFleur 