Redtail is a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker who was forced off the trail by knee issues. In the ample spare time he’s had since returning home, he’s amassed a list of thru-hiking rules. No. 5 is my fave:

5. Cultivate kindness in the world; sometimes strangers are all that stand between you and nightmare. [Day 34]
On my way back to the trail from my planned stopover at BayCon, I was riding a red-eye Greyhound bus. I went inside one of those little service stations they stop at in order to buy a hot dog and some bottled water … and the bus pulled away without me. At 2 AM, in the middle of nowhere. With my backpack and stuff all still on my seat. Fortunately, I had just about enough time to freak right the fuck out before the driver pulled a 180 and came back to pick me up. Why? Because the passenger sitting next to me noticed my absence and went up to the driver to let him know. A stranger going above the call of duty for a small act of kindness saved me from a few days of terror and heartache, and quite probably from thousands of dollars of stolen gear.

You might be stuck in that position someday, too. So ask yourself: Am I contributing to the world in such a way as to make that act of kindness more likely? Or am I doing the opposite?

I’m just selfish enough to think that my acts of common decency will be reciprocated, and just paranoid enough to think my acts of neglect will be punished.