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Back in the year 2006, I made a trip to Canberra for a medical school interview. I assumed I would book accommodation when I arrived, yet when I arrived, a big convention was in town and all the youth hostels and budget accommodation were fully booked.

Coming from the city-state of Singapore, I thought the possibility of bed down in the terminal – only to discover that airport, not like the one back home, does not operate all night. With no idea what my next move should be and feeling increasingly desperate, I boarded a bus into town and started wandering towards a gaming venue, thinking I might spend the night in a place that was open through the night. This was not ideal in the best shape for acing the admissions interview the next morning, yet, as a student on a tight budget, I couldn’t afford.

Our society requires more folks who show such kindness.

I must have looked out of place because a young woman noticed me wandering around the city center and asked whether I needed help. I shared my predicament and right away she suggested I could sleep on the floor of her dormitory at ANU – an ideal turn of events, considering that was where the important interview was the following day. She went further by offering a meal: a leftover filled rolls she had from her evening job. I had access to the bathroom and a protected spot to rest to spend the night.

In retrospect, it’s clear to me the enormous leap of faith she undertook as a young woman inviting a male stranger she had only just encountered crash at her place. Back then I existed within a bubble of male privilege and did not consider to such safety concerns. Today, as a parent, it astounds me she took that chance – and remain deeply appreciative.

I never did go to that university, and I never saw that kind stranger again, but I’ve never forgotten her selfless deed of kindness. I hope the universe has repaid her generosity many times over. The world needs more individuals who show such kindness.