Sometimes, when strangers offer unexpected kindness—little things—I tend to be suspicious of their motives. My brain gives me an alert: this is someone who has no reason to be kind to me—what’s the catch?
But, then, I realize the shoe may be on the other foot. When I offer to help a complete stranger—say, offer to help someone whose car sits by the roadside, hood raised—does that person look at me with suspicion? Probably. The unfortunate reality is that we both have reasonable cause for our suspicions.
Maybe suspicion isn’t the right word; maybe it’s caution.
It is sad that it raises suspicion. But that seems to be the world now.