When Life Gets Messy: The Kindness of Strangers in Crisis Moments
Sometimes the internet can be a pretty bleak place. Between the endless political arguments, the rage-bait headlines, and the general sense that everyone’s shouting past each other, it’s easy to lose faith in humanity. But then you stumble across something that restores your belief in the fundamental goodness of people.
I came across a post recently from someone facing one of those situations that would test anyone’s limits. Their mother-in-law, who is blind and lives semi-independently, had a medical emergency that resulted in a bathroom covered in blood and diarrhea. The poor woman couldn’t see what had happened, so she didn’t realise the extent of the mess when she tried to clean up. Now she’s in hospital getting the care she needs, but someone still had to deal with the aftermath.
The person asking for help was clearly overwhelmed - and who wouldn’t be? They’d started cleaning but were getting sick from the smell of the bleach mixed with everything else, even while wearing a mask. They were at their breaking point and just needed someone to tell them what to do.
What happened next was beautiful. The responses weren’t just practical advice (though there was plenty of that) - they were wrapped in genuine compassion and understanding. Someone took the time to write out detailed, step-by-step instructions that acknowledged how overwhelming the situation was. “Take a deep breath (but preferably not in the bathroom),” they wrote, before explaining how to tackle the mess systematically. They even suggested taking breaks with tea and biscuits when the anxiety got too much.
The technical advice was solid too - cold water first to avoid cooking the proteins in blood, enzyme cleaners for organic matter, proper ventilation, and plenty of disposable materials. But it was the emotional support that really struck me. People shared their own experiences caring for aging relatives, normalised the difficulty of the situation, and reminded the person that they were doing something sacred and important.
What really got to me was how practical the kindness was. Someone mentioned putting Vicks VapoRub under your nose to block out smells - apparently it’s a trick nurses and even forensic investigators use. Others suggested specific products, proper protective equipment, and even ventilation strategies. These weren’t just sympathetic platitudes; they were actionable solutions from people who’d clearly been through similar ordeals.
Living in a society where we’re increasingly isolated from extended family, where aged care is often outsourced to institutions, many of us aren’t prepared for these realities of caring for aging relatives. My own parents are getting older, and honestly, I’m not sure I’d know where to start if faced with a similar situation. The traditional knowledge that would have been passed down through generations of extended families living together just isn’t there anymore.
But what this exchange showed me is that we’ve found new ways to share that knowledge and support each other. The internet, for all its flaws, can connect people who understand exactly what you’re going through. It can deliver practical help and emotional support from strangers who take time out of their day to genuinely care about your crisis.
There’s something particularly Australian about this kind of no-nonsense helpfulness. We might not be the most emotionally demonstrative culture, but when someone’s in the thick of it, we roll up our sleeves and get practical. The response reminded me of communities rallying during bushfire recoveries or flood clean-ups - that instinct to just pitch in and do what needs doing.
It also highlighted how unprepared our society is for the realities of an aging population. This person was dealing with something that’s going to become increasingly common, yet they felt completely alone and overwhelmed. We need better systems, better education, and better support for people who find themselves as carers. But until we have those systems, we have each other - and sometimes that’s enough.
The follow-up responses were just as heartening. People checked in to see how things went. Others shared their own stories, creating a thread of shared experience and mutual support. Someone even offered to be on “speed dial for anxiety attacks” because the original helper’s response was so calming.
This is the internet at its best - strangers taking time to genuinely help someone in crisis, sharing knowledge and experience freely, and creating community around our shared humanity. It reminds me that beneath all the noise and division, most people are fundamentally decent and want to help when they can.
Next time I’m scrolling through my feed and feeling despair about the state of the world, I’m going to remember this thread. Sometimes the most profound acts of kindness happen in the most unglamorous circumstances, and sometimes the support you need comes from people you’ve never met who simply understand that being human is messy, difficult, and something we’re all figuring out together.