One Kind Deed Can Change A Life
She stared at the overflowing bag of groceries and was speechless. As her gaze went back and forth between the stranger and what she held in her hands, her eyes began to brim with tears. How could she accept this gift? What would he want in return?
Her first instinct was to turn down the charity, but something about the way he looked at her made her realize this wasn’t charity. He was seeing her for who she was. As she stretched her arms forward to take the food, he said something she would never forget.
A Bleak Morning
Susan stretched and opened her eyes. The sun was just beginning to rise, and she tried to massage the stress out of her neck. Every day was the same routine; she got her children ready for school and then prepared to try and find a job.
Susan had lost count of the days she had been unemployed but her empty fridge was a constant reminder. None of her family lived close by and finding dinner every day was a struggle. She pushed her pride aside to do the one thing she never thought she would.
A Familiar Corner
In another life, Susan had held a comfortable corporate job. She used to catch a bus to work on this corner and lead a productive team. Now, at the same corner, she prepared to sit for hours while begging strangers for money instead.
She never thought it would come to this, but even a few dollars made a huge difference. It wasn’t just her she had to think about, her children depended on her too. As Susan thought about their faces, she rolled her shoulders back. She had no idea one stranger was about to change her life.
A Daily Routine
Jay had lived in this neighborhood for years and walked by this corner all the time. He had noticed her when she showed up a couple of months ago. At first, she wasn’t there every day, but as winter approached she was there more often.
Jay stared at her clothes and thought she must be freezing. She always kept her eyes down, and if her hands weren’t fumbling you might think she was asleep. Why did she refuse to make eye contact? How could he help her?
Depending On The Kindness Of Strangers
As the hours passed Susan would remember different things from her life. She remembered the day her children were born and how happy her husband had been. Then she remembered the day in the doctor's office hearing the shocking news which eventually killed them both.
Susan remembered the countless hours trying to make him comfortable and then the weeks she spent comforting their children after he had passed. She began to feel tears on her cheeks. Her life was nothing like she expected. What had she done to deserve this?
Lost In Her Thoughts
As Susan pulled herself from the memories she heard the sound of clinking coins. She looked down into her paper cup and saw shiny coins staring back at her. Her cheeks flushed from embarrassment, this was more than she normally received. Was it someone from her past taking pity on her?
In front of Susan were a clean pair of shoes but instead of dropping the coins and walking away, they weren't moving. Susan slowly began to raise her head and look into the face of a stranger. She had no idea that he was about to offer her a lifeline.
Is This Enough?
The man's face was kind. As Susan finally locked eyes with him he appeared shocked she was looking at him. He asked her quietly, “Is this enough? It’s all the change I have on me today.” Susan's jaw fell open as she looked down into the cup, quickly counting his charity.
As she made the calculations, Susan realized it would be enough for her to go to the store today. She tried to speak but her throat was dry from no water. All Susan could do was nod her head and hoped he would feel her appreciation. As he walked down the sidewalk she felt for the first time in ages a glimmer of hope in her heart.
A Grocery Store Battle
Susan waited a couple more hours before she left the corner and was thrilled with how much she had. It wasn’t enough for much but she could treat her kids to fresh fruit and vegetables tonight.
Walking into the grocery store took a different kind of courage. Susan knew she was dirty and under the fluorescent lights, every speck of dirt from the sidewalk seemed to glow. She took a deep breath and walked into the supermarket.
You Don’t Belong Here
The grocery store was busy with other people buying food for their families. Susan stared at all of their full carts and wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She quickly grabbed a basket and headed to the fresh fruit.
As she got in line to pay she could feel other people staring. Their eyes burned into her back as they watched her in line. She knew store managers assumed she would try to steal but she couldn’t bring herself to look up. All of a sudden she saw a familiar pair of sneakers next to her.
At First, She Didn't Want To Look
She had no idea how to react to seeing the kind stranger that had given her money, especially since she was currently spending his kindness. Susan felt her skin flush. She had no idea how to navigate seeing this stranger in public. Should she look up and thank him? Would he stop to talk to her?
Her pulse was pounding in her ears and her palms became sweaty. What if he asked for the money back? What if he realized she didn't deserve his charity? Susan's hands began to tighten on her grocery basket, she couldn't just stand there. The sneakers were still in front of her as she took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet his.
A Second Encounter In The Same Day
When Susan looked up it was the same kind stranger that had given her coins earlier. He was smiling and seemed genuinely excited to see her. “I’m so happy to see you here! I didn't get a chance to introduce myself earlier. I'm Jay. Were you able to get everything you needed?”
He looked into her basket and his face fell as he saw the few items it held. He looked into her eyes, “Is this all you could afford?” Susan wanted to run out of the store immediately. Her skin was so hot and itchy from embarrassment, why was he asking her that? Why did he care what happened to her? Susan gripped her shopping basket and took a deep breath. She was never expecting him to understand her pain, but he couldn't take away her dignity.
Would He Make Her Beg?
A cold sweat broke out along Susan's forehead and her clothes were slick with cold sweat, sticking to her body in annoying places. All she could hear was her own pulse. Susan could feel everyone looking at them and her mouth was too dry to respond. Should she thank him or run away to keep the groceries?
Susan quickly decided to nod and said, "This is more than I was expecting. I'm very grateful." Jay stared at her for a minute while she held his gaze. All she wanted was for him to leave her alone. Why was this man following her?
Thinking About It Later
Thankfully he realized she was uncomfortable and walked away as she reached the cashier. Walking in the door that night she was thrilled to see her children's faces light up when they saw their favorite, oranges!
They spent the night peeling and eating as many oranges as they could! The house was full of laughter and warmth and she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy. As Susan went to bed that night she wondered what tomorrow would bring. She had no idea what the kind stranger would do that would change her life forever.
The Same Kind Stranger
It was colder today than yesterday and Susan's thoughts raced with how she would find warmer clothing for her children. She was going through different charities when the same sneakers from the other day appeared in front of her.
Susan couldn’t believe she was seeing him again! She slowly raised her head and this time gasped out loud. She quickly scrambled to her feet when she saw what he had in his hands. How was this even possible?
An Overflowing Bag Of Goodness
As Susan scrambled to her feet, her eyes bulged at the massive bag of groceries in Jay's hands. She could see all sorts of different foods, items she hadn’t bought in months. As she looked at the bag and then up at him his face brightened with a grin.
Jay saw her shock and surprise and remembered how good it felt to help others. He wanted to do more than just give her this bag of groceries. He didn’t know how she would respond but he had one question he needed to ask and hoped she would answer. Jay knew he might be stepping out of bounds but he needed to know the truth.
A Forgotten Luxury
Jay asked quietly, "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" Susan knew she should be suspicious and had a million and one reasons why she shouldn’t go anywhere with a stranger, but staring at the bag of groceries, how could she not do the one thing he asked? If he was willing to give her this much food, the one thing she could do was have a cup of coffee.
Jay saw her apprehension and gestured over his shoulder to the small cafe. “We don’t have to go very far, I’d really like to tell you a story.” Every day she sat on this corner and smelled the heavenly roasted beans. She slowly nodded her head and began to follow him across the street. Was she prepared to hear Jay's own incredible story of change?
Who Taught You To Be Kind?
Jay and Susan grabbed an outdoor table and Susan was relieved he ordered both their drinks. When he went inside the cafe to grab napkins, he left the groceries next to her. Was this a test? Did he want to see if she would run off with his charity? She sat fidgeting in the chair until Jay came back.
Jay put the hot cup of coffee in front of her and Susan could see the steam rising from the mug. She had stopped buying coffee months ago. It was a luxury she couldn’t afford. She slowly wrapped her hands around the mug, curious what this stranger would say next. Jay had her undivided attention, but was he prepared to open up?
A Story To Share
Jay smiled as he watched her hold the coffee and savor the first sip. “Years ago I was caught up in my career and overall wasn't a friendly person. I didn't have time for my family or relationships and was miserable with anyone who spoke to me.”
“I was working a high-pressure job and had tons of money to support a lavish lifestyle but I was miserable. One night I had a meeting and my car broke down driving home. My phone wasn’t charged and I knew I would have to walk.” What had happened on this night to turn Jay's whole perspective upside down?
I Didn’t Look Like Myself
Jay continued, “After a couple of hours of walking I looked disheveled. I was sweating and had gotten mud and dirt on my pants. I was walking through downtown when a lady stopped and asked if I needed help.”
Jay paused and then said, “I’ll never forget that moment. No one had spoken to me or even given me a second look. I was shocked. I knew I was scowling but I quickly tried to ask to use her cell phone so I could repair my phone.” Instead, this woman did even more.
One Small Deed
This kind stranger listened while Jay explained the circumstances around the evening. He told Susan, “This woman didn’t have a cell phone I could borrow but gave me some change for a payphone. She stood with me while I called a tow-truck and kept me company.”
“As we stood on the corner waiting for the truck to pick me up, I realized I hadn’t had a conversation with anyone I didn’t work with for months. Finally, the tow truck arrived and I asked if I could drop her off anywhere.” That's when Jay realized one detail he had missed.
He Had Missed One Important Detail
Susan's coffee cup was empty but she was wrapped up in Jay's story. She felt on the edge of her seat wondering what detail he had missed. Jay looked into Susan's eyes and said, “This kind stranger looked at me and laughed. I hadn’t realized that she was homeless and then I saw behind her what looked like a shopping cart of items and a tent.”
Jay's remembered being in awe at her kindness. “I couldn’t believe out of every person that had passed me that night she was the one to stop and help me. I couldn’t believe her selflessness. Immediately I felt ashamed and asked her how I could repay her kindness.” Susan began to wonder what Jay had done to repay a stranger, and would he expect her to do the same thing?
The Golden Rule
Jay leaned towards Susan, “All she said was for me to pay it forward. To do a good deed for someone else like she had done for me. At that point, the tow truck arrived and she waved good-bye and continued on her way.”
Jay told Susan, "While I sat in the tow truck driving back to my car, I kept replaying the conversation in my head. Doing a good deed seemed like a simple concept, but at this point, I was really selfish and miserable. Paying it forward felt impossible. I knew I would have to make a huge life change." Susan held her breath, wondering who Jay really was? What was he about to reveal?
She Wanted To Know More
Susan was staring intently at Jay. Within the hour he had bought her enough groceries for a month and then revealed to her he used to be a miserable selfish human being. Jay's appearance made him look like any normal guy, not a stressed-out career-oriented ego-maniac. Susan couldn’t help herself and asked, “What happened next?”
Jay smiled and gestured to the groceries and coffee. “Every day after that experience, I woke up and promised to do one good deed. First, they were small things, maybe calling a friend I hadn’t spoken to in months or buying the person's coffee in line behind me.” Jay's eyes were shining and Susan couldn’t help but feel uplifted at his pure joy from helping others.
It Made Me Feel Good
Jay began to talk faster. “I wanted to do bigger good deeds. I began to donate large sums of money but I wanted to see the physical results of my kindness. One day I was walking in the park when I saw a woman giving out free groceries.”
Susan burst out laughing. She giggled and said, “you'll have to let me know which park tree that magic event was happening under!” Jay nodded his head adamantly! “I know it sounds like it's made up! I didn’t believe her at first either. I figured it had to be a prank and sat on a bench to watch her before I got up the courage to approach her.” Susan was confused, why would this generous stranger need the courage to approach someone else doing good deeds?
A Role Model To Follow
Jay continued, “I walked up to this woman and looked at her cart. There was a sign that said “Free Groceries” - and said to her, What’s the catch? This is the part where I assumed she was crazy. Her response was to start laughing at me!”
The memory brings a smile to Jay's face, “Can you believe that! She thought my skepticism was humorous! She said there’s no catch, everyone needs a helping hand. I watched her walk away and saw her giving out these groceries, and I knew I wanted to do that!” Susan chewed on her bottom lip, what exactly did Jay mean? Hadn't he already accomplished that? Would he take away Susan's precious grocery bags?
Everything Clicked Into Place
Jay realized he had been speaking for a while and asked Susan if she had the time to hear the rest of his story. She told him it was fine but she had to get home in time for her kids. Jay's eyes softened when he realized Susan had a family.
Jay told her, “As I watched the woman in this park give out free groceries, I saw a young boy approach her. He was a young teenager and also didn’t believe the groceries were free. When she gave him a bag of food, and I saw him smile, I knew it was the best thing you could do for someone.” Susan smiled. But did this stranger really not want anything in return? What was the catch?
He Had Noticed Her For Weeks
Jay shook his head and continued the story, “I noticed you when you started sitting on the corner. I noticed that you never raised your eyes to look at anyone. I knew I had to find a way to help you.” Jay reached across the table and put his hand on Susan's arm, "You have nothing to feel ashamed about."
Susan quickly pulled her arm away and ducked her head down. She couldn't remember the last time she had a conversation with another adult or received affection. She felt overwhelmed, but just as she was about to apologize, Jay said, “You don’t have anything to apologize for. We all need a little help sometimes.” Susan raised her eyes to meet him and felt the warmth and kindness in his smile. She knew this conversation was going to change her life.
It Was Getting Late
Jay's story was amazing but Susan knew it was time for her to head home. She stood up and thanked him again, still hesitating to take the groceries. Jay lifted them up and put the bags into her arms. He told her the best thing she could do was pay it forward. Susan clutched the bags of groceries and promised she would do her best.
As she walked home Susan started to think. For someone like her, just trying to survive every day took all of her energy. Susan made a promise to herself that when she was able to, she would never look away from helping another person after this conversation. Would that be enough to repay Jay's kindness?
How Did He Feel?
Jay noticed as Susan walked away from the table her head was held high. Jay couldn't help but feel how sore his cheeks were from smiling. His chest was full of pride and joy from helping another stranger. Doing good deeds really did improve his entire mood. Jay sat at the table a little longer thinking back to the first time he had paid it forward.
After meeting the homeless woman Jay drove back to the neighborhood the rest of the week trying to find her and thank her properly. She may have only given him a few loose coins but she had taught him a valuable lesson. Why couldn't he find this homeless stranger? Would he be too late to help his guardian angel?
He Searched For Weeks
Jay drove through the neighborhood for weeks before he found her again. When he finally saw her shuffling on the sidewalk with the same cart and tent, his brakes screeched from how quickly he stopped the car. Jay quickly got out of the car and ran to her side.
When Jay got next to her she was alarmed and Jay quickly said, “Do you remember me?” The homeless woman paused before she recognized him. She began to laugh looking at his cleaned-up appearance and fancy car! “Yes I remember you, did you come to give me back some loose change?” Jay had been waiting for weeks to repay this stranger, and now was his chance. Would she accept his gift?
It Still Doesn’t Feel Like Enough
Jay smiled at her and said, “You really helped me out by giving me some spare change. I’ve been looking for you for weeks to return the favor.” Jay pointed to the tent, “It’s getting a bit cold to sleep outside, don’t you think?”
The woman looked at Jay and didn't know how to react. Of course, it was cold out, no one wants to sleep outdoors but it was the best option for her. Had she accidentally attracted her worse nightmare? Would he harm her? She protectively held her belongings, “I thought I told you to pay it forward, this doesn’t feel like you’re listening.” She had no idea about the surprise Jay had in store.
Her Face Said It All
Jay chuckled and said, “I know you said you didn’t want anything in return, but I found the perfect way to repay you. You did an act of kindness for me that I’ll never forget. I own several local hotels. How would you like to stay in one for free?”
Jay's words slowly began to sink in as she absorbed his generous offer. Her eyes went wide and she couldn’t believe it! Was this a cruel prank? Would she accept his generous offer? What was the catch to getting a warm night in a bed off the streets?
Two Lives Changed Forever
They loaded Jay's car up with her belongings and drove to one of his many hotel locations. When they pulled up the homeless woman still felt like it was too good to be true. She couldn't remember the last time she had clean sheets and a hot shower before bed. As Jay turned to leave she quietly asked, “What time is checkout?”
Jay looked at her and said, “you don’t have to leave until you have somewhere else to go. If you have any problems, ask any of my staff to call me. Your stay here is indefinite.” As he watched her face absorb the news he quickly walked out of the room to let her savor the joy in private. After watching her reaction Jay knew that he would continue to spread more good deeds. Who else had he helped since that first woman?
She Never Went Back To The Corner
Jay had done big and small deeds afterward but helping Susan was a different approach for him. First of all, they lived in the same neighborhood. Jay continued to walk by the corner every day and was relieved never to see Susan again. Jay's groceries meant she didn't have to struggle every day to feed her kids and gave her more time to focus on finding a job. A few weeks later, her hard work finally paid off and she got a call for an interview.
Susan danced around her apartment with her children! A job would change their lives! She made them both cross their fingers that she was the right candidate. The day of the interview approached and at the end, Susan heard the magic words, “When can you start”?
A Bright Future
A few months later, Susan is leaving the grocery store. She is still getting used to a regular paycheck and knows that her children will never go hungry again. For the first time in a long time, she feels happy and eager for her future. From the corner of her eye, she spots something that stops her in her tracks.
Susan is staring at the familiar old corner but notices a new person sitting there. This man has the same rejected expression and slumped shoulders Susan had for weeks. She grins and realizes this is her moment to pay it forward! With confidence, Susan walks over and bends down to be eye level with the man. “Do you need some help?”