On a bitter winter evening, I bought shawarma for a homeless man and his dog, thinking it was just a small act of kindness. But when he slipped me a note, it revealed a past I’d forgotten.
I worked at a mall and had a rough day dealing with holiday shoppers and family stress. As I left work, I saw the homeless man eyeing the shawarma stand. He asked the vendor for hot water, but was turned away. Moved by my grandmother’s lesson on kindness, I bought the man and his dog food.
The next day, I found a note from the man: “Thank you for saving my life. You don’t know this, but you’ve already saved it once before.” It mentioned a date and a café I used to frequent. I remembered a rainy day when I’d bought a desperate man coffee. That same man was now homeless.
Determined to help, I found him again, and we spoke. He revealed that my small act years ago had kept him going. I promised to help him more and, with my family’s support, we got him back on his feet. He found work, and we helped him with legal issues and basic needs.
A year later, he brought me a cake, thanking me for saving his life three times. His transformation reminded me how easy it is to miss the struggles of others, and how small acts of kindness can change everything.
I share my grandmother’s words with my children: “Kindness costs nothing but can change everything.” You never know when it will be a lifeline for someone.
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