What goes around #WednesdayWisdom

An old lady was stranded by the roadside with a flat tire. A young man driving by, stopped when he saw her. He got out of his car and approached her with a smile. The old lady was a little afraid, wondering who this stranger was—advancing towards her. He looked poor and hungry. What if he hurt her?

The young man sensed the lady’s fear and hastened to set her mind at ease. He asked her if she needed help and noticing the flat tire, suggested she waited in the warmth of his car while he fixed her tire. He introduced himself as Bryan Anderson.

While she waited, he changed the tire, picking up some bruises as he went along. Just as he was finishing up, the old lady started talking to him, saying she was just passing through and thanked him profusely for his help. Bryan smiled and opened her car door, so she could get in. She asked him how much she owed him—but money was the last thing on Bryan’s mind. He was simply helping someone in need out of the kindness of his heart.

When the lady insisted, he told her that the next time she saw someone who was in need of help, to pay it forward and think of him.

Charmed, the old lady started her car and bidding him goodbye, drove away. Bryan headed home too, as it was a cold day and he was hungry.

The lady was hungry too and noticed a café by the side of the road where she decided to stop before continuing on her journey home. As she entered, the café, she saw a waitress rush over with a clean towel so she could wipe the frost off her hair. The lady noticed that the young lady was pregnant and almost close to term and marveled at how she smiled, even though she must have been on her feet all day and tired. Musing over how someone with so little could be so cheerful in spite of her fatigue, she recalled how Bryan had come to her rescue.

So anyway, she enjoyed the hot meal the waitress placed in front of her and paid $100 and left quietly. When the waitress came back with the change, she was surprised to find her gone. Then she noticed the napkin where the lady had written: you owe me nothing. I was lucky to receive kindness today and if you would like to pay me back, carry on this chain of kindness. Just under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Tears flowed down the young woman’s face. She hurriedly wiped them away and got on with clearing the table and attending to the other customers.

When she got off work, she headed home exhausted.  As she got into bed, she thought of the money the lady had left her and the note. With a grateful heart, she wondered how the lady could have known that she and her husband desperately needed the money. The baby was due next month . . . and it wasn’t going to be easy to manage. She knew her husband was worried and as she looked as his peaceful sleeping face, she gently kissed him and whispered: It is going to be okay. I love you Bryan Anderson.

♥

Well. What can I add to this story?

“What goes around comes around.”

And blessed are they who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.

Kindness rules, eh?

What random act of kindness will you do today?

♥

#WednesdayWisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, and humor.