Kindness of Strangers

Goodness is the only investment that never fails. Henry David Thoreau

I always tell my kids...there are more good people than bad....and I tell them the story of the woman living in the city next to ours....

She was a waitress....all her life. She didn't earn alot of money....but somehow she managed to save $10,000. She dreamed of taking a trip when she retired...maybe a cruise. She never married....never had kids.  

One day, her boss asked if he could borrow the money...he would pay her back. He promised. She trusted him....lent him the money. He put it towards building a huge house in a rich part of town. A house larger than anyone needed. Time went by, he never gave the money back. Then two years, three...still nothing. The woman retired. She lived on a small pension. Her dreams of taking a trip...over. 

Somehow, a businessman heard about her story. Maybe from a customer at the diner. He went to see her. Gave her a cheque for $1000. The two sat, had tea in her small apartment. Every two months, he returned and gave her another $1000. He told her he would do that until she had her $10,000 in full. 

The media got a hold of the story. By that time, the businessman had paid her all the money her boss had taken from her....but he was still going back every two months to visit with her. The media asked why. His answer, We've become good friends.

The boss never apologized. He lives in one of the largest homes in the city. He has never repaid the woman a dime. 

This story makes me think of the people who reached out to me when I lived on the streets...those who gave me food, or a place to sleep or encouraged me to never give up.  The kindness of strangers! I've never forgotten them. And their kindness, their goodness has made me want to reach out to others who need to know.....there are more good people in the world than bad.