On a windy night twenty years ago, we both made the split-second choice to help a stranger, which changed our lives deeply. Just got off a late shift at the local diner, and I was on my way home when I saw a man standing in the middle of the road. He looked like he was about to pass out. I wasn’t sure at first, but something about him made me stop and offer to help.
I called for him by rolling down my window. “Hey, are you okay?” I could see his pale, tired face even through the rain when he turned around. I told him to come in, and he gave me a weak nod. As he got into the car, I turned up the heat, which made him shiver less badly.
I made sure he had dry clothes, a warm meal, and a place to sleep that night. I could tell he was tired because life had hit him hard, and he told me his name was James. I thought giving him a bus ticket and some money would help him get back on his feet the next morning.
“Can I help you?” I asked with care. The man smiled, and his eyes were warm and bright. He told her, “I think you already did.” “Many years ago.” It clicked right away: this was James, the man I had helped that wild night.
James told me about his trip while we sat down at the kitchen table. With the bus ticket I gave him, he got to a nearby town and found a place to stay that helped him get back on his feet. He finally went out on his own and ran a business that helped shelters and schools get money.
I felt amazed and awed as James talked. I didn’t know that my small act of kindness had made such a big difference in his life. After he gave it to me, I opened it and found a deed to a small house not far away.
“I want you to have this,” James said with a heavy heart. “You gave me a second chance, and now I want to give you one.” Feelings of thanks and tears filled my eyes. There was more to this gift than just a house. It was a chance for my family to start over.
James gave me a small envelope as he got ready to leave. I found a letter he had written to me years ago inside. It was an honest thank-you from the bottom of my heart. He talked about how the night before had given him hope and how he had told himself to keep being kind.
Reading the letter made me feel amazed and thankful. I had no idea that that small act of kindness had made such a big difference in James’s life. When I looked up at him, I saw a man who had done well with his second shot.
“Thank you, James,” I said with tears in my eyes. “This means more to me than you’ll ever know.” James smiled, and the happiness in his eyes shone. He told her, “Thank you, Celia.” “I’m just glad I could finally repay your kindness.”
