A wild October night twenty years ago, I made a split-second choice that would change my life and the life of a stranger. The diner where I worked let me off late, and I was driving home through heavy rain. As I turned a corner, I saw a person huddled under a bus stop and holding on to a torn jacket. I stopped to offer him a ride because something about him made me feel good.
As he got into the passenger seat, I could see that he was too cold and wet to move. I made it hotter and asked him if he was okay. He gave a weak nod, and his eyes were tired. I took him to my small house and fed him and dried his clothes. Before he left the next morning, I gave him a bus ticket and some cash and told him to use them to get to a safer place.
I didn’t think I’d see him again, but life has a way of surprising us. It had been twenty years since I last saw that man. He was standing on my porch, wearing a clean navy suit and holding a leather folder. It shocked me that he changed his name to James when he introduced himself. It wasn’t the weak and hopeless stranger I had taken in all those years ago. He was replaced by a man who was sure of himself and had achieved great things. He thanked me for giving him a second chance at life.
As we sat down to talk, James told me he had been looking for me for years because he wanted to return the kindness I had shown him. He gave me the title to a simple house and said that he wanted to give me a safe place to live. I felt so moved by his kindness that I couldn’t understand how big his gift was.
James gave me a small package with a letter he had written years ago as he was getting ready to leave. In the letter, he thanked me from the bottom of his heart for giving him hope and being kind on that rainy night. As I read the letter, tears came down my face. I felt a strong link to this stranger who had become a friend.
Like James, I was amazed by the power of being kind and thankful as I watched him drive off. And life’s best gifts can sometimes come in the form of storms that bring surprises and a greater appreciation for the human link.
