My mother has always taught me to be kind to others, share what you have and give to those in need. From the time I was young, I not only believed in but also actively tried to practice compassion.
The first time my mother noticed my desire to help others was when I was 10-years-old and it was Christmas Eve. My father was working in Fort McMurray at the time while my mom stayed home in Edmonton with me.
We were watching local news when a story aired about homeless shelters needing clothing donations for those living in freezing, frigid temperatures. I told her I was going to find all our old winter clothes and take them to the shelter that very hour.
We packed a garbage bag full of clothes and I got bundled up. I told her I wanted to do it alone. Because it was dark, the roads were covered in snow and my mother never drove in the winter, I took my first cab ride alone to the shelter and dropped off the bags of clothes.
When I returned home, my mother had tears of joy in her eyes and for the first time, I experienced how good it felt to help others.
Fast-forward 12 years later to today. I continuously make an effort to carry out simple acts of kindness as often as possible to help make if not the world, our city a more compassionate place.
Last month, I amped up my workout regime and decided this needed to be rewarded with a new piece of workout attire.
On impulse, I drove to a nearby store that sells both clothing and groceries to pick out my newest sought-after item. I carefully scanned the clothing area to make my final selection.
After finding a shirt I liked, for nearly five minutes I contemplated red or black? “I certainly don’t own a lot of red,” I thought to myself. “But black would make me look slimmer.”
Black it was.
As I walked to the checkout till, I placed my new black workout tank on the carousel and waited patiently for the gentleman in line ahead of me to unload and pay for his groceries.
He couldn’t have been more than 30 years old and was fairly slim with a great smile.
As he unloaded more food items onto the counter, he kept one eye on the total price amount with every item scanned.
When the cashier finished scanning his groceries, his bill came to more than $95.
The man said he could not afford this much, and began calmly handing the cashier some of his selected food items to put away.
This went on until his bill dropped from $90-something to around $70. Among the traded-back items was juice, eggs, fresh produce and frozen fruit.
I looked at this man, and the pile of food he could no longer afford, then I looked at the workout tank I so desperately wanted, but did not need.
All I could think about was how this man may not be able to eat eggs or fresh produce until his next pay day while I do squats in a shirt that was merely a desire.
That felt very wrong to me.
I pushed my way to the cashier, handed her the shirt I was about to buy, and asked the man if I could please pay for the groceries he could not afford.
He looked so surprised, and said “yes.”
We stood together in silence as he bagged his groceries and I footed the $24.75 remaining bill whilst everyone in line stared at me peculiarly.
When the transaction was completed, I turned to him and said “have a wonderful weekend,” and this genuine man looked at me with a real smile and gave me a hug while saying, “thank you.”
It was the best feeling I’ve had in a long time.
$24.75 Really Does Go a Long Way
This story was submitted and written by Jasmine Franklin. You can find her on Twitter or on her website. If you are interested in submitting a story to us, we’d be honored! Check out how easy it is.
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