These days, little acts of kindness and politeness have never made a bigger impact.
Tiny, seemingly insignificant gestures may have a huge influence on somebody else's day, and kind acts for passers-by generally result in gratitude. Put succinctly, being kind is kind, but you may be making a bigger difference than you realize.
Brooke Ochua from Texas knows this better than anyone. While entering a diner for something to eat, she noticed an older lady coming her way. Brooke politely held the door as the lady walked in, as a courteous girl, she didn’t think twice. She wasn’t to realize, though, that something this lady was going to say a few moments after would trigger a series of (eventually viral!) events.
The lady and Brooke came into the building together, but then Brooke heard her asking to be seated at a table alone.
On discovering the woman was ready to eat on her lonesome, Brooke came over and decided to do another kind thing. As she later told Today, she came over to the lady’s table, asking: “I’m eating by myself too would you like to have lunch together?”
Two’s company
The elderly woman, Dolores, took Brooke up on her offer. And she was overjoyed at having Brooke to dine with. According to ABC 6, Brooke and Dolores hit it off right away, talking about all kinds of things while they ate.
Dolores told Brooke about how she had been going through some difficulties recently. “Come to find out, she spent the last decade living with her mom, who recently passed away, and her aunt, who recently was put into a nursing home,”Brooke posted on Facebook afterward.
“She has been having a hard time being alone.”
Brooke went on: “She just kept smiling and saying thank you for listening to me, which made me smile too! Her words healed my heart just as much as I healed her lonely one.”
Getting to know each other
Dolores and Brooke had such a good time chatting, they decided to eat together each Thursday thereafter.
A little while after Brooke and Dolores’ initial conversation, Brooke posted that the elderly lady had passed on. The chance she’d had to bring her some joy was made even more meaningful.
Dolores and Brooke's story of an unexpected meeting goes to show that even the tiniest acts of kindness may have life-changing impacts. These two ladies had no idea Dolores would pass away so soon, yet they took comfort from one another, which is what really means something.
We should all take inspiration from Brooke, wouldn’t our world become so much lovelier?