One morning my wife and I

had breakfast at a local restaurant.

For some reason, we were both a little down.

As we were eating

I noticed a small, older lady sitting alone.

Once in a while she would look over and smile.

What a sweet lady, I thought, and probably lonely.

She finished eating before we did,

and when she walked past us she smiled again.

I wondered about her.

Did she have children who lived nearby

or did they live far away?

Did she have grandchildren

and did they come to visit her?

Did she have any  friends?

Was she on a meager income

and hardly able to get by?

She left the restaurant and

I’ll never know the answer to my questions.

I’ll just know her as the sweet little lady,

a stranger who sat by the window and

who, for some reason, looked at us and smiled.

We finished eating and I asked our

server for our check.

”Oh, your meal’s paid for,” she said.

”That little lady who just left paid for your meal.”

My wife and I were rather stunned.

What a gracious act of kindness, we thought,

and done anonymously — a surprise gift.

And here’s what’s interesting —

That one act of kindness

warmed our hearts,  lifted our spirits,

and brightened our outlook for the day.

It was a reminder to us of

what one act of kindness can do,

the positive impact it can have.

It has the  power to change  a

person’s day for the better.

I’ve heard it said, and it’s true,

we never rise higher than when we

lift another person with

an act  of kindness.

That event at the restaurant was several years ago,

and I’m older now,

and I forget things  on  a regular basis,

but I  don’t think I’ll ever forget

that sweet little lady,

her soft eyes, her gentle smile,

and her act of kindness