The man I met outside of a grocery store changed my life in a way I didn’t expect. It was a moment that would change both of us for a long time.
Because I have four kids, my days are full of routines and things I know what will happen next. But that day, when I saw the man’s hungry eyes, something inside me shook.
When I talked to him, he told me how desperate he was. His tired voice gave away a deeper story. He said he didn’t have enough money when I asked him to go shopping with me.
I made them, and we walked together down the halls. He put some basic things in my cart while I talked about my kids. It was easy to talk to him, and his eyes were shining with thanks.
When I went back to the store the next day, he had changed. He looked very respectable, with his beard shaved and his military outfit on.
I was shocked when he offered to buy me the same boxes of milk I had given him the day before. It was amazing how he changed.
He told us his story while we sat on a bench. He felt like the world had abandoned him because he was a soldier having a hard time adjusting to civilian life. My kindness gave him hope again.
He told me that my kindness made him want to get help from the Veterans Affairs Office. They were happy to have him and put him in a programme to meet his basic needs.
Martin had plans to help other soldiers get used to life in the real world. “Keep spreading kindness, Ciara,” he told me, and those words stuck with me. That you don’t know is how strong it is. Make sure your kids see it.
Martin’s life changed when we met by chance, and mine will never be the same. I learned that being kind can make a big difference in the world.
I felt proud and like I had a reason as I watched Martin walk away. The way he changed showed how powerful empathy and kindness can be.
