Stories of Kindness from Around the World

One afternoon, as I was driving back home, I stopped  at a busy intersection as the traffic light turning red.  I waited patiently for the light to turn green, so that I could resume my journey.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, an old woman appeared and started asking for money. That day , I had unknowingly switched off the   air conditioning in the car and my window was down. The old woman was standing very close to the car.  As she begged for alms, I closely observed her weather-beaten face, which had lots of wrinkles on it.  Her eyes showed lots of sadness and her whole body was shaking.  I instinctively sensed that this elderly lady had  seen some incredibly hard times in her life and at this time there was no one to look after her, which forced her to beg on the streets. 

Seeing her condition, I immediately felt from within my being a tremendous surge of compassion for her. It was coming deep  from within my heart. I normally give loose change to beggars, however,  that day my inner self strongly urged me that you give her something substantial so that she could have a decent meal. 

Without any hesitatation I took out a substanial amount from my wallet and placed it  in her hand.  Her weather-beaten face lit up with a toothless smile and she blessed me and went on her way. In the mean time the traffic light had turned green, and it was time to move on. 

As I drove back home I felt within myself a sense of joy and happiness surging through me because I was able to do something for at least one person on this planet.  It was an incident that both the old lady and I would remember for a long time. Her bessings would also be one of the most treasured memories in my life. I often drive past that intersection, however I have never seen that old  woman again.