Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I was invited to a three-day retreat in New Jersey. I didn't want to go because I was working, and it didn't really call my attention from the beginning.  My friend insisted I go and the church made a request to my employer on my behalf. 

I felt really important, so I decided to go. We travelled and spent the first night in a hotel. There were so many people. The environment was so lovely everybody was very kind.

We attended mass first thing in the morning then at break I was alone. I saw somebody else who was alone and I approached the girl to ask if  she needed help with her wheelchair. She said: "okay", in shy way.

We selected our food and chose a table, the only available and we sat together. We spoke a lot about pretty much anything. I was so open to her and after a few laughs she was to me also.  I didn't even ask her name and she didn't ask mine, but we were having a good time. 
At that time, I was learning English and she was learning Spanish so we agreed to teach each other.  I am a native Spanish speaker and she is a native English speaker.

She was very interesting and taught me something really important that I will never forget. "I think everybody has faith, everybody has strength, everybody has confidence, everybody has courage. I think everybody has what it takes to be what they want to be or reach what they want to reach.

If you do something you don't believe is possible every day, your faith will grow. If you exercise or overcome difficult moments every day, I bet you'll gain strength.

If every day you do something out of your comfort zone that scares you, you'll get more confidence. If you do something that takes courage and few can do, you'll get courageous. And again, I really think that everybody has what it takes we just have to work on these qualities to grow them every day."
I eventually asked her name and shared mine. We continue to teach each other we have remained friends ever since that day.