Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Midnight Roses


--by xsdni, posted Oct 11, 2013
I was in Thailand for a holiday with some friends and we went to a night market to have a look around. 

Walking around, well after midnight, I saw a lady, probably over seventy years old, selling roses. She looked fragile and week, like she had been working all day and then into the night.

Right there and then my heart broke. No one of this age, I thought to myself, should be out past midnight selling roses to make a couple of bucks.

So, I gave her enough money for a day's work but declined to take any of her roses. 

My friends and I left to get a drink at a place nearby. The lady followed me and insisted on giving me a rose. I tried to decline again but eventually took one of her roses and left.

There is still so much suffering in the world. It's important to look up and strive to be a better person than you currently are, but it is also important to look around and realize how fortunate we are. We all should be grateful for the life we have and try to help those who are less fortunate.
1757 Reads

Readers Comments

sienasong wrote: I agree. I am an american and am ashamed sometimes how much people take for granted. It is so wonderful you were able to see how hard the woman was working and helped her out with money. I saw the same sights all over peru and spent part of my summer volunteering and giving to the people there with the little help i could give.
cyrilsmom wrote: Really sweet of u
kimh wrote: That's the way to do it! That's inspiring! I hope i can be that generous someday.
Mish wrote: Indeed. Well said!
FairyBubbles wrote: I love your kind heart. (((HUG)))
jsmc10 wrote: bless you, this made me well up, you must've helped her so much :)

Add A Comment

Submit your own
story of Kindness

Search by keyword

Tags

Subscribe to the Kindness Newsletter

143K subscribers

About Us

KindSpring is a place to practice small acts of kindness. For over a decade the KindSpring user community has focused on inner transformation, while collectively changing the world with generosity, gratitude, and trust. The site is 100% volunteer-run and totally non-commercial. It is a shared labor of love.

Other servicespace Projects Include

KindSpring.org is a project of ServiceSpace. BY-NC-ND 4.0