October 10, 2011

Happy To Pass It On

This one is one of my own. Hope you enjoy and have a great Monday!


About four years ago, a very kind stranger helped me out. I don't know his name, his family's name, but I will always remember what he did for me when I was in need.

I was driving home late from a hockey game, one that was about two hours away from where I lived. Oh the joys of being a hockey girlfriend/wife :) The highway I was one was four lanes but was very dark. I came around a bend in the road and there was a big tree branch in the middle of the lane that had fallen off of the back of someone's truck. I tried to swerve to miss it, but to no avail. My tire didn't just puncture, it shredded.

Somehow, I was able to creep along shoulder in my car and by some chance, there was an exit with an open gas station. For lack of better words, it really was like a beacon in the night.

I tried calling home to see what they suggested. We tried family in the area, but they were over an hour away. No tow trucks could come to the morning. I was screwed. And although I had learned how to change a tire, I did not feel comfortable doing so myself and then driving another hour on the highway home.

As you can imagine, I was a little upset and didn't have many options. The clerk at the store, while nice, was not the most helpful.

Right then a man, along with his wife and small daughter, came into the store. They had filled up their car and were buying a few things in the store. He overheard me talking to the clerk and immediately told me he could easily change my tire, no problem.

I was stunned. Who just volunteers like that? I asked him if he was sure, and he said it was easy and could have it done in about 10 minutes. He didn't hesitate and walked out to my car to get started. His wife and daughter chatted it up with me while he worked, made sure I was fine to drive home, and in no time he was finished and my spare tire was snugly on. I asked them if I could please pay for their gas, or even for the beer they had bought inside. It was the very least I could do.

The husband and wife politely declined. They told me that not too long ago, they found themselves in a pickle too. The husband and wife, along with the daughter, had run out of gas on the side of the road, no where close to a gas station. And out of the blue, this family rolls up and helps them out by sparing some of their extra gas. The family made it safely to the next gas station and were so grateful for the other family's act of generosity and selflessness. They told me they were happy to pass it on.

I was nearly in tears and thanked them from the bottom of my heart. What they did took hardly any effort, and maybe 10 minutes of their time. But it will stay with me forever. And that is the true power of helping others. A small gift, something almost worthless to you, can really mean the world to someone else.

3 comments:

  1. I totally agree with passing it on, this is great!!

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  2. I love when people do something nice, just because it's the right thing to do.

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  3. Thanks guys! It is the right thing to do, so right Jordan. And thanks for stopping by!

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