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In this cold cruel world of dog-eat-dog world, sometimes, one can forget we are but human. Yet, there are angels in human form who continue to touch lives and spread love in little random acts that may not mean much to some but may mean the world to others who have known nothing but rejection, scorn, poverty or heartbreak.

Years ago, I went through a rough patch and it was tough but we survived through toil and sweat. I still remember that Christmas Eve. It was my wedding anniversary and the eve of my birthday. I had gone to Giant at Penang Plaza to buy groceries for a simple Christmas dinner.

My younger boy who was just a toddler then seemed to understand the unspoken words in the family that we were going through rough times for he did not bug me to buy him anything. Standing at the cashier to pay, he stared at the gentleman before us whose trolley was filled to the brim with all kinds of goodies - including many boxes of Droste chocolates.


I remembered the good times when I did my Christmas shopping not just for my close friends but also for orphans and my vision became  blur when I started to tear.

Out of the blue, the gentleman turned to my boy and said, "There you go, young man. Here's something for your Christmas."

Honestly, I just burst into tears because of that gentleman's random act of kindness. We thanked him and exchanged Christmas greetings. We went home with hearts greatly warmed by that kind and thoughtful gentleman.  Till today, I can remember his face even though I have never seen him again since that fateful day.

It does not cost much to be kind to others, even strangers. My friend's mother is already in her 70's and yet, she visits this shelter three times a week to help to cook lunch for vagrants and the homeless who throng the centre at lunch time on weekdays.

Of late, I cannot help but notice how our society has become colder, more hard-hearted and unkind to strangers. We see it on the roads when drivers honk for no rhyme or reason, overtake other cars and put others at risk. We see how some park their cars at junctions or even double-park alongside other cars thereby exacerbating the congestion.

As we move towards the festive season, I sincerely hope that we will spend wisely and remember the orphans and elderly who live in homes. Do we really need to spend on cookies and lychee which have high sugar content? Perhaps we can divert our resources to buy necessities such as rice, sugar and other dried foodstuffs for orphanages and old folks' homes or even oranges to bring cheer into their lives.

Here are some more real life stories to inspire you...

If you're measuring the kindness at the Corner Perk in Bluffton, S.C., it's safe to say their cup runneth over. It's a cycle of generosity that started two years ago — and lately it's spinning faster and faster.

In a time when everyone seems to be hard-pressed for cash, more and more are starting to give it away. "It made my day, it really did. It made my day,” customer Michael Aldea said.

"When I went to go pay, they said 'Oh, it's paid for. Somebody paid it forward,' " customer Sheri Buda said.
Story: In Joplin, a diner serves up shelter from the storm.

"People will come in and say, ‘What do you mean? I don't understand. Are you trying to buy me a coffee today?' " And I say, "No, somebody came in 30 minutes ago and left money to pay for drinks until it runs out,” Josh Cooke, owner of the Corner Perk, explained.

The pay-it-forward phenomenon kicked off two years ago when an average-Joe customer left the first $100 bill.

"It's someone that just has a kind heart and wants that to generate in this area," Cooke said of the anonymous female donor.

That donor got what she wanted — not just customers, but strangers who heard what was happening started paying for people who follow. The owner says the lady who started the pay-it-forward tradition kept it going for a few months now and then — but in the past few weeks, the phenomenon has really taken off, with other anonymous contributors following suit.

"He said, 'I want to do that, too,' Corner Perk’s Sara Clemmons said of one donor. "He just gave me the hundred dollars and left. He didn't even get anything."

None of the anonymous donors leaves their name: only their money, and a feeling of inspiration that is jolting this community.

"For someone to come out of the blue and think about someone other than themselves, it's refreshing,” Aldea said.

"It's very inspiring to just see someone living out what so many of us talk about, and doing things for other people,” customer Jenny Dolin agreed.

While they all walk in for a pick-me-up, lately that comes from the compassion that comes with the coffee, not the caffeine.

-Author Unknown-





Have a beautiful day!