What Are You Going to Do?

A week or so ago, I read a short story on Face Book that served as a great reminder why we should take some time each day to help other people. Even though I don’t know who authored the following tale, I thought that it would be a good thing to share with everyone.

After my morning classes at SFU, I spotted a man sitting outside all alone, shivering, pale and with a look of sadness in his eyes.

I asked him how he was doing, he responded, “Cold and alone. I miss my wife.” I walked away not knowing what to say or do. About a block later I found myself walking into a Starbucks on the corner of Seymour and Hastings. I went in, purchased a grande coffee and a muffin and my feet did the rest. I walked back to this man, sat down, handed him the hot coffee and asked him where his wife was. He looked at me for a couple seconds with tears in his eyes as he whispered, “She died on Monday, breast cancer. I’ve been sitting here since then. You’re the first person to ask me if I was okay.”

After talking for 15 minutes he explained that he was a WWII veteran and he met his late wife at a hospital in Europe. She was a nurse, he was an injured soldier. It turns out that him and his wife were both Italian. This man had lost the only person that he ever loved.

So…today…do something nice for a stranger. I know that we’re all busy with work, school and trivial things like wondering what we are going to get for Christmas.

Remember, we all have the potential to make the world a better place. It only takes a few minutes to brighten someone’s day. So…what are you going to do?