The kindness of a stranger

Last week I found an old photo that brought back a tender memory of the kindness of a stranger. The picture has some water damage but it still shows the faces of three little girls over 25 years ago.

The setting was a busy store where my sister Liz, her family and my girls and I went shopping for souvenirs on our way back from Orlando to Miami where my sister and family lived at the time.  We had been enjoying the parks in Orlando so it was time to stop at a mall to buy a few things.

We were all together watching each other’s kids when I got destructed looking at some things to buy when all of the sudden here comes in the store a gentleman with a little girl in his arms and a police officer asking if anyone knew who this little girl belonged to?

As I looked at them, I couldn’t believe my eyes. That little one year old little girl was my Mandy! I felt petrified and in shock to even think she had gotten out of the store into a parking lot without me knowing. Somehow I thought she was being watched by my sister and brother in law and they thought she was with me.

I can’t tell you the impact that one experience has had in my life that I have never ever forgotten about it.  First, it was a huge relief that my baby girl was okay. But second, it was an amazing thing to know the kindness of this person I didn’t know. What an angel he was to have done that. His kindness was truly humbling. He handed Mandy to me after I proved to the officer she was my daughter by showing him a picture of our family I was carrying in my wallet. That is the exact picture I found. Mandy was of course in the picture.  

The policeman handed Mandy to me with some hesitation as to saying to me: “what kind of a mother are you”?  I know, I deserved to be scolded. I had lost my child and didn’t even know it. Lesson learned! Never assumed your child is in the care of someone else and never lose sight of your child that small and quick even for a second.

 Another lesson I learned that day was the kindness of a stranger who took the time of his day to find this child her mother. Too bad we never exchanged contact information because I would have wanted to thank him but I hope somehow he realizes how deeply grateful I am for returning my child.

I love the scripture that reads: “BE NOT FORGETFUL TO ENTERTAIN STRANGERS: FOR THEREBY SOME HAVE ENTERTAINED ANGELS UNAWARES.” (Hebrew 13:2)

That quote reminds me that we should always be mindful of others, even strangers that we haven’t met or gotten to know, because you may be touching the life of someone very special. We just never know the impact that we can have on another person’s life.

My letter today is dedicated to this fellow with no name who went out of his way to reach out to find my daughter, her mother. I hope that I can take his example into my life and make sure that I pay more attention to the kind things that I can do for another; even someone who I may not even know.

Today’s challenge for me is to find an opportunity to touch someone’s life just like this person with his kindness so long ago, touched mine.

May we all do better to be more mindful of strangers…

Con amor,

Vero