Modern Day Good Samaritan – A Random Act of Kindness

There always seems to be depressing headlines in the news, but I heard a story this week about some good news. It’s the story of a modern day Good Samaritan (the original, in case you wanted to look it up, is in the book of Luke 10:30-37). The story comes from my mother, and it was too good not to share.

My mother is 92 years old. You can see her picture in my God Bless Mother’s Day post and learn a little more about her. Unless I have a reason to be out of town, each week I take my mother to do her shopping, visit the doctor and provide company and transportation for any other errands that she needs done. During the week, however, she likes to as she says, “Walk up to my little store,” to buy odds and ends. My mother was born in London, England and she still has her wonderful British accent. One of the items she always buys at her store are bananas – or as she pronounces them, “Bah-nah-nah’s.”

Last week she walked up to the store, but when she went to pay for her groceries, she was short about three dollars. The only solution to pay for the groceries was to take off the items she could do without. With being a diabetic she needs rubbing alcohol to cleanse her skin before she takes her blood and her insulin. She still had some alcohol at home, so she put that back. She also put back a package of jambalaya. By taking off these items, she was able to bring the new total to the amount of cash she had with her.

At this store you check out then go off to the side to bag your own groceries. My mother was taking her groceries out of the cart and putting them into bags when a woman (a total stranger) came up to her and said, “Here are the items that you put back,” handing her the rubbing alcohol and the jambalaya. My mother, who is never speechless, was speechless. She asked for the woman’s name and address so that she could repay her. The woman wouldn’t have it. She told her it was her gift.

My mother was so touched by her gesture that she decided to go back to the store and give the cashier a five dollar bill to keep on hand just in case the same happened to someone else if they didn’t have enough money for all of their groceries.

So, whoever you are, thank you for the random act of kindness that not only helped my mother out, but made her day too. It was nice to hear some good news.

Have you practiced or experienced an act of random kindness from a Good Samaritan?  If so, please share it in the comment box.