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The Kindness of Strangers

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The spirit of Giving is not lost this holiday season…this beautiful story reminds us that there are still many people out there who give to their friends and families, as well as to complete strangers…

My family and I experienced such a wonderful act of kindness that I wanted to share it and my hope is that perhaps the benefactors will read this and know how many people it touched.

I have been a caregiver for adults of special needs for many years. Throughout this time, I have supported at least one adult in my home for twelve years and my daughter and son-in-law also support two individuals, as does my son. So between us, we support five individuals, who over the years have become family and the best of friends.

My children grew up knowing the special love and support that can change lives and make a difference to many others. And so, it was with the entire family that we were going to celebrate Stephens’s birthday by going to the Silver Dragon restaurant in White Rock on Sunday, Dec. 5th. This busy restaurant was kind enough to reserve the entire middle section of tables for this special occasion and as we arrived at the restaurant, there was lots of excitement as we gathered with our birthday wishes and gifts for Stephen. We were quite a large group, as we often are, so I am always aware of how other people are reacting to the level of excitement that we can create. In addition to our large group, we also had my little granddaughter, whose squeals of delight were filling the restaurant.

The staff was wonderful and accommodating, as were the couple sitting behind us. This couple, who were sitting behind us, were ever so patient, as we maneuvered into the tight seating with a high level of excitement and noise. I happened to notice that this couple was smiling at us, and I do have their faces still in my subconscious memory. The meal was wonderful and the atmosphere was perfect for this occasion and when it was time to leave, and as we were preparing to pay our bill, the waiter said that our entire bill had been paid for by the couple that had been sitting behind us.

Their message was simply "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Birthday to the Birthday Guy".

I immediately got teary as did the waiter, (a young man, perhaps still a student). He said that the restaurant had never experienced anything like that before. As we explained this act of kindness to all our individuals, they appeared to understand, but to what level, we will never really know. Seeing that tear in the waiters eye and the other caregivers, I don't think they could know the emotions that evolved from this kindness. I hope this couple will read this. The individuals may not totally understand your act of kindness but I will always have the memory of your faces to remind me. I did notice you!

I truly hope that this wonderful couple will see this so that they can know how much their act of kindness meant to me and our entire family on that day.

We thank-you so very much and from all of us, "A very Merry Christmas to you".

Linda, James, Laura, Daren, Emma, Jeff, David, Stephen, Peter and Sophia