Such Kindness From Strangers

There is a deli/smoothie shop located on the ground floor of my apartment building. Although I have lived in this building since April, this shop has been open just these past two months. The business is owned by a man and his parents help run it. The owner's mother makes a fabulous quiche and I have been consuming a great majority of the quiche she makes for a good three weeks now!

Every time I go in (which is almost daily, I admit), I am warmly greeted by the owner and/or his parents. We laugh at the predictability of my order...quiche and a Volcano smoothie (raspberry juice, orange and pineapple sherbet, bananas, strawberries)...and inquire how one another is doing. We talk briefly about the weather, I compliment the quiche to no end, and I convey my happiness to hear that business is going very well for them. Regardless of my order, I always leave a dollar in the tip jar and they are always appreciative. I feel such a sense of goodness in all of them. My day is considerably improved by this interaction.

Last week I told the owner that I was moving soon and would be sad to leave them, the quiche and volcano included! Apparently he told his parents and tonight his mother came out and asked when I was moving. When I told her that it would be this next week, she hugged me and seemed sincerely saddened. I told her that I was leaving school and wanted to be close to parents, given that my mother had cancer and my parents' general health is declining, etc. She hugged me again and said that she wanted to give me a gift before I left...a whole quiche pie!

I almost cried right there. Such kindness from strangers. The beauty of this moment reminded me that there is so much value in the briefest of interactions and that such kindness from strangers can really leave a lasting impression, inspiring me tremendously.