Letter: Thanks for acts of kindness to aging widower
My wife died unexpectedly on Jan. 5, 2015. A week later, while dining out with my son and his wife, a young gentleman anonymously paid for our meal. Three weeks later, as I tried to celebrate what would have been our 56th wedding anniversary, a restaurant server detected my grief, and the restaurant graciously declined to charge me for my meal.
Months later, on Thanksgiving, I once again dined alone, my plan being to “pay it forward” by picking up the dinner tab for a young, unknown couple sitting nearby. However, I was too late to react, since they had already received and paid their bill. Imagine my surprise when I later discovered they had paid my dinner bill!
Three acts of kindness, all anonymous. How comforting it is to know that, in our present world of turmoil, there are still many kind and caring souls, graciously willing to help their fellow man. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, not just for your generosity, but also because you have given an aging widower a new purpose and direction to his life: a strong desire to help others in need. You showed me the way!
James R. Hague, Pasco
This story was originally published December 13, 2015 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Letter: Thanks for acts of kindness to aging widower."