There are numerous variations of the same idea: “Be kind…everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about….” It is easy to be absorbed in our own lives and situations and not take notice of things and situations happening around us. But every time we do, we have an opportunity to notice someone in need of a smile, a kind word or a loving gesture. Fortunately, these three young men did exactly that, and their action changed not only the life of this widow, but their lives as well. Jamario Howard, JaMychol Baker and Tae Knight were eating out at a restaurant when they noticed an elderly woman eating alone. Not wanting her to be by herself, Jamario first asked if he could sit with her and speak for a moment. When he did, he discovered that the next day would have been her 60th wedding anniversary though her husband had passed away. He then invited her to join his table with this friends. In a society that is criticized for being so self-centered, their act of true empathy has inspired all those that have seen their story. The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, would say that a person can come into this world for an entire lifetime just to do a favor for another. We have no idea how impactful our random acts of kindness can be, for ourselves, for the other and for the world.
