“Great moments often catch us unawares….”
By Kent Nerburn
There was a time in my life twenty years ago when I was driving a cab for a living.
It was a cowboy’s life, a gambler’s life, a life for someone who wanted no boss, constant movement and the thrill of a dice roll every time a new passenger got into the cab.
What I didn’t count on when I took the job was that it was also a ministry.
Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a rolling confessional. Passengers would climb in, sit behind me in total anonymity and tell me of their lives.
We were like strangers on a train, the passengers and I, hurtling through the night, revealing intimacies we would never have dreamed of sharing during the brighter light of day. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and made me weep.
And none of those lives touched me more than that of a woman I picked up late on a warm August night.
I was responding to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some partiers, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or someone going off to an early shift at some factory for the industrial part of town.
When I arrived at the address, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground-floor window.
Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a short minute, then drive away. Too many bad possibilities awaited a driver who went up to a darkened building at 2:30 in the morning.
But I had seen too many people trapped in a life of poverty who depended on the cab as their only means of transportation.
Unless a situation had a real whiff of danger, I always went to the door to find the passenger. It might, I reasoned, be someone who needs my assistance. Would I not want a driver to do the same if my mother or father had called for a cab?
So I walked to the door and knocked.
“Just a minute,” answered a frail and elderly voice. I could hear the sound of something being dragged across the floor.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman somewhere in her 80s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like you might see in a costume shop or a Goodwill store or in a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The sound had been her dragging it across the floor.
The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. “I’d like a few moments alone. Then, if you could come back and help me? I’m not very strong.”
I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm, and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”
“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said. Her praise and appreciation were almost embarrassing.
When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”
I looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were glistening.
“I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I should go there. He says I don’t have very long.”
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to go?” I asked.
For the next two hours we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they had first been married. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she would have me slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. Without waiting for me, they opened the door and began assisting the woman. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her; perhaps she had phoned them right before we left.
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase up to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.
“Nothing,” I said.
“You have to make a living,” she answered.
“There are other passengers,” I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held on to me tightly.
“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”
There was nothing more to say.
I squeezed her hand once, then walked out into the dim morning light. Behind me, I could hear the door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I did not pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the remainder of that day, I could hardly talk.
What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? What if I had been in a foul mood and had refused to engage the woman in conversation?
How many other moments like that had I missed or failed to grasp?
We are so conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unawares.
When that woman hugged me and said that I had brought her a moment of joy, it was possible to believe that I had been placed on earth for the sole purpose of providing her with that last ride.
I do not think that I have ever done anything in my life that was any more important.
Author Kent Nerburn talks about The Cab Ride in Imanuel Goncalves’ short film The Four Chambers – a collection of four life affirming and uplifting stories about compassion, courage, vision, and wonder.
By Kent Nerburn
Adapted from “Make me an Instrument of Your Peace”
Reproduced on Zen Moments with the author’s kind permission.
Revised and edited in May 2012, at the author’s request, to accord with the original.
Photo: Taxi Union Square 2007 by Thomas Hawk
You may also enjoy another of Kent’s stories – The Window on the Heart
Kent was recently interviewed about the Cab Ride by the Minneapolis Star Tribune
This beautiful story originally appeared as part of a chapter in Kent Nerburn’s book Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis (pp. 57-64 – see below)
Various versions of this story, often unattributed, have been widely circulated on the internet, and by email, over the past few years, giving rise to a few questions:
Who wrote this? Kent Nerburn is the highly acclaimed author of several books on spiritual values and Native American themes.
Is this a true story? – Yes – see www.snopes.com and www.truthorfiction.com.
Kent says “The story is real, my friends. It was a gift of a moment to me, and I hope that by passing it along it is a gift to you, as well.”
Why would the lady leave her place in the middle of the night? At 2:30 AM?
Kent responds: “I thought nothing of it at the time, but it did happen as I wrote it. Perhaps the woman did not say she was going to a hospice, but to a nursing facility — I wrote it twenty years after the event, so my memory, which always is an adventure, was foggy. Why 2:30? I don’t know. Did I think it was strange? Not at the time. When you drive a cab the stories of a single night could fill a book. You do what you can; you do what you must. Sadness, joy, fear, and all manner of unlikely occurrences are part of every shift. I’d be happy if this became an urban legend, and I’d be even happier if it became a story claimed by hundreds of cab drivers. It would speak to the good hearts and intentions of people who do a difficult and too often denigrated job.”
This beautiful story was published here in 2008, when we began ZenMoments.org. Much to our and Kent’s surprise it hit the front page of www.reddit.com and went viral. It has now been viewed here over a million times. Kent wrote about this on his blog: Our Better Angels: Some thoughts on “The Cab Ride.”
Kent also posted this comment:
“A website out of the U.K., zenmoments.org, has recently posted the now well-traveled story of my experience as a cab driver, when I picked up an old woman who was on her way to a hospice. It has reached number one on a number of websites as a result.
I am thrilled when my ordinary life offers up an extraordinary moment that brings some solace or insight or enjoyment to others, and such has been the good fortune of that moment in the late 1980’s when I was driving the “dog shift” in Minneapolis, Minnesota. What is noteworthy about that moment, beyond its poignancy, is that I did not create it; I merely experienced it and let it unfold.
Life gives us all such moments — I call them “Blue Moments” (See Letters to My Son for an explanation) — where a brilliant light shines through the ordinary moments in our ordinary days. They come unsolicited and unannounced, and provide us the gift of significance and, if we are lucky, the opportunity to serve.
What it is important is to remember that these ARE gifts, and that we cannot receive them if we are not open to them. We need to listen closely, watch closely, and take care not to rush past or through them when they arrive. They are the fabric of our lives, and they will weave themselves with complexity and beauty if we give them time to do so.”
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis
By Kent Nerburn
Kent Nerburn’s Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, immerses us in the spirit of one of the most universally inspiring figures in history: St. Francis of Assisi. The Prayer of St. Francis boldly but gently challenges us to resist the forces of evil and negativity with the spirit of goodwill and generosity. And Nerburn shows, in his wonderfully personal and humble way, how we each can live out the prayer’s prescription for living in our everyday and less-than-saintly lives.
“Where there is hatred, let me sow love…Where there is injury, let me sow pardon…” Expanding upon each line of the St. Francis Prayer, Nerburn shares touching, inspiring stories from his own experience and that of others and reveals how each of us can make a difference for good in ordinary ways without being heroes or saints. Struggling to help a young son comfort his best friend when his mother dies, moved by the courage of war enemies who reconcile, being wrenched out of self-absorbed depression by responding to someone else’s tragedy, taking a spirited old lady on a farewell taxi ride through her town – these are the kinds of everyday moments in which Nerburn finds we can live out the spirit of St. Francis.
By incorporating the power and grace of these few lines of practical idealism into our thoughts and deeds, we can begin to ease our own suffering-and the suffering of those with whom we share our lives. And, remarkably, find a way to true peace and happiness by tapping into our basic human goodness. As we open our hearts and embrace his words, St. Francis “touches our deepest humanity and ignites the spark of our divinity.”
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury let me sow pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
And where there is sadness, joy…
In this beautifully written book, Kent Nerburn leads us into the heart of the St. Francis Prayer and line by line demonstrates how St. Francis’s words can resonate in our lives today.
Reviews:
- “An ennobling book. It will not only make you feel better, it might just make you a better person.” — — Huston Smith, author of The World’s Religions
- “Kent Nerburn has written a little jewel of a book, to warm the heart and touch the soul.” — — Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People
- “What a lovely book!” — — Anne Lamott, author of Bird by Bird and Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
- “I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed Ken Nerburn’s Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace. I have never realized the depth of thought in that brief prayer of St. Francis. Kent Nerburn, in a few masterful strokes and touching stories, plumbs its depths and offers us a precious little treasure.” — Joseph F. Girzone, author of Joshua
Small Graces: The Quiet Gifts of Everyday Life
By Kent Nerburn
A personal journey that reveals the sacredness of the small things in life, and what they can teach us about living spiritually fulfilling lives.
Review:
Very POWERFUL stuff here! By Blaine Greenfield
SMALL GRACES by writer, sculptor and theologian Kent Nerburn caught me off guard . . . I wasn’t expecting much from this short book of 20 essays, but as I got more into it, the more I was impressed with both its beauty and simplicity.
It made me think about moments in my life that I thought were ordinary – yet, in reality, are much more than that . . . As Nerburn notes, “We become artists when we see with our hearts instead of our eyes” . . . Methinks that this is something that we all need to do, regardless of profession.
I find myself reflecting about one section, in particular . . . The author describes a teenager’s anguish about having to walk around on crutches for a relatively short period of her life (because of an accident) . . . She naturally finds it upsetting, yet it also helps come to the realization that she’ll never again complain when she comes across an older person walking slowly.
There were several memorable passages; among them:
- She smiles, helps Nick with his knife. In Japan, one who masters the gentle art of making tea can be declared a national treasure. I watch her hold his hand gently in hers. Should one who practices the gentle arts of making a home be revered any less?
- “No, your life isn’t ruined. Now your life is your life. No one else can fix it or change it. No one else can be blamed. This is yours. And it is up to you what you will make of it.”
- None of us is promised tomorrow. Today, in all its beauty and sadness and complexity, is all we have. This light we see may be the last such day we have on this earth. There is no certainty, beyond the fact that one day we will have no tomorrow, and that it is not ours to know when that day will be.
Powerful stuff!
And so, too, is the conclusion:
- Sometimes, it seems, we ask too much. Sometimes we forget that the small graces are enough.
I’ll cherish SMALL GRACES for a long time and will want it to share it with others . . . You’ll want to do the same if you give it a shot.
this is so touching. you had me from where you turned the meter off the moment she got in the cab. you are a true angel 🙂
Read more about the author – Kent Nerburn – on his blog: http://kentnerburn.com/archives/265/
This amazing and heartwarming zen moment brought tears to my eyes. Thx for sharing and being the person you are!
This is beautiful. You are so kind. Thank you for making the world a better place.
The more we love the more we are loved. I loved this story.
I almost cried. So beautiful.
I did cry
tears were streaming down my face
This gave me goosebumps.
hey kent. you are so kind…. not everyone does this nowadays…. the woman was surely lucky to have had you as their cabbie that day. this story is so beautiful. may god bless you thousandfold.
I totally agree with the comment. This lady was very lucky, blessed is a better word for it. KENT YOU WAS HER GUARDING ANGEL THAT NIGHT. THANKS FOR BEING SO NICE,
that is so amazing. i got teary eyed. you are a good person.
Such a nice story.
Really heart warming!
A beautiful story all around – the writing, the message. This makes me want to try to be a little bit better. Thank you for sharing.
thank you 🙂
You are so right about the great moments in life. You are truly a good person. Thank you for sharing that story.
Interesting, touching, beautiful, full of wisdom and above all truthful.
I cried through this “Small moment, yet big enough to be deeply beautiful” story. Thanks for sharing.
ihi
I feel warm and fuzzy now.
great,u are a darling the story is niccce
I will have sweet dreams tonite! Thank you for the warm & loving feeling you leave me with and the inspirations. Liz
touching!
dude…
that’s amazing.
that’s all I have to say.
A). I don’t believe it happened. I think you’re more of a creative writer than a spiritual role model. It’s fiction.
B). I drove a cab for a very long time–night shift–and people aren’t like that. It’s fiction.
C). You’re not going to post this comment, because it isn’t positive. My comment isn’t positive because your post is fiction.
D). I like it anyway.
I worked as a hospice nurse for years and every day was like the cab ride. I finally left because although it was a fantastic experience it was too intense (for me anyway) to try to do this all day every day and live a normal life. It is entirely possible that the cab ride COULD happen. Therefore it is unimportant whether or not it is fiction. If you are looking for a similar experience go volunteer at your local hospice. Einna
Thanks for your comment.
This is actually a true story – see
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/cabbie.htm
I recently met Kent Nerburn the author of this beautiful story, and asked him about the experience. He said that people often ask why the old woman called for the cab at 2.30am. He said it just happened like that, and he didn’t know why, and didn’t ask her. Having left her at the hospice he just drove off into the morning, with many questions unanswered. Where were her family? She said she was the only one left – she had no remaining family.
Kent seems a very warm, compassionate and humble person – and I take him at his word – that the story is actually true. We hope to feature more stories by Kent in future on Zen Moments, and it is our intention only to feature true stories here on the site.
One explanation for the 2.30am pickup occurs to me. The old lady was vacating her apartment. It appears she had no assistance and was clearing out all on her own. She might have started the previous morning, with the intention of calling a cab when she was finished. In fact it took her much longer than she imagined, and as the place had been stripped she couldn’t sleep the night there, or maybe she didn’t want to. She pressed on slowly, and maybe it was well past midnight when she finally got finished, and called the cab. Just my own guess.
“There’s a strange phenomenon occurring on the web these days: a profound disbelief that things are what they claim to be. Wary of being seen as gullible, people simply assume that everything is fake….” http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/nothing-but-the-truth-internet-hoaxes-952197.html
The story is so heart-warming and it really hits home for me. I am in my eighties and although my physical health is good, my mental faculties are starting to fail me. I do hope there is a kind “cab driver” in my future.
I hope I never get as negative as you are Uisgea, I’ve had many things happen to me that you would probably say were fiction also. Why don’t you try to see the positives in this story and maybe you’ll learn something about life.
let it never be said that there are no kind people in the world
I used to love to hear the song,”What if God was one of us.” This story proves that He is. Angels are all around us. I still believe in miracles, that if God could part the Red sea, be born through a virgin in Bethleham, and create the world in 7 days, He can still do great things. Stay blessed and encouraged.
i cried reading this
Why does everything beautiful have to be related to God, aren’t we humans capable of beauty’s creation?
This story is karma in action, outrageously, very good stuff.
Thank you. So much, this made my night. This is such a simple act of kindness that meant so much to this elderly lady. Your actions give me faith that kindness still exists in the cruel world that we live in, and inspire me to be more wary of the effects that my actions have on others. Again, thank you so much.
I’ve gotten this story in emails and seen it in forums for a long time. It bothers me that you do not clarify that you did not write this.
Hi – The story is true and the author is Kent Nerburn.
Please see my reply to Uisgea above and also this link:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/cabbie.htm
The story comes from his book “Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace” in slightly different form, with a longer commentary. The story appeared many years ago on the net, taken from the book by some unknown person, edited somewhat, and then was widely reproduced – oftentimes without Kent’s name appearing as the author, in most cases without his permission. In some cases people posted it on their blogs and even claimed it as their own work.
When we began https://zenmoments.org/ we came across the story in many places, and eventually found out who wrote it. We tracked Kent down, wrote to him and asked his permission to reproduce The Cab Ride, which he very graciously gave. In the past 8 months The Cab Ride on Zen Moments has been visited nearly 400,000 times, and we are very happy that Zen Moments has helped to assert that Kent Nerburn is the true author of the article.
If you’d like to read the article in “Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace” – which is an exceptionally beautiful book, the chapter containing it is called “Where there is Sadness, Joy”
Why are you looking for the name of the person? Do you want to look him up? Sounds odd to me.
well said
You made me cry a bit there… I am sure that she will thank you from wherever she is.
That was amazing.
The first presumption of the author rings false. This wasn’t a ZEN moment. This was an EGO moment on the part of the taxi driver who was puffed with great pride in having given this woman a big favor in the last moments of her “real” life.
The second presumption of the author may also be false. The following could be equally true, he only presumes his own scenario:
THE SOUND OF THE DOOR CLOSING WAS NOT THE SOUND OF THE END OF A LIFE- IT WAS THE SOUND OF THE BEGINNING OF A LIFE.
How did the taxi driver know that this woman wouldn’t find the most profound and joyful moments of her life in her remaining days?
It was right what the taxi driver did, but it was not his to presume that he was doing her a great favor in his infinite beneficence and that he was delivering her to her doom.
Could it also not be said that the sound of the door closing was the ending of the authors previous life? The life he lived up until that point.
Dude, you are just weird. I suggest you get a life.
I work in hospice. I have seen many people face the end of their life. Some go fighting as if they can stop death, and some go understanding that we all go at one time or another. Each in their own way die. I have seen hurried clinicians and I have seen those like this cab driver example that take time to bear witness and be present. For what is the end of a life, and while it maybe the beginning of another life in some people’s mind–that may just be delusion and wishful thinking. That he was nice to her should be applauded, and those who don’t see that should have their motives questioned. He said it moved him, he didn’t once say I’m spectacular for being kind. He was saying he was glad he was kind. It’s worth the effort. What kind of world will we have without kindness , oh yeah, events like 9/11.
I am weeping, still, at the beauty of this experience. I whole heartedly agree with your comment at the end, as well, that life is full of these moments that come from no where…unannounced and unplanned, yet they become a defining memory of our existence. I think we all have at least one like this, perhaps not as profound, yet meaningful nonetheless. I will NEVER forget this story…so in a way you stumbling onto that cab ride you’ll never forget is like me stumbling onto a story I will never forget. Absolute poetry in motion and part of the reason I want to live a very long life just so I have a great chance of experiencing things as marvelous as this. Brilliant.
In reading through the orginal story (which I believe happened) and then reading through all the comments, I am amazed that so many indicated that they didn’t believe it happened. I have had experiences in my eighty some years, that would read as this one did, and I have had friends???? that I told mine to, poo poo (my story) until I quit sharing my beautiful experience.
Al, it is amazed me as well that many people don’t believe this story is true. In my experience I saw and heard of something like this story a lot and I do believe in the small yet beautiful diversity of life. I just hope people believe more in stories like this one and experience one themselves.
Cheers.
The saddest thing is that everyone who commented except Al thought that this was an amazing, unbelievable act of kindness. I can’t imagine not doing what the taxi driver did.
If you liked this story, I recommend the film “Goodbye Solo”, which many people I talked to thought was one of the best offerings of Portland (OR)’s international film festival in February.
thankyou, people like you make the world seem a little brighter
I visited my father who was in a Hospice. He was okay the day they dropped him off. The very next day he died. I was with him most of the time. More than my sis, who was closest to him, more than his wife, who loved him “Dearly”. I wanted to be with him, to talk with him, just one more time. He was not able to even speak to me, as he was under sedation, so he would not feel so much pain. He passed away that very night. I was on my way to see him “Just one last time”. I got the call. I think I grieved more than his wife, more than my sis who were both closer to him than I. I still cry, months later. In his last few months, I got to now him more and more. I was even there more than sis. Oh well. I can’t change the past. I know Father loved all of us.
By the way, I do believe this story. It was nice of the “Cabby” to turn off his meter. Not all of them do that. Thank you for writing this story. It helps all of us deal not only with others, but our selves as well.
I really liked the story, and it is very nice to see the angels of God working in many different places. I am a cancer survior and I know that they are angels out there. Kent thank you for being one of God’s angels.
that was so beautiful.. if only more people in our world were like you it would be such a better place
This cab driver is rich not in money, rich in the knowledge that his driving her around revisiting her past has given so much happiness to a elderly person facing a lonely passing with no family to comfort her. He is nature’s gentleman.
All too often in life we do not open our spirit, heart and soul to the existence of the uncharted experience of “angels in our midst”. I will continue to believe that my angels come to me often as my spirit is open-armed to them. My parents and others I have lost to the world I am still a part of have made their presence known and it is these times that I am filled with the warmth, love and memories of those wonderful times of life lived well. Keep your spirit open and you too, will experience comfort and peace. Remember, you are a part of all you have met and the journey continues…till you meet again.
Thank you for giving a crap! Many people overlook their ability to greatly impact a life positively or negatively. ^.^
Thank’s for sharing the story,, our earth need much more people like you 😉
Thank you so much for sharing. This is a story I will read over and over again every time I need to remind myself of what is really important in life.
I love you, dude!!!
Reminds me of my dad’s story about a cabby. His grandmother (mother’s mother) had just died, it was Christmas and they had to go to Illinois. My grandmother was upset and complaining a lot. The cabby after picking up on what had happened said “God must have loved your mother a lot to take her on his son’s birthday.” and for the first and only time in my grandmother’s life she was speechless and made the rest of the trip without complaining. That cabby changed her a bit that night she and my father never forgot him.
Wow..I got shivers…It was really, really nice.
You know i’m normally not a sensitive guy but i was stumbling and came across this and i have to say it brought tears to my eyes this is beautiful. You’re one in a million man. I wish there was more people like you. truthfully i would have been one to honk once and drive away but this changed my outlook on alot of things. I know i’m rambling on so i’ll end with this. Thank you for everything you have touched my heart as well as many others. May you live a long and happy life you deserve it.
I’m a realist. I take things as they are. Many comments I glanced over praise you for being some kind of great writer while others accuse you of just the opposite. I thought it demonstrated a firm grasp of the point you were putting forth. Excellent story. If anyone should argue with me, I’d simply say, “Every experience builds who you are. Hopefully, you will become someone better.”
More often than not, I find any type of literature; be it a story of truths, or a piece of fiction that only points us in the direction of truths, to be less than note worthy, and almost always find that it does not evoke any sort of emotion from me. This story had tears rolling down my cheeks and had the proverbial strings of my heart playing the most somber of songs. I am undoubtedly going out after work tomorrow to purchase this book. Thank you, from the bottom of my generally cold and desolate heart, for making me feel something again.
Beautiful. Thanks, I’ll look up your book.
That definitely brought tears to my eyes. When my mother passed away this past May she was in a hospice that was so loving and caring. Most of us don’t realize how important a few moments of joy can be to people at this stage of their lives until it is too late.
Thank you for making my day.
Wow, what a moving and touching story.. not long been in the taxi industry where I have started in a small quiet town called Colchester! I have already had moments of disbelief, but nothing as emotional as that. however I’m sure we have all had times when we wished we did just honk that once and left !!! Good with the bad I guess…..
Awesome story. You probably touched that woman’s life 🙂
It’s moments like that make being a taxi driver a very unique career!
wow, that’s the kind of human kindness is rare. Imagine being her driving through town reflecting. ahhhh to grow old and be alone is wrong. Good on the taxi driver.
It’s funny, I tell people all the time that I want to take a year off after college and be a taxi driver. Every single person either thinks I’m crazy or belittles the decision saying I’m not going to make “money” and other petty things… I could not care less, however, as I want to do it to meet people.
But, I digress.
I was on StumbleUpon and it brought me to this website, and you are a true kind spirit. I want you to know that this is truly inspirational, and I hope to change someone’s life as you changed this woman’s.
Peace and much love to you, I wish there were more people like you left in the world.
I have often thought of doing just that, after college. What experiences we would undoubtedly have…
I’m so glad to hear stories like this, and thank you for your incredible kindness. Please never stop being the beautiful generous person you are.
I was a cab driver for close to 14 years in Dallas, TX. During that time I was very blessed to have met many people who touched my life as well as I touching theirs. I know this is not about being a cab driver, but touching peoples lives, BUT the cab driver has such a great opportunity to do so on an hourly basis. I wish I had a cab right now to drive. Oh how much more full my life would be, visiting with so many each and every day.
Peace
Ed
this story is wonderful. thank you.
What a warm, touching story. It’s true life offers us moments where we can create magic only when we’re mindful enough to live and breathe its full dimensions. Truly zen.
This is the nicest thing I’ve read in… a long time. Thank you. 🙂
This made me cry.
What a beautiful story. I am so glad there are still people like you in the world. This really touched me. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Oh geez. Now I’m crying. ; A ;
I’m so thankful that you were her cab driver and not anyone else. And I’m so thankful you can still hear stories like this out there. You were her very last escape to see her entire life before she was shut away into some home who knows how well they’d treat her. Thanks for being so kind. You’re what I like to call a “human angel.”
Oh wow… I can’t come up with a comment that could match this story! I was feeling a bit down today, and you just made my day, thank you!
This absolutely amazing. I am moved to tears. Thank you so much for putting kindness into the world. Thank you for sharing this.
Unbelievable… I’m honestly moved… Thank you for being you… Welldone, I take my hat of for you.
I am back to read this yet again. It’s my “church” when humanity gets me unnerved. Thank you as always.
What a touching story. Thanks for sharing it! You’ve warmed my heart and it’s comforting to know there are still decent and kind people out there.
This was a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing such an inspiring and uplifting story. I too believe that it is the small moments in life that make us who we are, and this story showed your true character and humanity.
Gr8 Story. even if it is based on true incident, or it is partially fictitious or entirely fictitious. good lesson for day in & day out of life.
Aww this story made me smile, wish there were more people like you in the world.
You, good sir, are one brilliant soul of a human. Be proud of it.
wow. this almost made me cry. there should be more people like this around. unconditionally sweet =) <3
This is truly beautiful. When the page initially opened I simply started skimming through it, but halfway through the second paragraph, I realized that this was different, and I started from the beginning. Now I am sitting here, cynicism flown out the window, and crying over this post. One of the most moving things I’ve read; you have a kind, kind heart 🙂
What a beautiful moment it must have been for both…Glad I’ve stumbled upon this. Your last sentence says it all 🙂
Your compassion has truly made a difference! Thank you for sharing this touching story…it was a day-brightener!
Wow, I have no words to describe how I’m feeling right now.
Simply amazing.
Made me cry for a few good minutes. Then again, I was playing incubus in the background and it set the mood but wow. I thought it was very well written, thank you.
Wow, I stumbled on this site I really hope its a true story It made me cry and I am a 60 year old cynical male
And look at all the other people the story has touched. Nice.
Until this moment in my short, sixteen years of life, there has only been one story that has moved me, the story of the old man in the hospital with the brick wall. Many of you don’t know what that even means but basically its another story of love and kindness. As I was reading this story, I felt something move inside my chest. I can’t exactly describe the feeling- maybe thats what it means to be “moved” or “touched”. This story actually brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing your story! It is truly both inspiring and amazing. It shows you posess a rare trait of compassion only found among a few people in this world. I hope one day, I will be able to something so life rendering and so kind to another human being. It is people like you who make this world a better place. Thank you!
Wow that is an amazingly powerful story, I am thankful that you shared it but also thankful it was you that picked up that particular lady, as you mentioned the outcome probably would not have been the same if somebody else had arrived for that fare. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks you. I just cried. I’m only 12 and you just changed my life. A lot. Thank you.
I can see why this story is so important to you! I’m sat on reception at work reading this trying not to cry!! This is such a beautiful story! It restores faith that there are still good people in the world.
It’s so important to be selfless at times in life because you never know what lessons and experiences people and yourself can take from moments like these!
Definatley a humble story that I’ll remember. xxxxx
I wonder what was flashing in her mind when she was staring in space outside those buildings or corners. Thanks for sharing. This is a GREAT story that deserves all the accolades it is getting, and then some.
Beautiful, touching story. Thank you for restoring a little bit of my lost faith in humanity.
This brought a tear to my eyes, humanity is a beautiful thing.
It’s a reminder that there are good people in this world.
Jan x
Found this via StumbleUpon… lovely story, and always nice to be reminded the world does have good people in it.
What a wonderful story. I always think of how I would want to be treated in every situation. With how little of that I see around me, it’s hard to keep it going. Then you read things like this and realize how important it is to make these impacts in people’s lives, to keep treating people the way you yourself want to be treated. I’m sure you learned something about yourself in the process as well. I feel like the elderly are truly the best people to converse with. You are able to accumulate so much through them.
Anywho, wonderful story. I’m glad there’s people like you in this world. We need more.
This story brings tears to my eyes. My grandma died in hospice care. Most people see those dying souls as nothing. My grandma taught me more in her last months than the 19 years i spent with her. You did something for that woman no else could or was willing to do. There needs to be more people like you in our society.
it teaches us to be human and not react, very touching story..
Thank you for this.
Your story took me anew to beautiful moments and immense depths of the kindness of the human heart. Bless you and thank you!
touching story that shows us about the real values in life.
I’ve read this story about five times. Each time I get another nugget to go away with. You thought you were just doing the right thing for that lady. As it turns out, she was actually providing you with a life-changing gift to share with the entire world. Thank you and God bless her.
I was touched reading your story is. You remind me with my grandmother, her is now in hospital, up to now not yet known for certain diseases suffered by my grandmother? We always pray for her recovery and we are confident he would recover. I am very dear to her because she was the person I love so much.
Your story reminded me of a special elderly woman that I had the pleasure of getting to know as part of my job contacting participants of a research study. Over the course of several months, we had several very interesting conversations. She shared with me intimate details about her life and the pain she experienced losing her son to the same cancer that she was diagnosed with. Her strength and courage were so inspiring and life changing that I sent her a hand-written thank you acknowledging the gift she gave me. It was only a few weeks after that that she passed away. I am eternally grateful to that employer for giving me the opportunity to meet this woman.
In the course of our lives, we have thousands of opportunities to make a difference. Most of the time, we’ll never know the depth of impact our simple existence has had. Thanks for sharing your story. It moved me to tears.
I drove a cab in the 90’s-I have been in the transportation realm for 17 years. I heard this story before and it touched my heart then as it did again today. Thank you for posting this. It reminds us that there are needy people in this world. Not just needing physical things, money etc. That gift that gift/time spent together was something no one could ever put a price on. And very special. It is free to be nice to someone that needs tlc at the moment. The rewards are benificial for both parties and makes them richer than we know. Thanks again. Mary
This is so inspiring! I’m going to buy your book now! I can’t wait to read it!
For sure passengers and cab drivers alike have their own unforgettable ride stories to tell! Sometimes a ride can turn from ordinary to a funny one. However, this is one story that really touches the heart and makes every passenger wish for a driver who knows how to treat a passenger properly.
Bless You Kent, you are truly one of the good ones. Your story touched my heart
Thank you.
Don.
That was pretty cool.
Very touching story.
I used to drive for 12 different hospice companies in phoenix, az. I drove alone, loaded the people on the stretcher alone, and took them to hospice alone. I often wondered during those times if I was put there to make their last moments a little better. I always tried to make them smile and treat them as I would want to be treated. Thank you for this story. Brought back a lot of memories.
Dedicated to Dorothy B. Mesa, Az
GHIPU
Hello,
Everyday, I come to the computer to look for a message from my Three sons. I was married to their dad for 25 years and it’s end the married when their dad wanted to marry a younger woman. Their dad was retired navy and my three sons now serving the military (navy) and when their dad divored me, my three sons one by one I feel like they are divorcing me as well. I haven’t see or talk to any of my three sons for so many years that I stop counting. I’m just holding on to the memories when they are younger, that I always with them wherever I go, except when to go work.
I just hope that before I close my eyes for a final moment, that I can see and talk to my three sons and hear from them that they still love me! I feel like I have the same feeling with the woman got pick up by YOU to drive and around for two hours. Longing for my three sons to see, hold and talk.
I thank you for the story and I know everyone who read it, have some though about life as I am.
Felisa, You don’t know me but I would send you e-mails and talk with you or just listen if you like 🙂 I pray that your sons contact you but until then and even afterwards I am willing to be a friend that truly cares about you.
If this is okay with you then you can e-mail me yveee27@nullgmail.com
God bless you always
your friend Yvonne
Beautifully written. Glad I stumbled upon this story today. Thanks!
“But great moments often catch us unaware – beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.”
I could not agree more emphatically with this. I have volunteered in a number of K-12 educational settings, but it was my summer directing a theater camp planned around a free lunch program that was most rewarding. Even the smallest action such as hugging one of the campers or sitting and talking with them during morning snack could make a huge impact on their day, week, or maybe even more.
What a touching story. Thank you for sharing it and reminding us all that even the seemingly most insignificant action can mean all the world to someone else.
this is a great story. I read this a couple time and it gave me more reason to keep writing. you can check out some of my articles here. https://web.archive.org/web/20160216012332/http://urbzone.blogspot.com/
Beautiful story. It serves to remind me of the highest form of spirituality (in my opinion), that of true contact made between two people.
Thank you.
Not many people can see the power of those small moments thank you very much for sharing
When I was just a kid in high school, my mom kicked me out of the house. I was 15. The only friend who could take me in lived a 40 minute drive away. None of my friends had a car, so my only option was to take the bus. I’d taken the bus a hundred times, but I accidentally got on the wrong one. I didn’t have enough money to get off and get on the right bus. I started crying. I was lost and had no idea what to do. The bus driver asked me what was wrong, and I explained. He told me that he would get off work soon, and that I should get off at the last stop, and he would come help me. I got off the bus, and a half hour later, he came and picked me up in his truck. He drove me all the way to my friend’s house and told me that he hoped things would get better for me.
They did.
Lovely!
That is beautiful and good. Thank you for posting it.
Life is made of moments, isn’t it? May we all remember to be present and compassionate when these opportunities present themselves.
This is really beautiful, I hope that your kindness could spread and be contagious :^)
I, too, just happened to stumble across this posting. I thank you, Kent, for posting this, and I thank the other commenters for their contributions to this posting. Given the situation you encountered, I’m not sure if I would have acted as selflessly as you did. Although she never explicitly taught me and my sisters this lesson, our mother taught us to give the person in front of us our full attention and respect. This has shaped my inter-personal interactions for my entire life. I think your story, Kent, is a perfect example of what my mother taught us.
Just loved your story. Can’t thank you enough for sharing it with us.
I take NYC taxi’s every single day, on multiple occasions. 99% of the cab drivers are so penny pitching, it’s almost crazy. The second their precious meter shuts off, they ask you to get out of the car, even if you’re in the middle lane and a bus is coming. I’ve had cabbies curse at me for not tipping, when they’re busy screaming on their phone for the entire duration of the ride. I’ve had cabbies overcharge me significantly, lie to me, refuse to follow my route because they know it’s the cheapest. I’ve made numerous complaints to the TLC about these incidents and have always 100% won. NYC cabbies are some of the worst human beings on earth. Trust me.
@CLIFF Your point is???
As caring and nice as this cabbie seems to be in this story, I have to wonder how many people he has ripped off, overcharged or verbally assaulted to other passengers. But, it’s a cute story, i will admit:) I just don’t like taxi drivers, in almost any city…
@CLIFF are you dense?
>>>>Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door
Do you just troll the internet looking for cab driver stories to write ignorant, two bit comments on? You clearly *did not* read the article.
Look, “Method”. I’m a busy professional who has little interest in “trolling” the internet for cab related articles. When a dozen of my facebook friends post a story that make a cabbie seem almost “Ghandi” like, I have to question the validity of such a story. I frankly speaking, don’t buy it. A cab driver unequivocally will not take hours out of his day to show an older woman around. Anyone who has been to NYC or has taken a NYC cab, will tell you that.
@Cliff
I don’t know about your “professional” status, but I can tell you that as a reasonably busy semi-professional short order cook, I barely have time to browse the internet. Half the stuff my facebook friends send me gets glanced at for but a brief moment. I guess the point I’m trying to make is, I’m not sure you’re as busy as you make yourself out to be. Also, stop being such a cynic.
You’re dumb and ignorant. You don’t go to a funeral and start bashing the dead and the coroner and others.
Stop it people!
Have you not just read the first four lines of the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi? I quote:
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury let me sow pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith
Cliff may believe as he feels! It is not for us to condemn nor to judge. Instead, please show compasion and love that he may understand.
@Cliff….lighten up I got a feeling the article was totally lost on you
Cliff – I think you must be an idiot, because this did not take place in New York city. It actually took place in Minneapolis 20 years ago. Different place, different time. You, my friend, have issues.
Cliff,
Just a note to try to calm your waters. I am the driver; I wrote the story. I never ripped off anyone when I drove because I saw the eyes of my mother and father in every elderly passenger I picked up. That was the beauty of the job: it called forth my best self, and made me be better than I am. Were there and are there jerk cab drivers? You bet, and they frightened me for the damage they could do to the lonely and poverty stricken. But we all must do what we can.
I’m not some spiritually enlightened being who has no sense of self interest. I am just an ordinary man who slogs through his days trying to be kind. About half the time I succeed. You should park your cynicism at the door now and then, for I’m sure you have a well of kindness that you tap on many occasions. I did a good thing on the night in question, and I would hope you would do the same.
Thanks for retelling your story Mr. Kent if you should see this. Charles Swindoll told this story to seminary students and faculty at Dallas Theological Seminary. You can see it here. It touched me very well. Hopefully I can reciprocate these acts of kindness in Christ.
https://youtu.be/xDDO4NHOOUM
Ok, and now I want to be a taxi driver 😀
How many occasions we have passed to be a Cabbie like him?
This so could be my father the driver ..He has driven County Cab in St.Louis Mo for over 50yrs and loves it and can tell some stories an loves the older people and the stories and the young kids love love the story thanks for sharing ..Patricia Patterson
You, Sir, are a hero.
Wonderful story 🙂 deserves a like from my side (y)
Thanks you. Thanks for sharing”
Wow. Great Story.
lovely story just a gem
so okay
that’s sweet
but if someone really touches you like she had him
then wouldn’t you continue to see that person with regularity? she said she had no family left, and not much time…
2 minutes or 2 hours of kindness is okay
but people seem be gunshy to build something bigger out of these opportunties
I try an engage people that if, there is a connection, to see them again and again…
people are flakes and talk big – we must do lunch someday
never happens
nice story though 🙂
Thank you for sharing this lovely story, had I not read this I might not have had this positive experience today…
I left slightly earlier today than I normally would and ran for the train to London, which is all very unusual for me but obviously it was for a reason.
Today on the way to Victoria Station, to meet a business colleague, I was sitting on a crowded tube train directly opposite a small, old man in a woolly hat. I had my ipod on and noticed that he was asking his neighbouring lady which station he needed to get off at, so he could make his way to the the South Coast town of Lewes. The lady kindly helped him and we both got off at Victoria Tube.
I stood next to him and asked him if he wanted help with his bag, which seemed really heavy and it was. He said yes – and was very trusting (unusually in London). He looked a bit lost and I guided him towards the Rail station, which is a good walk along a maze of corridors against a sea of fast moving human traffic.
As we walked I asked him about himself and why he was going to Lewes. He said he was going to see his niece and that he might not be returning, as they were looking for a retirement home for him that weekend, so had packed a lot of things into his bag, just in case.
At the top of the stairs we stopped for him to catch his breath and I took the opportunity to put the bag down too. I asked him if he had eaten any lunch (around 215pm by now) and he said no, so I took him off to M&S to get a sandwich and a drink. Then we made our way off to the busy concourse of Victoria Station, to find that his train was leaving at 218.
So we walked all along to the platform to the train doors but they closed just before we got there. He was very calm and patient and so we trudged back to the concourse and information boards to await the next train. After finding the next train time, we walked off to the platform and the guards were very kind letting me in without a ticket.
As we walked into the train I saw a table next to an elderly couple that looked the perfect place for him to sit. I settled him into his own window seat and placed his heavy bag safely beside him. He looked happy and started to unwrap his lunch and I asked his new neighbours to look after him and make sure he got off at the right station.
I left him to move into his next station. The total time taken from my life to transfer him safely on his way was only 20 minutes.
As Mike Dooley says “Show up early”, you never know what might happen.
Thank you for sharing this, Mark.
Thanks for this
That story reminded me of the incident my 34 year old son shared with me. He is always in a hurry and has a tendency to be inpatient with people if they are slow or in his way, not saying her says anything to them but sometimes it just shows in his actions.
He shared this with me:
He was in a store and reached in front of an elderly gentleman to get something off the shelf. He did excuse himself realizing that he was being somewhat rude. The gentleman’s response was, “That is okay son I have all day.”
It was an emotional moment for him.
Just after finding this story via a link to an organisation called ARK (Acts of Random Kindness) that was set up in my home country of Ireland a wee while ago. Saw this link on their Facebook page. I am literally crying reading it as I treat cancer every day. I am a Radiation Therapist and this wonderful cab driver gave that old lady the best few hours of her life. I see palliative patients each day and they really do value the minutes you spend giving them extra attention. He will be blessed by her for the rest of his life. It touched me so much, I’m sharing it with my work colleagues and with my family & friends. It’s a good lesson, to always stop, wait and see what someone else’s day is like before acting.
So very well said! If I can only hold onto this awareness for more than a few fleeting moments. Bless you for doing your job yet still being able to give attention to the person.
Fact or fiction, that is a great story. You made my day.
Every time I pick up a hitchhiker, it is a worthwhile experience. None of my friends approve. I don’t know anyone who picks up hitchhikers. I am ashamed of how isolated and distrustful we have all become.
Every since Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I’m terrified of hitchhikers.
What an incredibly sweet story! Obviously, it’s no coincidence that you were her cab driver.
Beautiful, thank you for sharing Hugs!
Great idea for a post.Thank you!
Love this account every time I stumble upon it. Thanks for posting it, and thanks for living it.
Nice story. I found it on Facebook in a Polish version:
LEKCJA DLA NAS WSZYSTKICH
Taksówkarz z Nowego Jorku napisał:
Przyjechałem pod adres do klienta, i zatrąbiłem. Po odczekaniu kilku minut, zatrąbiłem ponownie. Był późny wieczór, pomyślałem że klient się rozmyślił i wrócę do “bazy”… ale zamiast tego zaparkowałem samochód, podszedłem do drzwi i zapukałem. “Minutkę!”, odpowiedział wątły, starszy głos. Usłyszałem odgłos tak jakby coś było ciągnięte po podłodze…
Po długiej przerwie, otworzyły się drzwi. Stała przede mną niska , na oko dziewięćdziesięcioletnia kobieta. Miała na sobie kolorową sukienkę i kapelusz z dopiętym welonem; wyglądała jak ktoś z filmu z lat czterdziestych.
U Jej boku była mała nylonowa walizka. Mieszkanie wyglądało tak, jakby nikt nie mieszkał w nim od lat. Wszystkie meble przykryte były płachtami materiału.
Nie było zegarów na ścianach, żadnych bibelotów ani naczyń na blacie. W rogu stało kartonowe pudło wypełnione zdjęciami i szkłem.
“Czy mógłby Pan zanieść moją torbę do samochodu?”, zapytała. Zabrałem walizkę do auta, po czym wróciłem aby pomóc kobiecie.
Wzięła mnie za rękę i szliśmy powoli w stronę krawężnika.
Trzymała mnie za ramię, dziękując mi za życzliwość. “To nic”, powiedziałem, “Staram się traktować moich pasażerów w sposób, w jaki chciałbym aby traktowano moją mamę.”
“Och, jesteś takim dobrym chłopcem” , odrzekła. Kiedy wsiedliśmy do samochodu, dała mi adres, a potem zapytała: “Czy mógłbyś pojechać przez centrum miasta?
“To nie jest najkrótsza droga”, odpowiedziałem szybko, włączając licznik opłaty.
“Och, nie mam nic przeciwko temu”, powiedziała. “Nie spieszę się. Jestem w drodze do hospicjum.”
Spojrzałem w lusterko. Jej oczy lśniły. “Nie mam już nikogo z rodziny”, mówiła łagodnym głosem. “Lekarz mówi, że nie zostało mi zbyt wiele…”
Wyłączyłem licznik… “Którędy chce Pani jechać?”
Przez kilka godzin jeździliśmy po mieście. Pokazała mi budynek, gdzie kiedyś pracowała jako operator windy.
Jechaliśmy przez okolicę, w której żyli z mężem jako nowożeńcy. Poprosiła abym zatrzymał się przed magazynem meblowym który był niegdyś salą balową, gdzie chodziła tańczyć jako młoda dziewczyna.
Czasami prosiła by zwolnić przy danym budynku lub skrzyżowaniu, i siedziała wpatrując się w ciemność, bez słowa.
Gdy pierwsze promienie Słońca przełamały horyzont, powiedziała nagle “Jestem zmęczona. Jedźmy już proszę”. Jechaliśmy w milczeniu pod wskazany adres. Był to był niski budynek z podjazdem, tak typowy dla domów opieki.
Dwaj sanitariusze wyszli na zewnątrz gdy tylko zatrzymałem się na podjeździe. Musieli się jej spodziewać. Byli uprzejmi i troskliwi.
Otworzyłem bagażnik i zaniosłem małą walizeczkę kobiety do drzwi. Ona sama została już usadzona na wózku inwalidzkim.
“Ile jestem panu winna?” Spytała, sięgając do torebki.
“Nic”, odpowiedziałem.
“Trzeba zarabiać na życie”, zaoponowała.
“Są inni pasażerowie,” odparłem.
I nie zastanawiając się kompletnie nad tym co robię, pochyliłem się i przytuliłem Ją. Objęła mnie mocno.
“Dałeś staruszce małą chwilę radości”, powiedziała. “Dziękuję”.
Uścisnąłem jej dłoń, a następnie wyszedłem w półmrok poranka. Za mną zamknęły się drzwi – był to dźwięk zamykanego Życia.
Tego ranka nie zabierałem już żadnych pasażerów.Jeździłem bez celu, zagubiony w myślach. Co jeśli do kobiety wysłany zostałby nieuprzejmy kierowca, lub niecierpliwy aby zakończyć jego zmianę? Co gdybym nie podszedł do drzwi, lub zatrąbił tylko raz, a następnie odjechał?
Myśląc o tym teraz, nie sądzę, abym zrobił coś ważniejszego w całym swoim życiu.
Jesteśmy uzależnieni od poszukiwania emocjonujących zdarzeń i pięknych chwil, którymi staramy się wypełnić nasze życia.
Tymczasem Piękne Chwile mogą przydarzyć się nam zupełnie nieoczekiwanie, opakowane w to, co inni mogą nazwać rutyną. Nie przegapmy ich.
Wow, half way through the story, I got teary eyed, pretty tough not to at least for me.
He is some special guy. Bless this lovely generous man!!!!!!♥♥♥♥
Wow! What a great story! It is kind of funny that people would basically confess to their taxi service. But what a great guy you are for listening and not judging. Thanks for posting!
Mr. Nerburn writes a beautiful story. I haven’t read any of his writings other than the Cab Ride since I just found it, but I foresee many hours of good reading . I am going to read all of his work that I can find. Thank you, Mr. Nerburn, for putting your experiences into words for us all to enjoy.
I absolutely love this. The beginning reminded me of the HBO show I used to watch, Taxi Cab Confessions. It was hilariously brilliant. Then end, especially this line, “We are so conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unawares,” couldn’t have been said any better. All of my most precious moments happened only because I put myself in a position to make them happen.
very nice.
I too was a taxi driver at one time but my most memorable passengers were special needs children whom I’d pick up from either their home or whatever group home they lived at.
I would play childrens stories on cassette for them;take the time to speak with them;even though some were very difficult to understand.I would don a Santa suit in Christmas season and become Mrs Claus.
I decorated the dashboard of my cab with scenes of winter. My children would recieve small, inexpensive gifts from “Mrs. Claus as she dropped them of at their schools.
I sure miss those days.
feelings, that, only love helps us, being real happy!
This is a wonderful story born of one simple connection between two people meeting by chance, at just the right time. I have had some horrible moments in my life, because i am an open, honest, and trusting person, and that leaves you open to be taken advantage of. But let me tell you, every one of those moments was worth going through because of the wonderful moments i have also experienced too, by being the way i am. Always look for the best in people and be accepting of what you find.
Cried 🙂
I love this post and would like to include it at the end of one of my blog posts (about the 3 most important questions). I’ve searched the internet for a story that really touches the heart to get across the reason for thinking of others as more important than ourselves and I think this story illustrates it beautifully. I will of course include a link to your website. Please let me know if you would agree to this.
Kind regards,
Meredith
Glad you like it – we don’t own the copyright, but you can ask Kent Nerburn, the author here http://kentnerburn.com/contact/
Thank you so much! Appreciate you getting back to me!
It is very beautiful and funny story. No doubt, you have shared an amazing post. We do not need to say above comments showing it.
This is so beautiful Kent. God bless you 🙏❤️