That life can be cruel at times is something most of us experienced at some point. One day everything seems normal, and then out of the blue a challenge or an obstacle comes along our way and tests our resilience.
But it is these experiences that help us grow and learn.
A woman named Vera had a fulfilling life and a family she adored. Unfortunately, she lost it all in a fire that left her without her husband and daughter and without a roof over her head.
The years following the tragedy that changed her life forever were dull and filled with grief and anger.
Vera was forced to move in with her parents, but following their passing, she lost the house she inherited from them and became homeless.
Unable to land a job and find a place to stay, she was offered to help around at the local shelter, for which she was given food and little money. Her responsibility was to clean the place and throw the garbage.
One day, however, as she got near the trash cans, she spotted a bag under the pile of garbage. Curious to see what’s inside, she took the bag, and then a one dollar bill fell out of it. When she peeked inside, she noticed something that took her breath away. There was a pile of money inside, and it was so many that she couldn’t even count it.
At that moment, she imagined how different her life would be if she took the money for herself. She could buy a house, maybe start a business, and be able to help those in need. As she was thinking about the possible outcome, she heard someone yelling, “Hey, lady. Move out of the way.”
Still in disbelief at her find, she struggled to decide what to do next. But after giving it a thought, she decided to take the bag and bring it to the shelter.
Seeing her looking puzzled and shocked, her boss asked her is everything is alright. Vera then handed him the bag and told him about the money. The boss started counting the bills, but he lost track.
Vera told him she wanted to return it to the rightful owner, and her boss knew who that person was because he had visited the shelter earlier that day, asking if anyone found the money his housekeeper threw by mistake.
The boss praised Vera for her heart of gold and suggested she should be the one to return the money herself. It turned out that the person who lost it lived just two streets away.
As Vera approached the huge mansion with an enormous garden, her heart started racing. Shaking and feeling nervous, she rang the bell and an elegant lady opened the door.
“Is Mr. Carter home? I’m here to return his money,”she said with a shaky voice.
“Honey, someone found your money,” the lady exclaimed in excitement.
Mr. Carter then appeared at the door and gave Vera a strange look. She said, “Here, I found this beg full of money in the trash. My boss said you were looking for it.” But her words were interrupted by him. “Yeah, just place the bag down, one of the helpers will take it.”
He didn’t even say “thank you,” but stared at Vera and said her hands were filthy and asked the lady who answered the door, who happened to be his wife, not to hold hands with her.
“But…honey…we should reward this kind woman for what she did…” the lady said. Mr. Carter then threw a $100 bill on the ground and said, “This should be enough for someone like you,” and slammed the door. It was obvious his wife was ashamed of his action, but there was nothing she could do.
Vera took the $100 and left, crying all the way to the shelter.
When her boss asked her what happened, she told him how Mr. Carter mistreated her and insulted her, but her boss told her not to worry because she was a generous woman who deserved all the praise in the world. In fact, realizing how honest she was, he offered her a full time job at the shelter and helped her rent a small apartment.
Vera was very grateful. It was years that someone had done something so generous for her.
As a way of thanking him, she invited him and his wife, along with some employees from the shelter to her new place where she baked muffins and a bunch of other cookies for them.
Her guests were stunned by the way the sweets tasted. They all agreed that they had never tasted anything so delicious before. As they were laughing and celebrating the new beginning, Vera’s boss said, “You know what Vera? You should start your own baking business. I will support you financially and help you start.” Vera was stunned by the suggestion. She did work at a pastry shop in the past and knew how things were done, but could she really embark on such a journey?
It turned out that she could. It took a lot of time and patience, but Vera opened a tiny shop which grew bigger in a couple of years.
Her business bloomed and she became a well-known name in the industry.
One day, she got an order for a large number of cupcakes, a cake, and some other things. She had everything ready, and wanted to deliver the products herself, but to her surprise, she found herself at the door of the mansion where she was once humiliated. As she rang the doorbell, she recalled the time she found the money and how she struggled to make ends meet, yet decided to do the right thing and return it to the ungrateful owner. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
It was Mr. Carter. He was hosting a very important party that day. He looked at Vera and smiled, but she didn’t smile back. Instead, she asked him if he remembered her, reminding him of the event that took place two years ago.
He looked at her again, and couldn’t believe she was the same person. “What are you doing here?” he asked her. Vera explained that the pastry shop he made an order at was hers. He couldn’t believe she was telling the truth.
With a smile on her face, Vera told him that her products won’t be served at his party.
Mr. Carter started yelling at her. “You can’t cancel at the last minute. This party is extremely important to me.” But Vera didn’t care. Instead, she took $100 bill and handed it to him. “I hope this $100 will be enough to sort out tonight’s party plans,” she said and walked away. “As of the things you ordered. I’d rather give them to the homeless.”
Mr. Carter got a taste of his own medicine. Vera hoped he learned a valuable lesson that day, that every person, no matter his social status or background, should be treated with kindness.
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