Colds, sneezing, and coughing are never fun. One of the most bothersome parts of getting sick is dealing with lingering phlegm and mucus in the chest and throat. If you’ve been wondering how to get rid of phlegm and mucus, you’re not alone. The persistent coughing, throat irritation, and breathing difficulty can disrupt your life. Thankfully, there are several effective remedies you can try at home to clear the mucus and breathe easier.
What Is Phlegm and Why Does It Accumulate?
Phlegm is a thick, sticky substance produced by the respiratory system, including the throat, nose, and lungs. It helps trap dust, bacteria, and irritants, keeping your airways clear. However, excessive mucus buildup can occur due to colds, allergies, respiratory infections, smoking, or exposure to irritants, making it crucial to find ways to get rid of phlegm and mucus naturally.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Phlegm and Mucus
Before turning to pharmaceuticals, try these natural remedies to alleviate mucus buildup:
1. Stay Hydrated
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Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Water, herbal teas, and warm broths help thin mucus, making it easier to expel.
2. Gargle with Salt Water
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Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle several times daily. This soothes throat irritation and reduces mucus buildup.
3. Try Steam Inhalation
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Inhale steam by leaning over a bowl of hot water with a towel over your head. This moistens and loosens mucus, aiding in its expulsion.
4. Apply a Warm Compress
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Place a warm towel on your chest or throat to relieve congestion and loosen mucus buildup.
5. Use Honey and Lemon
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Mix a tablespoon of honey with warm water or tea and add lemon juice. Honey soothes the throat, while lemon helps break up mucus.
6. Run a Humidifier
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Add moisture to the air with a humidifier to loosen mucus in the throat and chest. Keep the device clean to prevent bacterial growth.
7. Use Nasal Irrigation
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Flush your nasal passages with a saline solution or neti pot to clear out excess mucus and alleviate congestion.
8. Avoid Irritants
Stay away from cigarette smoke, pollution, and strong chemical odors. These irritants can worsen mucus production and congestion.
Things to Avoid
While working to get rid of phlegm and mucus, avoid these pitfalls:
Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
Dairy products, which can make mucus thicker.
Excessive sugary foods and drinks.
Overuse of decongestant sprays without medical advice.
Suppressing your cough too much, as it’s a natural way to clear mucus.
When to Consult a Doctor
If your symptoms persist or worsen despite these remedies, consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
By following these natural remedies and avoiding certain triggers, you can effectively get rid of phlegm and mucus, promoting better respiratory health and overall well-being.
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It’s a question that crosses everyone’s mind: how do you know when your time is near, and what does it look like? While the thought may seem frightening, recognizing the 11 signs you are about to die can help prepare individuals and their loved ones for what’s to come. Hospice experts, such as Julie McFadden, highlight key indicators that often occur months, weeks, or even hours before passing, especially during a natural death.
Below are 11 common signs you are about to die, based on expert insights.
1. Lack of Appetite
As the body requires less energy, a person near the end of life may lose interest in eating or drinking. This is one of the earliest signs you are about to die, often occurring one to two months before passing. Keeping their lips moistened with balm can help ensure they remain comfortable.
2. Increased Sleep
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In the weeks leading to death, individuals may sleep more as their body conserves energy. Despite this, hearing remains one of the last senses to diminish, so it’s advised to speak softly and respectfully to the individual.
3. Changes in Toilet Habits
Reduced food and fluid intake leads to less frequent bowel movements. In some cases, individuals may lose control of their bladder or bowels, which requires medical support to manage.
4. Muscle Weakness
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Weakened muscles make it harder for a person to perform simple tasks such as walking or sitting up. Offering support and making adjustments to their surroundings can help ensure their safety and comfort.
5. Fluctuating Vital Signs
Irregular breathing, a faster heartbeat, or difficulty detecting a pulse are common in the final days. Blood pressure may drop significantly, signaling the body’s systems slowing down.
6. Lower Body Temperature
Decreased circulation in the extremities causes cold, pale, or mottled skin, often in the hands, feet, and legs. This is one of the physical signs you are about to die that loved ones may notice.
7. Breathing Changes
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Grunting, rattling, or irregular breathing patterns, known as Cheyne-Stokes breathing, may occur. Adjusting their position can make breathing easier. Consult a doctor if additional support is needed.
8. Experiencing Pain
Pain levels may increase, and traditional treatments might not always provide relief. Observing and addressing their discomfort can help ensure they are as peaceful as possible.
9. Reduced Social Interaction
Withdrawing from loved ones is another common sign. A person nearing the end may choose solitude over socializing, which shouldn’t be taken personally. Plan visits that suit their comfort level.
10. Confusion and Disorientation
Confusion, memory lapses, or losing track of their surroundings often occur in the final days. Gently reminding them who is present and explaining what’s happening can provide reassurance.
11. Hallucinations
Distorted visions or conversations with unseen individuals are common. While it can be distressing to witness, it’s important to remain calm and remind them of their surroundings to ease their anxiety.
Preparing for the End
Recognizing these signs you are about to die can help loved ones provide better care and support during this emotional time. While it may be challenging, offering comfort and understanding can make the final moments meaningful and peaceful.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a bereavement, support is available through Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline at 0808 808 1677.
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Thomas and Sienna had the night for themselves. They were celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary and took their time to recall all those precious moments they have shared throughout the years, wishing each other many more to come. As per tradition, they got ready to take a picture that would be placed on the mantelpiece, but as the camera’s timer counted down, Sienna thought she heard a soft sound in the hallway behind her.
Assuring her it was nothing, Thomas hugged her and they smiled for yet another photo of a year spent together.
Sienna posted the photo on the social media, not assuming it would later lead to something unimaginable.
The following morning, she was woken up by the sound of pinging. She grabbed her phone as notifications came one after another. Most of them were comments from people wishing them a happy anniversary, but there were also those that kept asking whose face it was in the background of the picture.
Upon further inspection, Sienna realized there was indeed a face on the picture they had taken the previous night. She told Thomas about it but he was convinced it was just a shadow that resembled a face.
However, Sienna wasn’t at peace.
She remembered that she heard a sound at the moment the picture was taken, so she asked Thomas to inspect the house, just in case.
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Thomas did that, but there was no one there. “Relax, love. It’s me,” he said, chuckling a bit. “Forget about that photo. We’ve got lunch reservations, remember?”
As the two headed towards the car and Sienna was about to get inside, she spotted the same eerie face on the car’s window but was too scared to say a word. She then screamed and turned around, but there was no one behind her.
That night, she was disturbed by a strange sound. It was now obvious that someone was inside the house. She woke Thomas up, and he confirmed there were noises coming from downstairs.
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He grabbed the phone in one hand and his gun in the other.
“We can’t call 911 for a ghost!” Sienna argued, but he still called 911.
As they went to the kitchen, walking extremely slowly, they spotted a malnourished boy that burst into tears. His face was covered in snot and it was obvious he was scared and hungry.
But how did he end up in their home?
“Hey there, it’s okay. We won’t hurt you,” Thomas said with a gentle voice.
Slowly, he explained that he and his mom came from a bad place and kept asking if they could help his mommy.
At that moment, the police that Thomas had previously called arrived at their door. This scared the boy and he fled before they could catch him.
The following day, Sienna and Thomas went looking for Nikolai. They knew he couldn’t have gone far.
As they were wandering around the neighborhood, they spotted an abandoned Victorian house.
Investigating further, Sienna found a boarded window and heard a woman’s plea for help from inside. She had her phone in her hand in a second to call the police. Soon after, other people gathered.
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The authorities broke into the place and saw a woman in distress. In broken English, she said her name was Asya and explained that she came to the States for a better life for her and her son but ended up with a man who was a monster and kept her prisoner.
They took her out, and soon after, Nikolai emerged from the basement.
“What about the man who did this?” Sienna asked.
“We’ve already sent officers to arrest him at his job. Nikolai and Asya will be taken to a safe place. It seems she came here from Russia as some kind of mail-order bride. The legality of her immigrant status is unknown at this point, but we’ll ensure they get the help they need,” the officers responded.
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It was an incredible experience. A single picture led to a shocking discovery and helped two lives to be saved.
“I believe the latest photo for the mantle deserves a special place,” Thomas told his wife, holding up a framed print of the now-infamous photo the couple had posted on social media.
“It’s the best of the bunch,” Sienna quipped.
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Prince Harry’s all-tell memoir Spare further damaged the bond between the brothers.
Harry and William have always been extremely close. But sadly, things changed drastically when the younger brother made a decision to step down from his royal duties. Leaving Britain behind wasn’t the only thing Harry did that bothered the members of the Firm. He went on to give interviews and provide details about the royal family, which enraged many.
Things turned even more heated when Harry released his memoir, Spare. In it, he wrote about his relationship with his father. He described the moment he learned of his mom’s tragic passing. Further, he wrote how he felt about Camilla, and of the heated argument he had with his brother.
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Harry detailed a meeting with William during which he had called his wife, Meghan, “abrasive,” “rude,” and “difficult,” something Harry referred to as to “parroting the press narrative.”
Allegedly, things escalated.
Harry described how William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and… knocked me to the floor.”
“He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out,” Harry wrote.
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Their relationship is at the lowest point. According to a mutual friend, when the time comes, William could exclude Harry from his coronation, as per The Times.
However, royal author Christopher Andersen believes that the Duke would be there.
“Despite all the bad blood between the brothers, I’m convinced that, when the time does come, William will not be foolish enough to exclude his only sibling, now fifth in line to the throne, from his coronation,” Andersen told Fox.
“Things probably have never been worse between the brothers than they are now. William and Charles have pretty much made the joint decision to effectively cut Harry out of their lives, at least for the time being. There is no sign of a reconciliation on the horizon. And everyone involved seems to have pretty much come to terms with that.”
“That being said, we have to remember that William is carrying a very heavy psychological burden at the moment,” Andersen continued. “He is deeply upset that his wife and his father are battling cancer at the same time. He must keep a brave face not only for his three young children but also for the sake of the monarchy.”
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Realizing that some of his actions were the reason for their strained relationship, Harry regretted writing about William and his wife in Spare.
“Although Harry is glad he finally got his say on everything that went on with Spare, there is part of him that has some regrets over it all and the way it was handled,” a source told The Mirror.
“He was still very angry about how he was treated by his family and wanted them to know and felt his book was the only way they’d listen. But looking back, he’s not sure it was handled in the right way and he has faced a lot of criticism for it and hurt his family a lot.”
The source continued, “Harry still wants to have a relationship with them and is hoping that in 2025, he can make that happen. A lot has gone on since Spare was released and he didn’t update the paperback version. So, he is hopeful he can repair the relationship.”
On Harry’s 40th birthday, William and Kate sent a greeting through their social media account. Many saw this as a step toward repairing their relationship.
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Scandals have always followed the British Royal Family, but one of the greatest of all, which shook the monarchy to the core at the time, was the affair between then Prince Charles and his now-current wife Camilla. And now, the queen’s sister, Annabel Elliot, reveals details of the royal’s marriage.
At the time the country and the entire world learned of their affair they were both married to other people.
The wide public condemned their affair, as they believed it was Camilla who was to be blamed for the failed marriage between the heir to the throne and Lady Di, the princess who captured millions of hearts, not only of Britons but people from all over the world.
Speaking of the troubles in her marriage and the reasons for its failure, Diana told Martin Bashir during a televised interview, “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
The love between Charles and Camilla, which started before he even met Diana, is a genuine one, and that is apparent.
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The two were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, Lucia Santa Cruz, the daughter of the Chilean ambassador. They started dating, but the relationship didn’t last long as Charles left to serve in the Royal Navy. When his duties there came to an end and he returned home, Camilla was already engaged to her now-ex husband Andrew Parker Bowles.
However, they never stopped being close. Even when Charles married Diana, he and Camilla stayed in touch.
Royal author Penny Junior claimed that Charles was aware he wasn’t in love with his future wife Diana, but it was already too late for him to call off the wedding.
“Charles was not convinced he was doing the right thing in marrying Diana but there was no way out and, bolstered by the hope that things would be different once they were married, he put a brave face on it,” she wrote, as reported by the Mirror.
What’s most, Camilla and Diana knew each other and got along, but then things changed.
“I met [Camilla] very early on. I was introduced to the circle, but I was a threat, I was a very young girl, but I was a threat,” Diana explained in the book Diana: In Her Own Words.
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Fast forward to this very day, Charles is the King of Britain and Camilla is Queen.
Over the years, the people of Britain learned to love Camilla and her reputation has been growing. The two are now the head of the country and are still happily married but there was a time when Camilla was afraid to leave her home because she was afraid of the backlash of the public following the revelation of her affair.
Speaking to OK Magazine, royal expert Angela Levin, author of the 2022 book Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: A Royal Survivor, revealed that Camilla had to endure “torrents” of mistreatment from the public as the affair was revealed. She didn’t even go to stores but had her friends running her errands for her.
“It was very difficult for her, as she was portrayed as the most wicked woman in the world. She was constantly called nasty names like ‘rottweiler,’ and it must have come as a huge shock that people were so vile about her,” Levin said.
In order to protect her, it was revealed that Charles paid for Camilla’s security for years, or until 2005 when the two tied the knot. “I don’t think Charles realised how awful it was for her. He was often away on engagements and working hard for the country and Commonwealth, and at the time, Camilla didn’t have protection officers because she wasn’t part of the Royal Family. But when Charles finally realised, he did get protection for her, which he paid for himself,” Levine revealed.
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While Queen Camilla’s way to the royal family has been filled with adversity, she always had her husband’s support.
Another person who always stood by Camilla’s side was Annabel Elliot.
Annabel and Camilla are more than sisters; they are greatest of friends. Annabel has run her show Annabel Elliot Interior Designand Antiques in Dorset for more than 30 years, becoming the fifth most influential female interior designer in the UK in 2014.
It was on Annabel’s 50th birthday party that Charles and Camilla first posed together in public and stole she show. Later, amid the divorce of Charles and Diana, it was Annabel who drove the car that whisked Camilla away from public view and the notorious paparazzi press.
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Over time, Annabel Elliot became close part of the royal family, especially with Charles, with whom she had been reported to have clashed from time to time, especially when she felt like he was trying to do most of what she was paid for himself.
“He always likes to be completely involved and know what’s being suggested,” Annabel said in the 2012 ITV documentary The Royal Restoration.
“He’s looking at every piece of material — ‘What’s this for?, Is that for a chair? Where’s that sourced from? Has it got nylon in it?’ He doesn’t like duvets.”
Recently, as the new BBC1 documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year, was released, Annabel opened up about her family, Charles, and Camilla, describing her sister as King Charles’ “rock” during many tough and challenging years.
“She is his rock, and I can’t actually emphasize that enough. She is somebody who is completely loyal, and she isn’t somebody who has huge highs and lows,” Annabel said in the documentary.
The queen’s sister added: “He brings to her everything. I’m not talking about all of this, but you know he has such a knowledge and interest in so many different things which she wouldn’t really have been open to if she hadn’t met him. They are their yin and yang really, they really are polar opposites, but it works brilliantly.”
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Annabel was employed to carry out work on the then-Prince of Wales’s new home in Wales, Llwywormwood, which he bought in 2006 for more than £1 million.
The Telegraph reported at the time that Charles’ sister-in-law was paid over $380,000 for her work between 2005 and 2008. Certain politicians thought this was a matter of cronyism, but that’s not how Charles viewed it.
“There was no tender. The Prince knows her and likes her work. Annabel Elliot is an established interior designer,” a Clarence House spokesperson said at the time.
This wasn’t the only time Annabel worked for the royals. She also designed 12 Duchy of Cornwall cottages and ran a 2012 project to convert a “run-down barn building” into an elegant guesthouse on the grounds of Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, becoming Charles’ chief interior designer.
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Even today, Camilla and Annabel Elliot are extremely close.
Annabel has been married to her husband Simon Elliot since 1972 and they share three children together, including Ben Elliot. He’s a businessman and fund-raiser for the Conservative Party who served as Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party from July 2019 to September 2022.
Of course, Annabel and her family were in attendance at the coronation of King Charles last year.
“When I thought back to being two years old and watching the Queen’s Coronation on a tiny black and white television and there goes this golden coach with my sister in it. I can’t explain the feeling because it’s so surreal. This cannot be happening. It was quite a moment,” Annabel said.
“Going into the Abbey, I think I had that nervousness all the time, she’s quite a bit smaller than I am. I’m feeling: ‘Is she going to be all right?”
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What was supposed to be an ordinary day of doing groceries turned into a chance encounter with a little girl that transformed my life in unimaginable ways.
My life was steady, my career solid, and I was happy with the way things were.
And then, one day, everything changed.
While doing my groceries, I went around the aisles, and when I returned to my shopping cart, I saw a little girl in it.
I asked her where her parents were, but she didn’t say anything, so I went around the store in order to try and find her mom or dad, but no one seemed to be looking for their lost child.
After 20 minutes, the girl grabbed me by the hand and said, “Don’t give me back. I’m scared.”
I got scared as well, and decided to take her home for the night. When my sister Melissa, who was staying with me at the time while going through some personal struggles, saw me, she was shocked.
“Who’s this?” she asked. When I told her what happened, she started yelling at me. “You can’t just take a random child home. Her parents must be worried sick. What were you thinking?”
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But I only cared for the little girl who was in distress.
In the morning, someone knocked on the door. It was social services. I realized Melissa alerted them of Lia without telling me.
They took her with them, saying they would try to locate her family.
Lia looked at me and asked me where she was going. I felt the urge to comfort her and tell her that everything was going to be just fine, but I didn’t believe those words myself. I had no idea what future held for her.
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After doing some research with the help of a friend of mine who worked at the police, I learned that Lia had a mom and that this wasn’t the first time she ran away from home.
Worried, I decided to pay the mom a visit the following morning.
The house where they lived was rather old. I knocked on the door and there she was, a fragile woman, looking at me with confussion.
“How can I help you?” she asked me. I told her about meeting Lia and that she was safe at the hands of the social workers.
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The woman started crying. She explained that after the passing of her husband, she had a hard time taking care of her daughter. She was sick and experienced anxiety, which left her unable to work and provide for Lia.
The conversation I was about to start was a hard one, but I had to do it for Lia’s sake.
“Listen,” I said, “I can take care of your daughter until you are able to stand on your feet. Once you feel better, you can have her back.”
I assured her that I was there to help.
At that moment, Lia got home with the social workers. Her mom and I shared our plan with them. It took a bit of time and plenty of paperwork, but I became Lia’s guarding for the time being.
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The little girl transformed my life.
I read her stories, cooked her dinner, and took her places.
One night, as she was going to bed, she asked, “Am I gonna see mom again?”
“Of course, sweetie,” I assured her. “Your mom is working on herself, and once she gets better, you’ll get back to her.” She smiled and thanked me, and that smile meant the world to me. I knew I was doing the right thing.
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Tamara Laroux, a woman saw ‘hell’ before being taken to ‘heaven’ shares her life experience and how it changed her life forever.
When she was still a teenager, her parents separated, and she had a hard time accepting the divorce. Laroux was left to live with her mother, but the fact that her dad distanced him from her but remained in contact with her siblings was something that affected her deeply.
Unfortunately, unable to cope with the situation she had found herself in, she decided to end her life.
At 15, she took her mom’s gun, pointed it towards herself and pulled the trigger. The near-death experience led to what she describes as a divine intervention.
Speaking on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Laroux said, “When I pulled that trigger… I knew my body was dying.
“I felt the blood rushing through my lungs. Death gripped my body. I became blind and deaf.
“As my soul left my body, I began travelling faster than the speed of light.”
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She then felt an ‘explosion’ in her body and soon found herself in ‘hell.’ She was surrounded by people screaming in agony and terror, and she knew their sins and emotions. Laroux explained the feeling as one of torment.
“I remember looking at an individual, I knew everything about them,” she said.
“I knew every sin they committed. My knowledge about their life was full. I knew their thoughts and emotions.”
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Next, she felt like someone took her from the hell and brought her to heaven.
“There was an overwhelming sense of peace, joy and complete serenity.
“The colours were so bright and refreshing… their very sight was rejuvenating and full of energy.”
She recalled that she was then taken to hospital and underwent a surgery. Doctors said that the bullet had missed her heart by around one-quarter of an inch.
Today, Laroux, who experienced both hell and heaven, is a devoted Christian. She’s also an author of a book, A Second Chance at Heaven.
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Joining an old man for a simple fishing trip changed my life in ways I have never imagined.
Following my mom’s accident, she was left with a painful limp, but she still worked long hours at the gas station, struggling to make ends meet. I helped in every way possible, whether it was with the mail, chores around the house, or with dinner.
Being 13, I did all in my power to ease my mom’s life as much as possible.
In my free time, I would go out, playing basketball and other teenage stuff.
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One day, I was knocking down bottles with a deflated soccer ball when a brand new SUV pulled over in front of me. An old man got out of the vehicle, all dressed up and elegant.
“Mind if I take a shot?” he asked, pointing to the bottles. I nodded and handed him the ball. He then said, “If I miss one, I’ll give you $100, and if I knock each bottle, you get to do me a favor.”
I was quick to agree, hoping I’d get the money, but the old man knocked all the bottles. And the favor he asked for – to join him fishing the following day.
It sounded like a small favor, so I said yes.
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In the morning, I left the house, making sure not to wake up mom, and went to the fishing pond, which was quiet, overgrown, and untouched for years.
The old man then shared his life story with me.
He told me he had a son who got sick, but he was poor at the time and couldn’t afford his treatments. After the boy passed away, the old man made a promise to earn a fortune, and so he did. He started a business that grew over the years, but sadly, he never had any more children.
In the middle of his story, our fishing line caught. We both lost balance as we tried to pull the fish out, and we both burst in laughter.
The day, and the entire experience, was fun. The old man seemed genuinely happy and told me the fishing at the pond brought back memories of his childhood. He used to live in the neighborhood, and even went fishing there with his son years ago.
I told him his son would be proud, watching him from above.
The following morning, I found a bag on the porch. It had money inside, lots of it. Inside was also a note from the old man. He thanked me for the joy I had given him the previous day.
I was stunned. The money could help us afford my mom’s treatments and I could attend the best schools.
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Months later, I received a letter from the old man. He wrote that he was about to undergo a heart surgery, which I later learnt he didn’t survive.
I had no idea that the day we spent together could impact our lives forever. The old man wrote that meeting me brought him the happiness and the peace he hand’t felt in years. He also reminded me to never lose hope and never give up.
Fifteen years later, as I stood at the porch, watching my mom play with my kids, I thought of the old man, and how the encounter with him impacted my future. His generosity had given me way more than a financial stability – it taught me that even the tiniest act of kindness always goes a long way.
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