Sophia felt like her picture-perfect life burst like a bubble when her husband left her and their daughter Grace.
Although Grace pretended that everything was fine, she missed her dad dearly. All of a sudden, her vibrant personality was replaced with a subdued demeanor. She became quiet and rather sad, and there was not much Sophia could do about it because she was hurt herself and finding the strength to move on seemed to be harder that she has ever anticipated.
One day, Sophia suggested that she and Grace pay a visit to the girl’s grandmother who lived miles away. The trip was supposed to be a gateway from the reality both of them were forced to face.
Grace was hesitant and wasn’t willing to travel, but her mom insisted, and the girl finally agreed.
The trip was a long one, and the car was filled with awkward silence. As Grace kept her face stuck to the glass of the car’s door, she complained about the ride which seemed longer than usual.
In an attempt to cheer her a bit, Sophia played Grace’s favorite song. The girl did smile, but she was too sad to sing.
As the two drove, Grace yelled. She spotted a man in the middle of the highway holding a sign. The sign had the word “Help” written on it. She asked her mother to stop and see what was wrong with the stranger who seemed desperate for aid.
The man looked worn out, his clothes were torn and grimy. As he tried to approach them, Sophia’s heart started racing. Without giving it a second thought, she started the engine and continued driving.
Grace was mad. She insisted her mom stop again and help the hopeless man, but Sophia refused. Instead, she drove as fast as she could and then pulled over at a gas station because she was desperate for some break from the long drive. She asked Grace to get out of the vehicle, but she was too upset to move and insisted to wait for her mother inside.
Sophia got herself a cup of coffee and bought Grace a bar of chocolate, but when she returned to the car, Grace was nowhere to be seen.
As she started looking around, Sophia became more and more worried. She started yelling Grace’s name from the top of her lungs and asked some of the people there if they had seen a girl with dark hair, but no one had.
Sophia then entered her car and drove back and forth. Her heart was racing and she prayed her girl wasn’t hurt.
At that moment, she spotted Grace walking down the highway. The girl was scared and apologized for worrying her mother, but she simply couldn’t let that strangely looking man with the sign all alone. She begged her mom to get to him and see what was wrong.
Sophia realized that helping that man meant a lot for Grace, so no matter how scared she felt, she decided to try and trace him down. Not surprisingly, he was standing at the same spot.
They stopped the car and approached him. Not only he was in need of some food and water, but he was also hurt.
The man had only one demand, to be taken to the adjacent town.
It turned out that he ended up on the highway after a taxi driver robbed him and took his wallet and his phone, so he wasn’t able to ask for help as no one would stop and offer him a lift or a phone call.
When the man gave Sophia the address where he was supposed to go, she was puzzled. It was the address of a huge company.
The moment they finally arrived there, the security guard who was at the door of the massive building ran towards the man. With a smile on his face he said they had been searching for him for a couple of days and were very worried for his safety, but was glad he was finally there.
Sophia didn’t know if that man was the owner of the company or simply an important employee, she only knew that if it wasn’t for her daughter’s king heart, he wouldn’t be able to get home, at least not in the days to come.
That day, Sophia learned a valuable lesson, that the kindness we offer to those in need is what makes this world go round. That incredible experience strengthened the bond between her and Grace and they started looking at life with brand new eyes.