The Little Things are The Big Things

Recently I read a question online that struck me. It was from someone asking for examples of what I call “micro helps”: tiny little efforts, quietly offered to other humans in need. I thought you might enjoy some of the responses, as I did! The last needy person was me. What big, memorable differences we can make with small reaches across humanity! Here we go:

I am a front desk agent at a nice hotel, and I was working when a migraine hit hard. I couldn’t leave. I didn’t have anyone else to cover so I had to stick it out best I could. A woman I have never met before and was a guest of ours noticed something was really off with me. I apologized to her and let her know this is nothing to do with her. I felt bad for even having her feel less happy on her time there at the hotel with us. I promised that I had a migraine but wasn’t mad or upset. She was literally the sweetest ever! She said she completely understood and that her daughter gets them too. She continued to come to the desk, at least three more times during my shift, asking me if I was ok, and if she could do anything. I felt literal tears building up, that a total stranger could be so kind and concerned. I ended up leaving about 40 minutes before shift end when another coworker was in, and everything was covered. I will never forget how amazing and kind she was just for actually being genuinely concerned about me.

-Anastasia Z. Kotova-Wensel

A tire on my car blew on the freeway. I was in my 20’s. My little boy was with me. I got the car onto the shoulder safely but then had no clue what to do. Whatever my dad had taught me about changing a tire evaporated. This was before cell phones. Out of nowhere, a tow truck pulls up behind me. An older gentleman got out, took some tools out of his truck, told me to pop my trunk, and proceeded to change my tire. I was almost literally speechless. I finally thanked him, over and over, and asked what did I owe him. He said oh nothing, young lady. I have a daughter about your age. If she ever needs a helping hand I hope someone will help her out. I gave him the biggest hug! I’ve spent the rest of my life trying to be that someone.

-Shirley Roth Camacho

I was working at Lifetouch portrait studio in a JC Penneys back when I was in college and malls were still a thing. Right around Christmas time, one of my coworkers called out, leaving me to run both photography appointments and the sales desk all by myself. They were scheduled every ten minutes all day. A gentleman came in to have his children’s pictures made for his wife for Christmas. He asked me if I had eaten anything and I told him no, and joked that I hadn’t had time but the studio closed a couple of hours before the mall did so I’d get something before I left to go home. Well, he went out to the food court after his children’s appointment was over and when I walked out after my next customer, there was a combo from one of the fast food places sitting on my counter along with a drink. The rest of the customers refused to go in for their appointments until I sat there and ate. Apparently, he told them that I hadn’t eaten and he wanted to be sure I did and they all went for it. I never got to say thank you, but I’ve always been so grateful to him.

-Kim Kennedy

When I was 14, my 10-year-old cousin lost a $20 bill when we were at an amusement park. Of course he was upset, as we sat at an outdoor restaurant table and discussed it. Then a couple came over as they left and said they’d “found” $20 and wanted to give it to my cousin. I didn’t realize until later, but they must have heard us talking and did what they could to make it a much better day for everyone.

-Marjorie Gorton

When I was about 12, I was wandering the livestock barns at the state fair, and a strange man came and put his arm around me and started pulling me towards him. A couple in the same barn noticed and asked me who the stranger was. I said, “I don’t know.” They told the stranger to get away from me. I was grateful because I didn’t know what to do.

-Karen Solheim

My sister and I lived in Maryland but King’s Dominion was in Virginia. In 1979, when I was 17, and she was 14, I drove us there. We loved that place. After an exhausting and blissful Saturday in that land of rollercoaster fun, we headed back. We were about half an hour from our rural-ish home in when we ran out of gas. It was so dark outside, and cell phones were years away. A car stopped. Two men got out and asked us what was wrong. We were so afraid. We told them and they told us they would drive us home. They did. They were so kind. About an hour after we got home, there was a knock at the door. They were back with a purse that was left in the car. It was a great lesson for me, not only in the critical need for plenty of car fuel, but in learning the truth that there are so many deeply wonderful people in the world.

-Mary Jo Bell