I love reading the Metropolitan Diary in the New York Times. It’s a weekly series of small and often quirky stories submitted by readers. Submission criteria is simple – short and “connected to New York City.” I love it, because so often, there are tales of kindness. Little acts that make a major impact in people’s lives. This one especially piqued my interest, as it’s the perfect example of how an act of kindness can produce a ripple effect. Take a couple of minutes and enjoy Pass It On – a quick kindness story. Submitted by Cheryl Rosenberg with illustration above by Agnes Lee.
Dear Diary:
My husband and I had just left the Museum of Modern Art when it began to rain. We hoped the rainfall would not become a downpour because we did not have an umbrella.
Crossing the street, we saw an unfamiliar man and woman approaching us with smiles on their faces.
“Here,” the woman said, extending an umbrella in our direction. “We’re on our way home and taking the subway.”
We thanked them, and they walked toward the train station. My husband lifted the umbrella over our heads.
“Oh, my,” he said. “It’s a really good umbrella.”
As we waited at the bus stop, a couple who appeared to be tourists walked by us with no protection in what was by now steady rain.
“Here,” I said, extending my arm with the umbrella. “Our bus has just arrived.”
— Cheryl Rosenberg
