The Package I Never Expected: A Lesson in Compassion and the Power of a Simple Gesture

Not long after I posted, I received a message. It was from a woman I didn’t know. She introduced herself and explained that she was in a difficult situation—out of work, newly single, and trying to provide for her toddler daughter. The little girl, she said, had barely enough to wear. Most days, she tried to make do with hand-me-downs from neighbors, but even those were wearing thin.

She didn’t ask for money. She didn’t ask for anything but this:
“Could you mail the clothes if I cover the shipping?”

At first, I hesitated. I didn’t know her. Part of me wondered if it was a scam—some elaborate ruse to get something for free. That cautious voice in my head told me to be careful, to move on.

But then… something in her message made me stop.

Choosing to Help Anyway

There was no guilt, no desperation in her words—just honesty. I thought about how hard it can be to ask for help. How heavy it feels to admit you’re struggling, especially as a parent. And I remembered times in my own life when things were tight—when asking for a small favor felt like asking for the moon.Continue reading…