The seeds of kindness
My father was frugal throughout his life, but he never hesitated to help those in need of kindness. Even if it meant going without food or drink, he would do his best to help others. I remember he gave his travel fare to an elderly man who had been robbed and walked 40 miles home. Unaware of his actions, the villagers thought he was just being thrifty again, earning him the nickname “Penny Pincher” in the village.
My father never expected to become a victim of theft one day. During the spring planting season, he and some villagers went to the city to buy seeds. After purchasing the seeds, he had over 100 yuan left in his pocket, which he didn’t spend. He skipped lunch to save money and hurriedly boarded the bus back to the countryside with the villagers. Someone likely noticed the 100-yuan note in his pocket during the ticket purchase. When he rechecked his pockets, the money had disappeared. Back then, 100 yuan was a significant amount, enough to buy many things. My father was so anxious that he broke into a sweat, and after checking all his pockets and confirming the money was gone, he nearly fainted.
While lamenting his carelessness, he heard a woman outside the bus screaming: “My seeds are gone! Did anyone see my seeds? Those are my family’s seeds for the whole year!” The woman, who had lost her seeds, was sobbing uncontrollably. She explained that she had left the seeds at the station while she went to the restroom, and in that short time, they had vanished. She said she was the sole breadwinner for her family, and everyone on the bus sympathized with her, condemning the thief who stole the seeds.
“No matter what, let’s get on the bus first,” my father advised her, forgetting that he, too, was a victim of theft. He asked a fellow villager for an empty bag and handed it to the woman. He opened his bag and filled her empty bag with a handful of seeds, saying: “You plant a little less, I’ll plant a little less, and we’ll get through this.”
Seeing his actions, the villagers who came with my father also opened their bags and filled the woman’s empty bag with seeds. Soon, her bag was full. The woman was at a loss for words and wanted to kneel in gratitude to my father and the villagers for their kindness. My father said: “Everyone has their difficulties. If we help each other, we’ll get through them.” Everyone on the bus witnessed my father’s small act of kindness, unaware that he, too, had just been robbed. My father never mentioned his situation to anyone.
As they got off the bus, it was crowded. My father felt someone press closely against him. When he rechecked his pockets, he found the 100-yuan note had returned. It was unmistakably his, as it was crumpled and warm from his body heat.
Kindness can transform evil
There was a young murderer who, after months on the run, was penniless. One early morning, he sneaked into a small town, exhausted and cold. He went to a food stall, ordered food and wine, and had a hearty meal. Then, he told the stall owner, pretending to be on a business trip, that his wallet had been stolen on the train, and he asked to defer the 40-yuan meal cost until he could borrow money from his work unit the next day. As he spoke, he secretly placed his hand on the knife at his waist, determined to stab her if she argued with him.
Upon hearing his story, the stall owner, a woman in her forties, felt sorry for him. “Child,” she told the fugitive, “this must be your first business trip. Be more careful next time; it’s not easy being away from home.” She then took a 100-yuan note from the drawer and handed it to him, saying: “Forget the meal cost; consider it my treat. Take this 100 yuan for your expenses. Finish your business and go home quickly; your parents must be worried.” Her act of kindness was about to have major repercussions.
The fugitive was stunned. For months, he had been living like an animal, constantly on the run, and suddenly someone showed him such kindness. He was at a loss. He firmly refused the 100-yuan note she offered and promised to repay the meal cost despite her insistence that it wasn’t necessary. After leaving the stall, he robbed a taxi, stabbing the driver and taking 500 yuan in cash. He immediately returned to the food stall, but the owner had already closed up, as the stall only operated at night.
It would have been easy for him to escape the small town then, but he didn’t. He waited for nightfall to return the meal cost to the stall owner for the kindness she showed him. The fugitive was captured by the police at dusk on his way to repay the money. After being caught, his only request was that the police give the 40 yuan to the stall owner and not tell her he was a murderer.
This is a true story that happened in our small town. Many people mocked the fugitive for being foolish, for thinking of repaying 40 yuan after committing murder and thus delivering himself into the hands of the law. But I have been deeply moved by this story for a long time. In this world, the power of kindness can sometimes be genuinely unyielding; it can even make a heart filled with evil bloom with honesty.
Follow us on X, Facebook, or Pinterest
