When the world feels heavy, help often comes from unexpected places. Read three real-life stories of strangers who changed everything with a single act of kindness.

 

Week 7 — The Stranger Who Saved Me

Dear Readers,

Last week, we turned inward to hold the hand of the child inside us. This week, I want us to look outward.

We often carry the weight of the world in silence, believing we must be strong enough to bear it all alone. But I have come to believe that when our own inner resources are depleted, the universe has a way of sending a gentle nudge—often in the form of a stranger—to remind us that we are not invisible.

I’ve been thinking a lot about those quiet, unexpected moments of grace.

I think about the woman crying on the 8:00 AM train, feeling completely alone in the rush hour crush, until a stranger quietly pressed a napkin into her hand before stepping off. Written in blue pen were six words that became a lifeline: "The storm will pass. Breathe." She didn’t fix the problem, but she stopped the freefall.

I think about the young man standing under an awning, terrified he’d miss a life-changing interview because of a sudden downpour, only to have an older gentleman hand him a sturdy umbrella. "I’m retired, son," he said, stepping into the rain. "You look like you’re going somewhere important."

And I think of the tired mother in the grocery line, flushing with shame when her card was declined, only to hear the beep of the person behind her paying the bill. "We’ve all been there," was all he said.

These weren't grand, cinematic rescues. They were small tethers thrown between two human beings. They remind us that even in a crowd of unfamiliar faces, we are all walking each other home.

As you step into this new week, I hope you remain open to the kindness of others, and perhaps, when you have the strength, you might be that stranger for someone else. A smile, a held door, a patient nod—these are the threads that weave our safety net.

You are stronger than you know, but you never have to be strong entirely on your own.

Rest well for tomorrow.