The Good News Is…
Republished in the September 2021 issue of Reader’s Digest. Originally published in The Washington Post (March 18, 2021 © Washington Post, washingtonpost.com.) and written by Cathy Free.
When you order food for delivery, one of the things the restaurant usually asks is how far away you live to make sure you’re in their delivery area. So they’re probably not going to deliver your Chinese food to another state unless you live on the border of two states.
Imagine this man’s surprise when he emailed a request for a tempura dish that was his mother-in-law’s favorite, and he got a reply from the owner of this Baltimore restaurant that said they would not just have the food delivered to Vermont but that they would come and make it in person for this woman who was dying of cancer.
Why would this restaurant owner do such a thing? He says he remembers the customer as being a really sweet lady who loved their food and always made sure to thank them and say nice things about their restaurant.
Once he found out that it was her dying wish to have this as her last meal, he thought he would honor that request. So he packed up his vehicle with all the needed ingredients and drove to make her favorite dish so that she could have it hot and fresh.
Imagine her surprise when not only did she smell the delicious food but also realized that the owner of the restaurant had come to her home to cook it for her. She thoroughly enjoyed the food and was blown away by the generous gesture of this restaurateur. He, in turn, said it was an honor to fulfill this wish for her.
It’s so lovely to think that there are people in the world who care about others to this extent. This selfless act was one that was really above and beyond what was needed, but I have found that when we think about other people and do something we know that will make them happy, we are really doing something that will also make us happy.
I’m never happier than when I’m sharing my food with people I love. I would rather do something for someone else than for myself. I find that when I am down and discouraged, if I can think of something to do that will help someone out, it always lifts my spirits. That’s showing love and caring. And I believe that if everyone did so this world would be a better place.
Joke: I'm fighting the Battle of the Bulge, but so far, the Twinkies are winning.
Quote: "Distance between two people is inconsequential when their souls are united." — Matshona Dhliwayo
Advice: Going the extra mile can really take you places that you’ll remember forever.