A wife arrived home after a long shopping trip, and was horrified to find her husband in bed with a young, lovely thing.
Just as she was about to storm out of the house, her husband stopped her with these words: “Before you leave, I want you to hear how this all came about. Driving home, I saw this young girl, looking poor and tired, I offered her a ride. She was hungry, so I brought her home and fed her some of the roast you had forgotten about in the refrigerator.” Her shoes were worn out so I gave her a pair of your shoes you didn’t wear because they were out of style. She was cold so I gave her that new birthday sweater you never wore even once because the color didn’t suit you.
Her slacks were worn out so I gave her that pair you never liked because they were too tight. She was shivering, so I gave her your coat, the one you never wore because you said it was too heavy. She needed a place to stay, and since you always complained about our guest room being too cluttered, I cleaned it out for her to sleep in.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she thanked me for every single thing. As I was about to drive her to a shelter, she turned to me and said, ‘Please thank your wife for me. She has given me more than just these items; she has given me hope.’
Her words struck me deeply. I realized that in helping her, we were making a small difference in the world. So, before you storm out, remember this: compassion costs nothing, but its value is immeasurable.”
