A few weeks ago, on a cold, damp day, my husband Adam spent hours at my mom’s house cutting up a massive tree that had been badly damaged in a storm. Since her home sits at a busy four-way intersection, plenty of people passing by could see the work. Several stopped to ask if they could have the wood once he finished.
Then one man stopped—not just to ask for the wood, but to offer his help in exchange. With days of backbreaking work ahead, Adam accepted.
The man introduced himself as Chris. He lived just up the road, knew everyone’s dogs in the neighborhood, and immediately asked to meet my mom’s Frenchies. To our surprise, the dogs—usually picky about people—absolutely adored him. Maybe it was the way he knelt down to their level, his big frame radiating joy as he greeted them.
Chris didn’t just help for an hour—he stayed for hours in the damp cold, sawing and splitting wood alongside Adam. Later, he even brought his wife, Jackie, to join in. That first day, they filled their truck with several loads of wood while keeping my mom and Adam laughing with their playful banter. At one point Chris split his pants, and Jackie jokingly rolled her eyes while everyone else cracked up.
When the day was over, sore and exhausted, my husband and mom both seemed a little lighter, a little brighter—simply because of the company they’d had.
Since then, I’ve watched Adam and Chris spend many more hours working side by side in the yard—sawing, splitting, lifting, hauling, and talking. A friendship has grown from those shared hours, one that Adam truly needed. He has very few local friends and no family nearby. Chris, now retired, had more time than he knew what to do with. Both men found joy in being useful, and my mom found herself blessed with unexpected help when she needed it most.
This past year has been brutal for my mother—filled with more loss and trauma than anyone should have to carry. The tree falling was just one more burden. And yet, that very disaster brought Chris and Jackie into our lives, with their goodwill, humor, and kindness.
Sometimes, our worst luck brings unexpected blessings. Chris will likely never realize how much his kindness lifted both my husband and my mom. To him, it may have just been about helping with some firewood. But really—it was never about the wood. It was about seeing someone with a task too big to manage, and choosing to step in.
I believe every act of kindness creates ripples. Maybe we can’t fix the whole world by being kind—but we can change the world for someone else. And when we do, who knows what good might follow.
Credit: Love What Matters
