Valentine Day is more than just about love between to people, it can also a day for acts of kindness. Here is a story of how I met a man and why he asked me to be his Valentine. 

The Morning Rush

It was a cold chilly Saturday morning when I rushed into Aldi to grab some groceries. As I wheeled my trolley down the aisle, I quickly glanced at the egg and saw the price of $ 4.95 for a dozen. I grimaced and decided not to buy eggs. Besides, my aunt has been giving us some from her house so we had enough.  I moved to the left and picked up a gallon of milk. As I closed the refrigerator door, I noticed a masked gentleman in a wheelchair to my left. The refrigerator door was wedged open with his wheelchair and he was trying to stand as if to grab something above him. Afraid that he might slip and fall, I turned to him and asked,

“Can I help you?” 

He stopped and turned to me in surprise. 

“Yes, please!” he said, his eyes wide with wonder. 

“What can I get you?” I asked.

“The organic milk.”

I looked up and saw it right on the top shelf, taller than myself on the right.  I can probably make it, I thought to myself. Standing on my tippy toes, I grabbed the milk off the shelf and handed it to him.

“Thank you, thank you!” he nodded his thanks, his voice filled with surprise and gratitude.

“You are welcome!” I responded with a smile under my own mask and headed toward the meat aisle without another thought.

“If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. The world needs more of that.”

Unknown

The Valentine Question

About ten minutes later, I checked out and was packing my groceries into a large box and a bag on a counter, when I heard a voice. 

“Madam, are you married?” I turned around and saw the same gentleman that I helped earlier. He was carrying a box of groceries and on each side wheelchair handle hung two bottles of one-gallon water. 

“Yes, I am,” I responded, wondering in the world why he would ask that question. And besides didn’t he see the big diamond on my left finger?

“If you weren’t, I would have asked you to be my Valentine!” he responded.

Surprised and humbled, I laughed out loud and replied, 

“I wished you all the best!.” Thinking to myself, I  hoped that he too will find a valentine. One that would love and show him kindness. 

He nodded his thanks, started whistling, and propelled his wheelchair forward with his feet. It was then that I realized that his wheelchair was not electric and was instead manual. As he exited the double doors, he stopped and ask a man to help wheel him to a nearby caravan. 

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

Unknown

As I watched this interaction, I wondered how often people ask if he needed help. Or if he always asked for help.  And I wonder what was his story? A man in a wheelchair traveling alone in a caravan. I may never find out but I am glad that my small act of kindness helped brighten his day a little. 

Final Words

With today being Valentine’s Day, I hope this story inspires you to brighten someone’s day with love and perform an act of kindness, not just today but every day.  Why? Because we need more kindness and love in this world.