I was completely exhausted. While wrangling two kids aged under three, my husband and I had just moved all the way from the Kimberley to Tasmania. I remember being totally sleep deprived and trying to furnish a new house entirely from op-shops, without a support network around. I was so tired I’d recently driven the car into the fence at home – that’s the level of exhaustion I was dealing with!
We were out doing the groceries when I let the kids sit on those small mechanical rides you find out the front of shopping centres, while I sat down to take a breather. I never actually put any money in to start the rides, because I considered them a waste. When you’ve got little kids, you don’t have much disposable income to splash on silly things like that.
But an old man walked past, put $2 in the slot to start the ride, looked me in the eyes and said: “Have a nice day.” The kids were over the moon.
My children are 15 and 13 now and I still think about this often. When I was feeling utterly worn out, a stranger came along to give my kids joy – and give me a break.
There is a lot of good in simple acts. When I’m that man’s age, I’m going to put money in the kids’ rides too.
What is the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
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