Written by Yosef Michael on October 11, 2025.

I was in a grocery store, second in line at the checkout. A woman was in the line next to me, third in line. Seconds later, the first person completed his purchase, and the woman was now second in line. While the cashier was ringing up her items, the older woman pulled out a bag with coins and began counting them. The woman and I realized the older woman would take forever. I saw the look on the woman’s face as she turned and tried to go behind me.

I stopped her and asked her to please get in line ahead of me. Her expression changed to disbelief, and she tried to go behind me again. I told her, “I saw you in line right there. I saw what happened? Please go ahead of me.” She still could not believe that I was asking her politely to go ahead of me. This time, she reluctantly agreed and stepped in front of me.

After the cashier finished and the woman paid for her items, she turned to me and said, “Thank you, sir, for letting me go ahead of you.” I said, “You are welcome, Ma’am.”

I could see the woman was overwhelmed with gratitude. The look of gratitude was on her face, and in her body as she had turned to me. Her body had contained such heartfelt emotions. It was a very beautiful to watch her. I realized the importance of how simple acts of kindness could make someone’s day happy. After having seen her reaction, I noticed that she is a lovely soul, which is why G-d set up the circumstances to improve her day. Blessed G-d, thank you for allowing me to be part of making her day better!

For me, it was a small gesture, but for her, it was an unbelievable change in her circumstances and the kindness of a random stranger; she went from feeling dread for having chosen to be in the former line to completing her purchase before the elderly lady finished hers.