Small deeds

It was all I could do for them. The fire had ravaged their home, leaving nothing but charred remains. The family stood in shock, tears streaming down their faces as they watched their life's work crumble to ashes. But I knew I had to act fast. I was their neighbor and their friend, and I couldn't just stand there and watch them suffer.

I offered to let them stay with me until they could get back on their feet. They were hesitant at first, but after a moment of consideration, they graciously accepted my offer. Over the next few days, I watched as they slowly came to terms with their loss. We shared meals together, and I listened as they recounted their favorite memories of their home.

One day, while we were sitting on my front porch, I noticed something in the distance. It was a small, rickety old truck making its way down the dirt road. As it got closer, I could see that it was an old man driving the vehicle. He pulled up in front of my house and stepped out, a gentle smile on his face.

He introduced himself as Mr. Jenkins and explained that he had heard about the fire from a mutual friend. He then handed me a small, worn envelope and told me to give it to the family. As he got back into his truck and drove away, I couldn't help but wonder what was inside the envelope.

When I returned to the living room, I handed the envelope to the family. They looked at it with a mixture of confusion and excitement. The mother carefully opened it and gasped. Inside was a deed to a small piece of property just outside of town. It wasn't much, but it was enough to start over.

The family was overcome with gratitude, and I could see a glimmer of hope return to their eyes. They hugged me tightly, tears streaming down their faces, and thanked me for everything. They left the next day, determined to rebuild their lives.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. I missed the family terribly, but I knew they were doing what they needed to do to get back on their feet. One day, I received a letter in the mail from the family. They had settled into their new home, and they were doing well. The letter was filled with gratitude and appreciation, and I felt a sense of warmth spread throughout my chest.

But then I noticed something odd. The letter had been forwarded to me from another address. It was a small, out-of-the-way town that I had never heard of. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Without thinking, I got into my car and started driving. The hours flew by, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the address on the envelope. It was a small, run-down house on the edge of town. I hesitated for a moment before getting out of my car and walking up to the front door.

I knocked, and after a few moments, the door creaked open. It was the old man, Mr. Jenkins. He looked surprised to see me, but he invited me in nonetheless. The house was cluttered and smelled of old newspapers and dust. But something caught my eye - a picture on the wall. It was a picture of the family I had helped, standing in front of a brand-new house, smiling from ear to ear.

I turned to Mr. Jenkins, my heart racing. "Why did you do it?" I asked.

He smiled at me, his eyes twinkling. "I've been around a long time, son. I've seen a lot of things. And I've learned that sometimes, all it takes is one act of kindness to change someone's life. You did that for that family,