When a young mother realized realized that she forgot her wallet as the cashier was scanning her items, a kind person in line paid for her groceries.
Danielle Vinson was shopping with her 9-month-old son at a grocery store in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, taking a little trip to the store to get some needed relief during a stressful day. While getting ready to pay in the checkout line, she couldn’t find her wallet, so she called her husband and asked him to quickly drive to the store to pay, when the next person in line spoke up and said that she wanted to pay for her.
“A stranger paid for our groceries today. All $178.86 worth of baby food and deli meat and milk and veggies…. paid forward in check st and 11,” Danielle shared in a post online.
“It was the most incredible generosity I’ve ever experienced in my life. After a day of pms-ing, and dealing with boys who love me so but just DON’T get it, I took a “break” at the market with just one kid – the one that doesn’t talk back (yet) – and after feeding him teething crackers to get through the trip, I placed all our items on the belt, handed the cashier our reusable bags, and turned around to a sudden panic while fumbling around my wallet-less diaper bag. Holding my forehead in despair with one hand, I called my husband with the other and pleaded for him to teleport my wallet to me in that moment, when I heard her behind me; “Keep ringing everything up, I’ll take care of it.”‘
A kind woman in line had heard Danielle’s conversation with her husband, and insisted on paying for her groceries. Danielle was thankful for her kindness, but knew that the total was not going to be cheap, so she politely declined. But the kind woman paid for her groceries anyway.
“I whipped around in absolute disbelief and shook my head. I glanced at the screen at an unfinished subtotal of $70 and whipped around, thankful, but insistent that it was just way too expensive. “Seriously, don’t worry about it, I need to do something for the holidays. Merry Christmas, enjoy” she told me, with insistence stronger than mine.”
Danielle told her she wanted to pay her back, but the kind woman wouldn’t accept any money from her and wouldn’t tell her how she could pay her back. In the midst of her stressful day, Danielle was deeply touched by her kindness.
“I felt my eyes welling up with joyful, humbled, grateful tears. This is the stuff you read about that makes you smile, but when it’s real life, YOUR reality? You changed my life today, ma’am. This moment is now forever engrained in my heart, and every thanksgiving I’m bringing YOUR love to my table. Thank you, from the peaks to the depths of my heart. Thank you ❤️✌?️??✨❤️”
