The Cup of Coffee That Gave Me Hope
She smiled. “It’s free!”
“What?” I was in disbelief.
The world has been turned on its head, and I think it's safe to say that things are pretty crazy right now. I think it’s also safe to say that any given day can feature a wave of emotions – high and lows. Some days, it still feels like two years ago when the world was right side up. Some days, the weight of all that’s going on in the world sits on your shoulders. And that’s exactly how I was feeling one day not too long ago. Negative thoughts were building up in my mind. The internet is bad, the news is worse, and it seems as though all hope in the world is lost.
Well, one day (when we weren’t in lockdown), my mom and I went for a drive to get our minds off things (namely, rumours of another lockdown). The mood was melancholy, as we had just gotten out of another lockdown, and it seemed as though everyone was moving in slow motion. We decided to grab some coffees for the ride and pulled up to a nearby drive-through. They took our order, and we pulled up to the window, pretty quiet and morose.
Trying to keep my spirits up and not bring others down, I smiled at the person at the window. They smiled back, handed me our coffees and turned to walk away. I said, “Oh, excuse me, how much is it?”
She smiled. “It’s free!”
“What?” I was in disbelief.
She said, “The person in front of you paid for your order! Have a nice day!”
“You too,” I mumbled and pulled out of the drive-through. Honestly, I was in shock! I was having such a bad day, and a stranger did something so wonderful for us. My mom and I looked at each other and just smiled. It was such a simple gesture, but it was so heartwarming! Just the thought that someone wanted to do something nice made me beam.
That cup of coffee, that ordinary, two cream, no sugar coffee… gave me hope. It made me believe again. Believe in the human spirit, believe that we really are all in this together and that we will get through this… together. That moment, that cup of coffee, has encouraged me to continue being as kind to others as I can, to pay it forward.
It’s interesting to think of how one little thing can change someone’s whole day, their whole month. When it’s at its best, kindness is a ripple effect. It gets passed on from person to person and grows until tons of people are being kind to one another. And I think that's exactly what has been happening this past year. I think people are extra aware of being considerate, whether that's checking on a neighbour, calling loved ones, or buying someone a cup of coffee. Community is the glue that has kept us together through these times. And that cup of coffee has given me hope that no matter what happens in the future; love will always prevail.
Krista Hannesen
Editor in Chief - A Beautiful Life Magazine
Instagram: @kristahannesen
