The Morning Knock

The next morning, someone knocked on our door. It was the director from Maplewood, holding a box. Inside were handmade cards from the residents: “Thank you for reminding me I still matter,” one read. Another said, “I hadn’t smiled in months. Your daughter made my day.”

He handed me a folded note from Mr. Jacobs, the man with the oxygen tank, who had passed away peacefully the night before: You reminded me of my wife’s kindness. Tell your daughter she made an old man happy on his last day.

Tears blurred my vision. The residents had also pooled part of their holiday fund to give Lily a check “for college, or maybe just for more cookies.”

Lily and I returned the following weekend with Thanksgiving decorations and more cookies. She became a regular visitor, spreading joy through holidays, cookies, and stories of her stuffed bunny’s adventures. Local media and community support soon followed, but Lily never lost sight of the simple truth: small acts of kindness can change lives.

Sometimes the biggest hearts come in the smallest ghosts.