Have you ever noticed someone watching you?
One evening at Brad’s Bar-B-Que in Oxford, Alabama, the CCTV recorded an elderly woman entering the restaurant, and just moments later three young men followed her into the diner.
She had no idea what was in store for her.
No one, not even those involved in this story, could have guessed what was to happen next.
But believe me when I say that this little act changed their worlds altogether.
80-year old Eleanor Baker is a widow who lives in Oxford, Alabama, with her dog Rufus, after her husband passed away.
This sweet old lady dines alone, enjoying her meal in a little booth and perhaps it’s been this way for a long time.
And while most people would glance over, take pity, but do nothing, these three young men did otherwise.
Although she has a big family, most of her relatives live out of town, so she is used to dining alone and having nobody to talk to other than her loyal furry friend.
Rufus has been Eleanor’s company and she must have resigned herself to that fact. Up until that fateful day.
That evening, as Baker believes, she was sent to Brad’s Bar-B-Que for a reason.
“It was a God thing. I think God sent me there [as an example that] people care about other people and how important it is.”
As she was sitting, alone, one of the three young men that had entered the place right after her, Jamario Howard.
He realized that she was probably feeling lonely and he decided to go up to her and ask her if she wanted some company.
“He just came up and he said ‘I saw you sitting over here alone’ and he said ‘do you mind having some company?'” Baker narrates.
The elderly woman answered that he could, by all means, sit with her and that’s how it all started.
Soon all four of them found themselves sitting at the same table, enjoying their meal and each other’s company.
The men even admitted that on their way back home they kept discussing that encounter.
“When you make that kind of connection with somebody, it’s hard to let it go,” said JaMychol Baker.
The three men also explained that what had started as an act of kindness, it ended up being more than just purely altruistic- they actually had fun that night.
It is a beautiful story.
It had these three guys and Mrs. Baker suddenly reflecting on life and sharing stories with each other.
Although they didn’t know the elderly woman, as time went by, they realized that it was fun spending time together and in the end, they even felt that they were already her grandchildren.
That was the kind of bond made in that restaurant.
It’s amazing what beautiful hearts and good food can do. And just like that, they’re lives were changed forever.
Jamario confessed that from an early age, all he wanted to do was change the world.
Although he’s not rich or famous, he believes that he can make a difference by showing the world that being kind, nice and generous to others can turn the world into a happier place for everyone.
“I’m not rich. I’m not famous. And I’m not very smart either, so I can’t be president. But we can show the world it’s alright to be kind,” he said. “And then, before long, maybe the world will be a much better place.”
Such acts of kindness certainly restore our faith in humanity and they remind us that there are still nice people out there.
All we need to do is be open to them and welcome them in our lives so that they get the chance to brighten them up.
It’s often been said that we should be kind to everyone since we don’t know what they’ve been through.
A little love leaves an indelible mark.
And, who knows?
Maybe this will give us the push we need to make someone else’s life happier, too.
Hear their incredible story for yourself in the video below.
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