I never expected my life to change on an ordinary day, especially because of a stranger’s request. When a homeless man asked me to take his dog, I questioned whether I was too absorbed in my own difficulties. But a month later, I received a letter that left me in tears. What was in that letter? And how did it lead to our lives becoming intertwined?
Sometimes life surprises you when you least expect it.
For me, it started with a simple request from a man who only had the love of his dog in his heart.
It had been a year since my husband Jason was killed in a car accident. A year of struggling to keep myself afloat, to be strong for the sake of my 8 year old son Liam.
Some days were harder than others, but every day felt like a real struggle.
Because losing Jason was like shattering my world.
He wasn’t just my husband. He was my partner. My best friend. My everything.
At first, I thought I couldn’t go on.
I’d wake up to an empty bed, hear silence instead of his laughter, feel a pain in my chest that wouldn’t go away.
But every time I wanted to give up, I looked at Liam. He needed me.
I couldn’t collapse when he relied on me.
Liam, my sweet boy, had inherited Jason’s kind heart. He noticed when I was having a hard time and quietly held me.
‘It’s going to be okay, Mummy,’ he would say, his little voice filled with comfort. ‘I’m always with you.’
His words always brought tears, but they also gave me strength.
My little Liam was with me as we left the shop that day. He was in his oversized coat and chatting about a school project.
His enthusiasm was one of the few things that could make me smile, even on the darkest of days.
As we loaded our bags into the boot, I noticed a man sitting on the edge of the car park.
He was wrapped in a tattered rug, his face red from the cold. A small, dishevelled dog sat next to him, shivering, cuddled against his side.
‘Mum,’ Liam said, tugging on my sleeve, ’the dog is so cold. Can we help?
I looked at the man and then at Liam. My heart clenched. We didn’t have much to help. Money was running low and I was barely getting by.
‘Honey, we can’t take on another problem right now,’ I said as I closed the boot.
But just as we were about to leave, the man stood up and walked towards us.
I instinctively froze, pulling Liam against me.
‘Excuse me, madam,’ he began, his voice husky and unsure, ’may I ask you to take care of my dog?’
I froze, not quite understanding what he said. ‘What?’
He lowered his eyes, his face full of shame.
‘Her name is Daisy,’ he said. ‘She’s all I have, but I…I can’t take care of her anymore. She’s cold, and I don’t have the means to feed her. She deserves better.’
I didn’t know what to say. The desperation in his eyes was obvious.
My first instinct was to say no. How could I take a dog when I could barely manage myself?
But then Liam pulled my hand, his huge, pleading eyes looking up at me.
‘Mum, please. She needs our help,’ he whispered.
I looked at Daisy, her rumpled fur and trembling body, and my resolve evaporated. I couldn’t say no.
Not with Liam’s face and not with the man’s request.
‘Okay,’ I said quietly, sitting down and stroking Daisy. ‘We’ll take her.’
The man’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Thank you,’ he said, his voice shaking. ‘Thank you so much.
As we drove home, I couldn’t take my eyes off Daisy in the backseat. She was curled up next to Liam.
I didn’t get much sleep that night. Daisy howled quietly from her new cot in the living room, clearly not used to her new surroundings.
Liam had made up his favourite rug for her, the one with the dinosaurs on it, the one he couldn’t sleep without.
‘It’s going to be okay, Daisy,’ he said, stroking her head with his small hands. You’re safe, okay? We love you.’
Watching them together filled me with unexpected warmth.
And for some reason, the heaviness in my chest seemed a little lighter. I guess I hadn’t felt that kind of peace since Jason left.
In the weeks that followed, Daisy became part of our little family.
Liam took care of her, feeding her, brushing her tangled fur and even reading her bedtime stories.
‘She likes ‘Goodnight Moon’ best,’ he said one night, with complete seriousness.
I couldn’t keep from laughing. ‘Really?’
‘She wagged her tail when I read,’ he insisted, and Daisy lay in his lap, her eyes half-closed.
Daisy brought something into our home that we didn’t even realise – joy.
Liam laughed as she chased his sword or licked his face.
Even I began to smile more often, feeling a small sense of purpose in caring for her. It wasn’t just Deisa who needed us. We needed her, too.
And then, a month later, something unexpected happened.
It was a cold evening.
Liam was making a house at the kitchen table and Daisy was snoozing at his feet. I was going through the entourage when I noticed an envelope among the bills and grocery coupons.
It was plain, no stamp or return address.
It read, ‘From your old friend,’ in uncertain handwriting.
Curious, I opened the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper. As I read the letter, my heart shook.
Dear Daisy,
I hope you are warm and cosy. I miss you so much, but I know I made the right choice. You deserve a home, food and people who will love you like I do. I think about you every day, but knowing you are safe makes me feel better.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be the person you needed to be. Thank you for being my friend when I had no one. I will never forget you.
With love,
an old friend of yours.
I didn’t notice I started crying until Liam interrupted my thoughts.
‘Mum, what’s wrong?’ – He asked, his little face full of worry.
I showed him the letter, and his face grew serious as he read it. When he looked at me, his jaw clenched with determination.
‘Mum, we have to find him,’ he said. ‘He shouldn’t be alone.’
That’s what I meant when I said Liam had inherited Jason’s good heart. Jason was the same way. He could never leave someone in need.
‘You’re right,’ I told my son. ‘We’ll find him.’
The next morning we packed a bag with food, a warm blanket, and clothes. Liam insisted on taking Daisy with him.
‘She’ll help us find him,’ he said confidently, scratching her behind the ears. ‘She misses him, too.’
We started back to where we’d first met him, but he wasn’t there. The cold wind bit our faces as we searched, asking passersby if they’d seen him.
Most shook their heads, but a friendly woman in a café said she’d seen a similar man in a soup kitchen for the poor in the city centre.
Liam’s face lit up.
‘Let’s go, Mum!’ – He said, holding my sleeve.
We immediately drove to the canteen.
As soon as we pulled up, Daisy was suddenly alert in the back seat, her tail drumming on the seat.
‘She can feel him!’ – Liam exclaimed.
And indeed, there he was, sitting at the entrance to the dining room, wrapped in a threadbare rug.
He looked thinner and his cheeks were drooping, but I couldn’t be mistaken.
Before I could say anything, Daisy jumped out of the car, her leash snatched from Liam’s hands.
‘Daisy!’ – Liam shouted, but she was already halfway to him, her small body trembling with excitement.
The man lifted his head just in time to catch her as she leapt into his arms.
‘Daisy, girl,’ he whispered.
He pressed his face against her fur, holding her like she was his most precious possession. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and I felt my own eyes fill with tears.
I walked over to him, Liam walking beside me.
‘Hi,’ I said quietly. ‘I’m Emma. We were taking care of Daisy.’
He looked at me, his eyes full of gratitude.
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I missed her so much, but I knew I couldn’t give her what she deserved. Seeing her like this…it means everything to me. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see her again.’
‘You don’t have to say goodbye forever,’ Liam said. ‘We can bring her to you. Can’t we, Mum?
I nodded, smiling through my tears. ‘Of course. We’d be very happy to.’
From that day on, we started visiting every two weeks.
We brought daisies, food, and supplies. The man asked for nothing more than time with Daisy. He wanted to hold her, play with her and feel connected again.
Over time, we got to know him better.
His name was Edward, and he had been through more adversity than I could have imagined, but his love for Daisy never faded.
A few months later, another letter arrived. But this time it had an address.
Dear Emma,
Your kindness gave me hope when I had none. I am writing to tell you that I have started with a clean slate. I got a job and now I live in a small flat. I will never forget what you and Liam have done for me. Thank you for believing in me.
Edward. Your friend,
Edward.
Edward soon became part of our family.
I am grateful to fate for bringing Daisy into our lives because she taught Liam the power of kindness. And it proved that even the smallest acts of love can change lives.
Sometimes I think about how close I came to saying no that day. And how saying yes changed everything.
So before you say no to kindness, stop and think.
The world thrives on kindness, and it needs those who are willing to act without hesitation. Those who open their hearts, even when it’s hard.
The world needs people like you to make it brighter, warmer, and better for everyone.
