Picture: iStock
The Good Things Guy first reported how Jeff* was having dinner with his family at John Dory’s in the Walmer Shopping Centre in Port Elizabeth last month when he noticed the couple.
“We were out celebrating a new project. They seemed really nice – they were smiling and were friendly with everyone,” Jeff told News24.
“So I called the waitress and asked her to bring us the couple’s bill once they asked for it. She did just that and I paid it and wrote on the slip, ‘Kindness costs nothing, have a blessed day.'”
According to Jeff, upon hearing the news, the couple got up and wanted to know who had paid for their meal.
“They even spoke to the manager!”
But the secret was kept and the couple left the restaurant beaming, the husband sporting a big smile and his wife drying tears of joy.
It was only afterwards that Jeff learnt they had been celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
“That was such a blessing in disguise. The man told the waitress that he had put some money aside to take his wife out to spoil her on their anniversary. That made everything so much more special.”
Jeff said the company he works for believes in paying it forward.
“We believe that when we are blessed with work, it is important to be grateful. So when we get a new project, we like to give something back through random acts of kindness.”
This includes paying for random people’s meals, or buying snacks for people in hospitals.
“Sometimes you get a ‘tap on the shoulder’ and then you see someone who might need an act of kindness. It could be anyone who touches your heart.
“For example, my boss recently rewarded a guy who had worked really hard with some extra money. When that man returned home, his wife told him that the extra money was the exact amount they needed to pay the deposit on a house they wanted to rent.
“When you read the news, it is mostly negative. So we like to spread some positivity in people’s lives through anonymous, random acts of kindness.”
*Real name not published by request.
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