My name is Margaret, but most call me Maggie. One day, I went to the supermarket to buy a single bun—a small comfort in my quiet life after being abandoned by my family. At the checkout, I realized I’d misplaced my two dollars. The cashier snapped, “Hurry up, old lady. If you can’t pay, don’t waste our time.” Shame burned through me.

Just then, she knocked over a stack of cans and fell. As people rushed to help, a kind man named John offered to pay for my bun. We talked. I told him I used to teach chemistry; he asked if I’d tutor his daughters. I said yes.

That small act reignited my purpose. My home soon filled with students, laughter, and learning. Weeks later, I returned to the store—now respected, now seen.

John’s kindness gave me more than a bun. It gave me a new beginning.