Even though my coffee was lukewarm, I drank it without tasting. Invoices, overdue emails, and a tightness in my chest filled my mind. My four-year-old, Nolan, tugged at my sleeve.

“Milkshake?” he asked, smiling.

It felt like a lifeline. I forced a smile back. “Yeah, buddy. Let’s go.”

At O’Malley’s Diner, Nolan ordered his usual—cherry vanilla, no whip. As we waited, I admired his carefree energy, untouched by life’s weight.

When his milkshake arrived, Nolan spotted a little boy sitting alone across the diner. Without hesitation, he climbed into the boy’s booth, wrapped an arm around him, and offered his milkshake.

No words, no questions—just pure kindness.

When the boy’s mother returned, she hesitated. I smiled to show it was okay. Her face softened.

“He looked lonely, Dad,” Nolan said.

That day, my son taught me: the world is just lonely people waiting to be seen. And sometimes, kindness is as simple as sharing a milkshake.