Harper was heartbroken when circumstances forced her to sell her late son’s boots he never got to wear. Her life changed when an old stranger came to see her the next day. “Mom, how long are we gonna stand here?” Harper’s youngest daughter, Emily, broke the silence in the graveyard. She and her older sisters, Chloe and Amy, had accompanied their mother to their little brother Jack’s grave.
Jack lost his battle with pneumonia six months ago. It seemed all Harper knew was grief. First, she lost her husband Sean just months after Jack was born five years ago. Then she lost Jack. Then another storm arrived.
Just as the dust settled in a single mother’s life, her youngest child Emily was diagnosed with cancer. Harper did everything she could to save her daughter’s life. She worked two cleaning jobs and sold all the furniture her mother-in-law had left before she died. But the money was barely enough for Emily’s initial treatment. Surgery was still pending, and Harper couldn’t afford it.
She borrowed money from her friends while her monthly Social Security payouts were fully utilized on utilities. The struggles Harper faced daily seemed to have no end. At one point, she decided to sell all her remaining furniture, antique items, and even Jack’s possessions to the flea market for his steam. As Harper rummaged through her dead son’s belongings, she came across a pair of unused leather boots. She remembered buying them for Jack when he had a fancy dress competition in pre-king.
He’d wanted to dress up as a cowboy, but he didn’t get to do that due to severe flu. Harper wiped off the dust on the boots and held them close before kissing each one. “My baby, how I wish you were with us today. How happy he looked when I showed these new boots to you.” Harper was destroyed.
She put the boots in the box and tucked a note in that read, “In loving memory of little Jack Connor.” She put similar notes in a few other things and assembled them to take to the flea market. The next day, at the rummage sale, Harper ran into Barbara, an older lady presumably in her 70s, checking out secondhand clothes. What intrigued Harper was that the woman was picking only the best clothes and bargaining with a seller to cut the cost by a few dollars. “Now, in all these clothes, sir, I still ask you to reduce at least ten dollars, nothing more.
It’s been pretty long since the women and children in my shelter wore something nice.” Bargain Barbara. Barbara was pretty stunned. “Women and children in her shelter?” It turned out that Barbara was a widow who ran a shelter for single mothers and their kids.
She fed them, offered them refuge, and at times would shop for affordable second-hand clothes for them. Harper was moved by Barbara’s kindness and offered to give Jack’s clothes and boots for free, knowing she would be at a loss. “You’re sure you want to give them for free, my dear?” Barbara asked. “Why are your eyes so red?
Is there anything I can help you with?” Harper said it was just dust and walked away smiling. She thought they’d never meet again, but the next day, a loud beeping sound outside her home startled her. “It’s Barbara. What are you doing here?
Heartbreak claimed her when she saw Barbara get off her car. “Just came around to see you, my dear. I couldn’t thank you enough for your kind help yesterday. I found the notes in the items you gave me. I asked the flea market organizer for your address, and he told me you lived here.
Which should take me inside for a cup of coffee?” Harper was pleased Barbara came by to visit, but she feared the older woman wouldn’t like it inside the house. She thought her living conditions would not appeal to the eyes of a rich woman like Barbara, but she couldn’t refuse. She let Barbara inside her house and shyly stood behind as a guest looked around, astonished. “The state of your house says it all, my dear.
See, sometimes it’s not a bad idea to ask for help. All of us need support at some time or another,” Barbara said. “When my husband died, I was widowed and helpless. I was left to care for a little son. I crawled my way out of my struggles.
My life as a single mother was a roller coaster, don’t ask. But I believed in myself and made my weaknesses into my biggest strengths. Today, I can help all those homeless mothers and kids. They’re like family to me.” Harper’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she was unprepared for how kind the older woman would change her life.
Soon, this house would be gone in a few weeks. “I’m planning on selling it for my daughter’s surgery,” Harper revealed. Then she told her story to Barbara, who offered to help. She invited Harper and her daughters to live in her shelter. “You can stay there as long as you wish.
After you saw the house, I’ll provide for you and your children.” Harper could not thank Barbara enough. Shortly after, she sold her house and managed to pay for Emily’s surgery. The operation was successful, and soon Emily recovered and was discharged from the hospital. Harper and her daughters lived in Barbara’s shelter for two years.
During this time, Harper worked in an eatery owned by Barbara’s son, Matthew. Upon Barbara’s reference, she was hired as a cashier for good pay and a bonus. Two years later, Harper bought a lovely little house and moved in with her children. Though the home was very compact, it never lacked comfort and love. Even today, Barbara often drops by to visit Harper for a cup of coffee and a warm, friendly chat.
Read More: A couple adopted a homeless girl but she never spoke a single word to them until this happened