Ever get more out of doing something nice for someone than that person ever expected you could possibly get?

Two women looked puzzled as they eyed the three-drawer bureau they had just purchased and  an open rear door and open trunk of their car.

I stopped. Neither looked at me, but I remember seeing them earlier in the store we had just left. The bureau sat on one of  those flat-bed carts. I could easily see it would not fit into the small trunk, but had a hunch the women, both smaller and possibly older than me, were contemplating doing just that — pushing it into a space that could not contain it.

“May I help you? I asked.

“Yes, we were trying to get this in the car, possibly the trunk,” the older of the two said as she turned toward me and then motioned to the bureau on the cart behind her. “I don’t think it would fit there, but it should not be a problem in the back seat, I said. Neither seemed apprehensive that a strange man wearing flip-flops this late in the season would offer to help them with their chore.

I picked the bureau off the cart and placed part of it on the back seat. “Can we get inside and help you?” one of them asked. “No,” I said, a little louder than I had intended because I had just lifted the object again and was using all of my strength and wanted to project my voice above the slight straining I felt. I put the furniture on the ground, turned it around so that the drawers would face out from the seat, then returned it to the car, shutting the door.

“Will you take a tip,” the woman asked, possibly looking at my wind-blown (messy) hair, unshaven face and somewhat dishevelled, yet comfortably fitting clothes.

” No,” I replied, then brought my two hands together, placed them on my chest near my heart and offered: ” Namaste,” bowing and  hoping that I pronounced the word correctly. I added “May God Love You“‘ on quick reflection that there was a good possibility that neither would be familiar with that Hindu (Indian?) greeting.

I turned, walk away and as I sat behind the wheel of my car I beamed, feeling so good to have aided another without getting anything in return. Yes, I believe that I got more out of providing help than those who had received it.

”   .   .   .   for it is in the giving that we receive, it is in the pardoning that we are pardoned  .   .   .   “  — St. Francis of Assisi