{"id":5041,"date":"2024-06-07T14:26:07","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T14:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kohajone.press\/?p=5041"},"modified":"2024-06-07T14:26:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T14:26:08","slug":"4-year-old-calls-stranger-old-person-in-store-then-her-mom-is-floored-by-his-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kohajone.press\/?p=5041","title":{"rendered":"4-year-old calls stranger \u201cold person\u201d in store \u2013 then her mom is floored by his response"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

These days, we often forget about the elderly among us, which perhaps why so many old people live alone and are isolated. But just because a person turns 65 or retires doesn\u2019t mean that they don\u2019t have feelings or opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And just because they\u2019ve lived a long life, doesn\u2019t mean they couldn\u2019t use more friendship and love, too. Actually, it\u2019s quite the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, when we saw this story online, we just had to share it. It\u2019s about four-year-old Norah. She called a stranger at a grocery store \u201cold person\u201d \u2014 and it changed both of their lives forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is Tara Wood. She\u2019s the mother of seven. When one of her children, Norah, turned four, she and Norah had a rather special experience together. Tara later felt compelled to share the story<\/a> \u2014 and it went viral as soon as she posted it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe day before my daughter Norah\u2019s fourth birthday, she foreshadowed a remarkable event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d just picked her up from preschool when she cautioned me to mind the elderly person walking across the parking lot at a glacier\u2019s pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She went on to explain that she has a soft spot for mature folks: \u2018I like old peoples the best \u2018cos they walk slow like I walk slow and they has soft skin like I has soft skin. They all gonna die soon so I\u2019m gonna love \u2019em all up before they is died.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure it got kinda weird and dark at the end there, but I liked where her heart was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was struck by her thoughtfulness and empathy and posted that quote as a status update on Facebook when we got home. I had no idea how much she really meant it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe following day \u2014 her birthday \u2014 again on the way home from school, she asked if we could stop at the grocery store to buy celebratory cupcakes for her and her six siblings to enjoy after dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you say \u2018No\u2019 to a birthday girl?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI popped Norah and her younger sister in one of those enormous and cumbersome grocery carts shaped like a car and headed toward the bakery. After we picked up the cupcakes, I stopped at a \u2018Clearance\u2019 shelf that caught my eye. While I was distracted picking up and then dismissing the bottles of almost expired Ranch dressing and cans of Ensure, Norah was busy standing up in the cart, excitedly waving and gleefully proclaiming, \u2018Hi old person! It\u2019s my birfday today!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man was elderly, stone-faced, and furrow-browed. However, before I could \u2018Shush\u2019 her for calling him an \u2018old person\u2019 or ask the Earth to swallow me whole, he stopped and turned to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If he was troubled by my no-filter-having child, he didn\u2019t show it. His expression softened as he replied, \u2018Well hello little lady! And how old are you today?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They chatted for a few minutes, he wished her \u2018Happy Birthday,\u2019 and we went our separate ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cA few minutes later, she turned to me and asked, \u2018Can I take a picture with the old man for my birfday?\u2019 It was the cutest thing ever and, although I wasn\u2019t sure if he\u2019d oblige, I told her we\u2019d certainly ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We found the man a couple of aisles over and I approached him. \u2018Excuse me, sir? This is Norah and she\u2019d like to know if you\u2019d take a photo with her for her birthday?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His expression rapidly morphed from confused to stunned to delighted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He took a step back, steadied himself on his shopping cart, and placed his free hand on his chest. \u2018A photo? With me?\u2019 he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Yes, suh, for my birfday!\u2019 Norah pleaded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so he did. I pulled out my iPhone and they posed together. She placed her soft hand on top of his soft hand. He wordlessly stared at her with twinkling eyes as she kept his hand in hers and studied his skinny veins and weathered knuckles. She kissed the top of his hand and then placed it on her cheek. He beamed. I asked his name and he told us to call him \u2018Dan.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were blocking other shoppers and they didn\u2019t care. There was magic happening in the grocery store that day and we could all feel it. Norah and Mr. Dan sure didn\u2019t notice they were chatting away like long lost friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAfter a few minutes, I thanked Mr. Dan for taking the time to spend a bit of his day with us. He teared up and said, \u2018No, thank YOU. This has been the best day I\u2019ve had in a long time. You\u2019ve made me so happy, Miss Norah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They hugged again and we walked away. Norah watched him until he was out of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d be lying to you if I told you I wasn\u2019t a weepy mess after their encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was blown away by this meeting and thought maybe some of the readers on my Facebook page might enjoy hearing about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I posted the story and a photo of the two of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLater that night, I received a private message from a local reader who recognized Mr. Dan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His wife, Mary, had passed away in March and he had been lonely since his beloved had gone. She wanted to let me know that she was certain his heart was touched by my little girl. That he needed it and it likely would never forget it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I asked for his phone number and called him a few days later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe made a visit to Mr. Dan\u2019s cozy and tidy house \u2014 reminders of Mary still proudly displayed everywhere you look. He had gotten a haircut, shaved, and was wearing slacks and dress shoes. He looked ten years younger. He\u2019d set out a child\u2019s table, blank paper, and crayons out for Norah. He asked if she\u2019d draw some pictures for him to display on his refrigerator. She happily agreed and went right to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We ended up spending nearly three hours with Mr. Dan that day. He was patient and kind with my talkative, constantly moving girl. He wiped ketchup off of her cheek and let her finish his chicken nuggets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we walked him to his front door after lunch, he pulled out a pocket knife a cut the single red rose blooming by his porch. He spent ten minutes cutting every thorn off of the stem before handing it to his new friend. She keeps that rose, now dry as a bone, in a Ziploc bag under her pillow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norah asks about Mr. Dan every day. She worries about him. She wonders if he\u2019s lonely, or cold, or has cheese for his sandwiches. She wants him to be okay. She wants him to feel loved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Dan thinks about Norah, too. After another recent visit, he relayed that he hadn\u2019t had an uninterrupted night\u2019s sleep since his wife died. He told me that he has slept soundly every night since meeting my girl. \u2018Norah has healed me,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That left me speechless and my cheeks wet with tears.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeventy-eight years separate these two people in age. Somehow, their hearts and souls seem to recognize each other from long ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norah and I have made a promise to see Mr. Dan every week \u2014 even if it\u2019s only for fifteen minutes, even if only for a quick hug and to drop off a cheese danish (his favorite!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve invited him to spend Thanksgiving with us. He\u2019s part of our family now. Whether he likes it or not, he\u2019s been absorbed into my family of nine and just like Norah said, \u2018We\u2019re gonna love him all up.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes talking to strangers can lead to beauty full new beginnings. Give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think this inspiring and heartwarming story is a brilliant reminder to notice people and talk to them. Please share it with your loved ones. You never knew what a conversation with a stranger can lead to!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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