A woman stranded with a flat tire has lost faith in humanity. But a stranger’s simple act of kindness – and the book that inspired him – makes her question everything she believes.
The story
Maya didn’t believe in people’s goodness anymore. After losing her job and falling behind on rent, she’d seen too many closed doors. So when a flat tire stranded her on a backcountry road one rainy afternoon, she expected the worst.
But then someone stopped.
Sam pulled up in an old truck, wearing a “Keep Calm, I’m From Here” shirt. Without hesitation, he got out and checked her tire. “Got a jack and spare that might fit,” he said. “Let’s get you moving.”
“Why would you stop for a stranger?” Maya asked.
Sam smiled, already working. “Been stuck myself before. Know how it feels.”
While fixing her tire, Sam shared stories about his community’s history of helping others. “Used to be normal around here,” he said. “Got harder to remember that lately. But this book I’m reading, A Practical EmPath – it’s changing how I see things. Makes you think about what others might be going through. Makes you want to help more.”
Ten minutes later, Maya was back on the road. As she drove away, she couldn’t stop thinking about Sam’s kindness and the book he’d mentioned. For the first time in months, she wondered if maybe people were better than she’d thought.
Some acts of kindness do more than fix a flat tire – they repair our faith in each other.
