When she lost her husband, she kept her old telephone number on the line. Although she was aware that he’d not answer, at times she called the same numbers just to get his voicemail messages–a little comfort which made her feel more connected to him.
One day, however an unexpected event occurred. Instead of contacting voicemail, the phone was received. “Hello?” a man’s voice answered on the other side. The phone number was transferred to the new owner.
With embarrassment and shock The widow was about to hang her phone, but instead she told her story, explaining that she didn’t want to get in the way of anybody, she just wanted to hold on to the memories of her husband she adored.
Her surprise was further. The person who called her did not dismiss her or ask her to cease calling. Instead, he offered her something unique: anytime she got lonely and felt the need to contact him to talk to him, he’d answer her call with kindness. Her call would never be answered by silence.
Their unique friendship has brought joy to hearts across the globe. “It’s such a beautiful reminder of humanity,” one Twitter user posted. “Sometimes, the people we least expect can become our source of comfort.”
The story, according to grief counselors, illustrates how important even the most small gestures of kindness could be to someone who is suffering from the loss of a loved one. “Loneliness is one of the hardest parts of grief,” said by a specialist. “To have a stranger step in, not to replace the loved one but to listen, can make all the difference.”
The initial urgent call to the darkness transformed into something else: evidence that even during the most difficult moments, the kindness of unexpected locations can keep the hope alive.
