A modest family in a small English village took in an elderly woman barely a relative, practically a stranger. She was not only almost unknown to them but also blind and, forgive the bluntness, of diminished mind. It was a reckless kindness, yet they welcomed her.
The family lived on a farm near Ashford, simple and poor, with three children. One of the sons had two grandchildren, so the household was fairly large. They were roughhewn, not highly educated, but honest and conscientious. Rather than sending the old lady to a care home or visiting her only in the evenings, they brought her into their own home, even though she could no longer look after herself.
They fetched her thin blankets, gave her a clean dress and a fresh scarf, fed her from a spoon, and laid her on a bed with a rug embroidered with deer a picture she could not see. Life settled into a routine of cabbage soup, porridge, instant noodles, tea with sugar, trips to the toilet, and frequent changes of clothes. She muttered constantly in a frail, crackling voice.
One day the old woman, Felicity Miller, whispered, Theres a thief in the outbuilding. When they checked, a drunken neighbour was indeed pilfering potatoes and cabbages. A few weeks later she warned, Dont let Rory drive into the town; his car will crash. Trusting the bewildered elder, the family kept Rory at home. His friend set off anyway and was badly injured, while Rory would have been in grave danger had he been with him.
Felicity kept chattering, though she remembered little, could not see, and could barely bring a spoon to her mouth. Eventually she began begging for a lottery ticket. Her father drove to the nearest market town and bought one. To everyones astonishment, the ticket won a hefty prize somewhere between three and five hundred thousand pounds, enough to be called a fortune by the simple folk. With the winnings they bought Felicity a new robe, a tin of gingerbread, a beautiful quilt, and all the little treats they could think of. Though she could not see the colours, the family imagined she perceived them in some other way, and they treated her as if she were a cherished guest.
Even though her mind drifted and she forgot things constantly, she could not feed herself or reach the toilet unaided, yet she smiled warmly. She sat on the pretty quilt in her fresh robe and tidy scarf, like a doll, threading beads and murmuring gentle words in her thin voice, nodding her head as if approving the peace around her.
The experience taught them that generosity, no matter how foolish it may seem, can bring unexpected blessings. Kindness toward those who appear helpless not only lifts them, but can also open doors to abundance and remind us that compassion is its own reward.
