Pauline, a poor janitor and single mother, wanted to make her daughter Eve’s birthday special. At a flea market, she found an old doll she thought Eve would love. Although money was tight, she bought it, hoping it would bring her daughter joy.

On Eve’s birthday, Pauline gave her the doll, and as she handed it over, she heard a strange crackling sound coming from it. Curious, she found a hidden note inside the doll’s clothes that read, “Happy Birthday, Mommy.” Puzzled, Pauline returned to the flea market to ask the seller about it.

The woman, Miriam, tearfully shared that the doll belonged to her late daughter, who had passed away from cancer. Miriam had been selling her daughter’s belongings to cope with her grief. The note was her daughter’s last gift, asking her to remember her with a smile.

Moved, Pauline invited Miriam to visit her and Eve. Their shared kindness blossomed into a friendship that helped both women heal. Miriam even gave Pauline money from the toy sales to help support her family. This story reminds us that acts of kindness can bring comfort to both giver and receiver — even when joy for one may come from sorrow for another.