For 25 years, I’ve been part of an online mom group that began as a text-only board for new mothers. We supported each other through sleepless nights, first steps, and figuring out work–life balance. Over time, members came and went, but about fifty of us stayed, becoming a steady circle through every stage of life.

Those babies we raised are now adults — getting married, having children, earning degrees, and building their own futures. I never had a strong group of mom friends locally, so this online circle filled that space in my life. They became my safe place, my support system, and often my lifeline.

In my real-world neighborhood lived a young woman with a cruel husband everyone quietly worried about. One day, I saw her outside crying in her robe — he had kicked her and her child out. I took them in for a week. Then they suddenly disappeared, and so did my car-saving fund. I felt foolish but didn’t report it.

A month later, while sorting kitchen drawers, I found the money — plus more — and a note from her. She thanked me, saying I was the only one who helped and the extra was to repay my kindness. She wrote that she and her child were safe. That moment reminded me how simple compassion can change someone’s world — and sometimes, it comes back in ways you never expect.