When I was twelve, I used to steal flowers from a small shop to place on my mother’s grave. One day, the shop owner finally caught me, roses in hand. I braced myself for yelling or punishment.

Instead, she spoke gently: “If they’re for your mother, take them properly. She deserves better than stolen flowers.” From that day forward, she let me choose a bouquet every week — never asking for money, never asking questions. Her kindness became part of my grief, and my healing.

Ten years passed. I returned to that same shop, not as a grieving child, but as a bride-to-be choosing flowers for my wedding. She didn’t recognize me at first — until I spoke.

Her eyes widened, and her voice softened as she whispered, “I knew your mother. And your grandmother. They were always kind to me.” Suddenly, everything made sense — her quiet generosity, her compassion. She hadn’t just given me flowers. She had carried my family’s kindness forward, and returned it when I needed it most.