One quiet morning, young Tyler watched a video of himself and his grandmother sitting on their porch. They were laughing heartily, and he cherished seeing her smile.

But now, as she lay in the hospital at risk of pneumonia, Tyler knew he had to care for her just like she had cared for him when his parents weren’t around.

He pondered, what could he possibly do?

Then, his grandmother’s words echoed in his mind—food is like medicine, and any sickness is just the body’s way of signaling what it needs. This gave him an idea: he decided to bring her some juicy oranges.

Excited with his plan, Tyler reached for his piggy bank, crammed with fifty-cent coins he earned from solving riddles that his grandmother would challenge him with. Solving riddles with her was his favorite pastime.

Next morning, he persuaded his father for a quick stop at the store on their way to the hospital. “Please, Dad, it’s for Grandma! It’s a surprise, I promise!” Shedding his seatbelt, he dashed into the store with his backpack.

Inside, he grabbed all the fruit he could spot—kiwis, strawberries, oranges, and more.

At the counter, he politely handed his piggy bank to the cashier, who also happened to be the store owner. “Good morning! I’d like to buy all these, please!” he exclaimed eagerly. “I’m paying in cash. Here’s $42.50. Is that enough?”

The owner, Stella, was taken aback by his politeness.

After tallying the money, she let him know he was short $14 but offered to let him take the fruit anyway when Tyler mentioned it was for his grandmother.

However, Tyler didn’t want charity. Instead, he proposed a little challenge to Stella—if she could solve one of his riddles, he’d fetch the extra money from his father. If not, he’d pay only with what he had.

Stella smiled warmly, intrigued, and the other customers in line began to take notice.

Tyler asked, “What is always ahead of us but can’t be seen?”

The small crowd started murmuring, tossing out guesses. “Air?” someone suggested. “Glasses?” another offered. Stella was puzzled. Think, think, she urged herself, but nothing fit. Finally, she admitted defeat. Tyler revealed the answer: “The future!”

Stella chuckled, handed over the bags of fruit, and Tyler hurried back to his father’s car, eager to get to the hospital.

Seeing his grandmother, he eagerly recounted the whole event. She laughed and told him she was proud of him. Secretly, his parents were proud too, seeing the clever boy he was growing up to be.

As the family chatted, someone entered the room. It was Stella.

Apologizing for the interruption, she explained she was so moved by Tyler’s kindness towards his grandmother that she wanted to help cover the medical expenses.

Besides, she added, a bag of fruit would be ready for Tyler weekly at her store.

Tyler’s parents, who were struggling with expenses, were immensely grateful, while his grandmother clutched her hands over her heart in sheer joy.

As Stella left the hospital, she fondly remembered her own grandmother posing riddles to her and gifting her fifty cents for each correct answer. Tyler’s riddle was one she already knew, but she had pretended otherwise. It was the last riddle her grandmother had ever told her, and Stella still cherished those fifty cents after all those years.

Tyler’s story reminds us of the power of a kind gesture and how the simplest actions can bring about significant change. How have small acts of kindness impacted your life? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!