I spotted the quilt the moment I walked in. It was beautiful: hand-sewn in bright purple and green by a local quilt maker.
My husband and I were at a fundraiser for Nepal, to raise money to rebuild a school. The quilt was a raffle prize: you buy tickets, and one ticket wins. I loved it so much I bought 10 tickets, hoping I would be the lucky winner.
My husband, Sam, bought 10 tickets as well. But he said that if he won, he would only auction the quilt again to raise extra money. That is the selfless sort of man he is. Sure enough, he won. True to his word, Sam went up to the front and immediately began asking people to bid.
I sat there thinking, "Put a smile on your face. We are here to raise money. Get a grip!" But I was secretly heartbroken to have missed out on the quilt.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a woman bidding hard. I thought, "Well, that is nice. She is putting money toward an important cause." She made the last bid, and Sam handed her the quilt.
Then, to my surprise, she stood up, walked over to me and said, "I'm giving your wife this quilt." I just sat there and tried not to cry. She later told some friends of ours that she saw the look on my face when Sam began the auction, and she wanted me to have it. What a beautiful thing to do.
I was determined to thank her after the shock wore off. We have always told our kids that it is important not to take kindness for granted. I asked around for her address and mailed her a heartfelt thank-you card.
That quilt has had the best place on our bed ever since. It is a daily reminder of all the goodness in this world.