In a world of division over politics, culture, religion, and so on, we need a reminder that people can be kind and welcoming to strangers. And we can be that change that we want to see if we pay attention and we intentionally respond to others with kindness. Take, for example, the photo of the young man and the elderly woman who shared a meal together, bystanders noticed and took a photo, and it went viral. The simple act when the man eats a meal with an elderly stranger touched so many. Here’s what happened:
The Viral Moment: Man Eats a Meal With an Elderly Stranger
Amanda Marquell Craft, a teacher, was enjoying a meal with her coworkers at McDonald’s in Nobelsville, Indiana back in November of 2018, when they noticed a sort of juxtaposition. They watched as an elderly woman approached some teenage boys for a friendly conversation, and the boys brushed her off. However, just moments later, an entirely different woman approached the next table over, where sat Eric Haralson, who was 28 years old at the time. He responded in friendliness to her, and invited her to sit down. This is the moment the 28-year-old man eats a meal with the elderly stranger. Check it out here, where Sharing is Caring shared Amanda’s original post:
The second man’s response was touching to Amanda and her friends; so she snapped the above photo and posted it to Facebook. In her original post, she said, “Shout out to this guy! This elderly lady (seemed to be a little lonely) came up to him and asked if she could sit with him. Without hesitation, this guy said, ‘of course.’ ”
Amanda went on to explain what she saw in her post, saying “My friends and I watched him introduce himself and shake her hand. They talked and laughed together like they were friends.”