Kindness Pays Back

Kindness Surely Pays Back

There once was a little boy called Hassan who lived in a small village in Pakistan. Hassan’s family were poor and they just about had enough to make ends meet. To help the family Hassan used to sell baskets, rope and other hand-made items from door-to-door. The money not only helped his family but also paid his way through school. On one of the many hot days in the village, Hassan was out working away, he found his pockets to be empty & he was hungry. It was a blazing hot day & Hassan had another hour or so to go before he got home.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. The young woman, upon seeing the boy thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk instead. When Hassan saw the milk, his eyes lit up. “Jazakallah”, he said softly. He drank the milk slowly, and then suddenly remembering he had no money quickly asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” the young woman replied. “My mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” Hassan replied “Then jazakallah & I thank you from my heart.”

Life went on & year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled by her illness. So much so they finally sent her to the big city, where they called in a specialist to study her rare disease. The specialist, after a long struggle & an operation helped cure the woman of her ailment. When the hospital tallied up the charges for the treatment, they sent the final bill to the specialist to check. He looked at it, wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent back to be given to the woman.

When the woman, who was recuperating in hospital got the bill, she feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. She cautiously opened the envelope and took out the bill. On the side of the bill was a hand-written note, “Paid in full with one glass of milk.” (Signed) Dr. Hassan Amin. Tears of joy flooded her eyes. Kindness surely pays back.