George was seventy-eight years old, and he knew it was finally time to sit down and write his will. Years before, he had thought about it, even started it once, but he always put it off. But now, the thought pressed on his mind—who would inherit his fortune?
He had children and grandchildren, but none of them, in his eyes, truly deserved it. They were careless, greedy, and never showed him the love or respect he longed for. That night, he made a bold plan.
“I’ll test the world,” George muttered to himself. “Whoever shows me kindness—whoever still remembers what it means to help a stranger—will get everything I own.”
The next morning, he dug out the oldest, poorest clothes from the back of his closet. His nice tailored suits stayed in their bags. Instead, he put on torn pants, a ragged shirt, and scuffed shoes. Looking at himself in the mirror, he barely recognized the man staring back.
He grabbed a worn-out hat and went to the streets of his small town in Washington. There, he sat down quietly, placing the hat in front of him like a beggar waiting for coins.
But hour after hour, people passed him by. Businessmen, mothers with children, teenagers, older couples—none of them even glanced at him. Some even turned their heads away as if ashamed to look at him.
By the time the sun began to sink, George’s heart felt heavy. Not one person, he thought bitterly. Not one soul cared.
He sighed and muttered, “Maybe I’ll just leave my fortune to some organization. At least then it might do some good.”
But before heading home, George decided to stop at the supermarket. He wanted to buy himself a little treat—a cupcake and a carton of milk. Something simple to remind him that life still had small pleasures.
He stood in line, holding his items, when he noticed a young girl in front of him. She couldn’t have been more than eleven. To his surprise, she turned, looked at the things in his hands, and suddenly smiled.
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll get that,” she said sweetly, signaling to the cashier.
George blinked. “What? No, girl. I can pay for that.”
But the girl shook her head. “I insist.”
Her voice was gentle but firm. She handed over her money, and George, for once, didn’t argue. He accepted, though confusion swirled inside him.
As they walked out together, he asked, “What’s your name? And why would you pay for a stranger’s groceries?”
“My name is Lily,” she answered, swinging her grocery bags. “And I did it because my mom always told me to help people whenever I can.”
George chuckled softly. “That’s a wonderful philosophy.”
Lily looked up at him seriously. “Well, Mom also said that God always pays back people who are kind. And right now, we really need God to give us a miracle.”
Those words made George pause. “A miracle? Why?”
“My mom is sick,” Lily revealed quietly. “They didn’t want me to know, but I overheard my parents talking. The treatments cost too much. They might even sell our house and move in with Grandma. So now I try to be extra nice to everyone. I want God to see that we’re good people so maybe… maybe He’ll give us a miracle.”
George stopped walking, his eyes fixed on the little girl. His heart twisted. “That’s… that’s terrible,” he whispered.
But Lily only gave a hopeful smile and pointed down the street. “This is my house. Bye!”
She ran off to her pretty little home, her small figure vanishing through the front door.
George stood frozen. For the first time in years, he felt certain about what to do. It’s time to give her the miracle she’s waiting for.
The very next day, Lily’s father, Thomas Richardson, opened his front door to find an elderly man in a sharp suit smiling warmly at him.
“Hello, young man. My name is George Mason. May I come in?”
Thomas frowned, unsure. “Uh… sure. But why? How can I help you?”
“Oh, how silly of me,” George chuckled, stepping inside. “You’re Lily’s father, correct?”
“Yes… how do you know my daughter?” Thomas asked, puzzled.
“I met her yesterday at the grocery,” George explained. “She thought I was a poor beggar, and she paid for my items. She showed me more kindness than I’ve seen in a long time. I’d like to repay her.”
Thomas smiled faintly. “That’s just Lily. She has a big heart.”
George extended his hand. “And your name, sir?”
“Thomas Richardson,” he said, shaking his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Thomas. Now let me get straight to the point,” George said firmly. “I want to pay for your wife’s medical treatments. More than that, I plan to leave my entire estate to Lily.”
Thomas’s jaw dropped. “What?”
George nodded, deadly serious. “This is no joke. I have more wealth than I’ll ever need. My family won’t appreciate it. But your daughter—she’s pure-hearted. She deserves it. Aside from paying for your wife’s treatment, I’ll leave everything else to Lily. I’ll arrange it so my family won’t be able to fight it.”
Thomas’s voice cracked. “This… this can’t be real.”
“It is,” George insisted. “Now tell me. How much is your wife’s treatment?”
Thomas swallowed hard. “Right now… it’s about $520,000.”
Without hesitation, George pulled out his checkbook. Thomas panicked. “No! No, sir, I can’t accept this!”
“Yes, you can,” George said sternly. “Your daughter believes in miracles. She’s out there helping strangers because she hopes God will repay her kindness. Well, I’m the miracle. Let me do this.”
At that moment, Wendy, Thomas’s wife, and little Lily entered the house. Their eyes widened when they saw George handing over a check.
“What is this?” Wendy gasped.
George smiled at her kindly. “This is your miracle. Take it. Live happily.”
Wendy shook her head, tears in her eyes. “Sir, we can’t—”
But George pressed the check into Thomas’s hand. “You can. You must. And when the time comes, my lawyer will call. Everything else I own will belong to Lily.”
The Richardson family was speechless.
In the following weeks, George’s generosity saved Wendy’s life. They paid off the crushing medical bills, and their home was safe. Years later, when George passed away, his will was revealed. True to his word, almost his entire fortune went to Lily.
George’s own family was shocked and outraged, but the will was airtight. Nothing could be changed. The little girl who once bought a cupcake and milk for a stranger ended up inheriting a vast estate.
From that day on, Lily and her family never had to worry about money again.
Lesson of the story:
- Kindness matters. Help people whenever you can, without expecting anything in return—you never know how powerful that small act may become.
- Use wealth wisely. Instead of wasting it, George chose to give his money value—by saving a family and rewarding true kindness.