On a bucket list trip to Israel, I unexpectedly found myself at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City. At the holy site, many visitors write down prayers on slips of paper to insert in the cracks between the wall’s stones. We hadn’t planned to stop at the wall, though, so I had no paper or pen with me. I looked around to see if any were provided but saw none.

A woman standing nearby noticed my disappointment. We didn’t speak each other’s language and had never met, but she offered me paper and a pen. Touched by her kindness, I humbly accepted, nodding my thanks. I tucked my prayers into the wall and left quietly. She’ll never know how much I appreciated her kind gesture.

MEJ – Greenwich, CT

(Photo/Ahmad Gharabli AFP via Getty Images)