THE OTHER MORNING, after I finished baking a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I stepped outside into an ideal summer day. The temp hovered around 70 degrees with a sky that transitioned from sunny to cloudy and back. Freshly-laundered sheets and towels hung on my backyard clothesline. All was good in my world.
But it was about to become better. Not because anything extraordinary happened. Rather a decision I made to pick a bouquet of flowers flipped my day into a feel-good, generous day.
I grabbed a clippers from the garage, headed to my messy front yard flowerbeds and started cutting phlox. The purple, pink and white flowers run rampant among equally untamed ferns anchored by hydrangea.
As I clipped and gathered, I breathed in the strong perfume scent of these flowers that some may consider weeds—only if they are unwanted—but which I love. They are, simply put, lovely.
Once I had a sizable clutch of phlox, I started back to the house. And then I saw her, the young woman walking down the sidewalk towards me. In that moment, I decided my fresh floral bouquet would be hers. I asked if she was heading home soon. She was.
I extended the flowers to the 20-something, told her I wanted her to have the bouquet. I advised her that the phlox were delicate, might last a few days. She thanked me, smiled the most beautiful smile and said she would put the flowers in water as soon as she got home.
Our interaction, our conversation, was brief. Yet, it was deeply meaningful. To be able to give something to a stranger, to extend kindness, uplifted me. I hope the young woman felt likewise.
I watched my new acquaintance walk away with her flowers, then went back to clipping phlox. I gathered a bouquet for myself, all the while thinking about the importance of kindness, even small, spur-of-the-moment acts of kindness that can flip a day for the giver as much as the recipient.
TELL ME: Please share your kindness stories. I’d like to hear how you’ve either given or received kindness recently.
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
You are a kind soul, Audrey. Lovely post. ❤
Thank you, Penny.
Lovely. We have had neighbors dropping by to welcome us, such a pleasure!
Michael, what wonderful neighbors to welcome you to your new home. I love reading this.
this was such a beautiful and kind gesture, and when you knew this would brighten up this woman’s day in some way, you passed your flowers on. you never know how these spontaneous acts of kindness can make all the difference for a person.
That’s right, “you never know…” Thank you for all of the kindness you pass along to others. You are an incredibly kind, compassionate, caring and loving soul.
❤
p.s. your cookies!
I’m baking cookies for family who will arrive here in about two weeks. My son from Boston and his girlfriend. My second daughter and her family from eastern Wisconsin. I cannot wait to see them. I usually see my son twice a year. I miss him so much.
that will be so wonderful to have them all there –
I cannot wait. Counting the days now…
i always told my class and daughters and grandies to count by ‘how many sleeps before the special thing happens?’
Oh, no, now I have to do math! 🙂
I enjoyed your spontaneous bouquet gift story. My little kindness act is to let grocery shoppers who have just a few items go ahead of me in the checkout line when I have a full cart. They are always surprised. “Are you sure?” they ask. We exchange smiles and I say, “Yes, I’m sure.” I always get a “thank you” and another smile when they leave with their purchases.
Thank you for being that woman who allows shoppers ahead of her in line. I do the same. Being stuck behind someone with a full cart of groceries when you have only a few items is frustrating.
That was very thoughtful of you to give away the bouquet of flowers. I’m sure it made her day!
I hope it made her day.
Your kindness Audrey, shines through in everything you do. 💞 I’m so glad to know you.
Thank you, Rose. And I’m so glad to call you my friend also. It was great to see you on Friday.
I love that spontaneous moment of giving, Audrey! You are spreading love and it’s contagious!
We do what we can when we can.
Beautiful flowers! Maybe this woman was put in your path for a reason!
I believe she was.