I was on a bus, 7 months pregnant. An old woman got in; no one gave her a seat, so I offered her mine. She sat and kept staring into my eyes. While leaving, she slipped something heavy into my pocket, and whispered in my ear, ’’Always put yourself and your child first! Otherwise, your life will be as heavy as this!’’ Then she quickly stepped off the bus.

I reached into my pocket in a hurry to see what she had given me. I took it out and froze. My blood ran cold. She had given me a large,heavy stone. This woman had the audacity to repay my kindness with anger and bitterness. But instead of accepting her lesson, I chose the opposite path. I decided to be kind and to teach my child kindness because I know the world needs more of it—even if some people don’t deserve it.

I was a kid, and a gentleman at the next table in a restaurant could speak six languages or so. He gave examples of a few. I was so impressed and, since then, wanted to learn languages. I now speak six fluently, plus a couple more at a basic level, so it had a real positive impactnd I never saw her again.