4 stories that will warm your heart

Confidence on call

“I was scheduled to have a Zoom meeting with the new lead sales rep of the cookware company I work for. I knew from her company profile that she was a much younger, beautiful and slender woman. That made me instantly self-conscious about how the camera would highlight my extra weight, laugh lines and graying hair.

“As I logged into the call, I wanted to crawl into a hole—of course, she was as lovely as I’d expected. As we spoke, I kept glancing at myself in the little square in the corner, noticing every flaw. Then, suddenly, she stopped talking and leaned closer to the screen.

“‘You have the most beautiful eyes and incredible smile,’ she said, genuinely. I was stunned. I suddenly felt all of my insecurities melt away. It reminded me that a few kind words can turn doubt into confidence!”

—Sheryl White, 65, San Bernardino, CA

The secret sauce

“After my 77-year-old aunt Ruthie moved into an assisted living facility, she gave me her recipe box. Although the box held many scrumptious recipes, I was most interested in her spaghetti sauce. She’d given me the recipe over the phone the year before, but mine just never tasted like hers did. Still, when I found the card, the recipe was exactly as I’d written it down.

“I called Aunt Ruthie. ‘What’s missing?’ I asked.

“‘Turn the recipe card over,’ she instructed.

“In slanted writing, it said: Add love, laughter and

happiness before serving. I realized Aunt Ruthie always served her sauce whenever our family got together. That weekend, I invited Aunt Ruthie and the gang over for a spaghetti dinner.

“‘Great sauce,’ my daughter exclaimed.

“‘It’s a secret family recipe,’ I beamed and winked at my aunt.”

—Deb Walls, 57, Nashville

A calm in the storm

“I heaved out a tense breath and upped my windshield wipers to high, barely seeing the road ahead of me through the heavy morning rainstorm. If it came down much harder, I would have to find a place to pull over, making me horribly late for an important meeting at work.

“Suddenly, I saw the blur of headlights behind me as a truck came into view. He approached my crawling vehicle and began honking his horn. Irritation burned my veins as I pulled toward the right of my lane and let him go around me.

“Once the truck driver had passed, he got in front of me and, to my surprise, he slowed down and started honking his horn again.

What is his problem? I wondered. I got out of his way. I felt flushed with annoyance. But then, all of a sudden, he turned on his red flashing emergency lights. My heart took flight as I realized he was letting me know I should keep close and follow him.

“My nerves instantly calmed, and after about

15 minutes, the rain let up. The truck driver waved out the window before taking an exit ramp.

“I waved back with a relieved smile, forever grateful to the anonymous driver who became my guiding light in the dark of the storm.”

—Katrina Dell, 48,

Bangor, ME

Loved to pieces

“I enjoy caring for my 7-year-old grandson, Alex, every Saturday while his parents work, but there’s just one issue: He’s rather rambunctious and tends to be clumsy, knocking things over or breaking things. So when I heard a loud crash in the living room while I was doing dishes, I felt my temper flare as I rushed to see what was going on.

“I sighed, exasperated, as I found myself on my hands and knees picking up pieces of my favorite vase that Alex had knocked off the bookcase. But as I peered under the sofa for pieces of glass, I saw a puzzle piece and instantly let out a gasp. When my dad passed away two years ago, he left his beloved puzzles to me. I was heartsick when I couldn’t complete his favorite one because it was missing a piece. Now, reaching under the couch, I clutched it in my hand and sat back with tears welling.

“‘I’m sorry, Gran,’ Alex said, his bottom lip quivering in a pout.

“I slid the piece into my pocket and gathered him in my arms. ‘Vases can be replaced, but things from the heart can’t,’ I told him. ‘How would you like to work on a very special puzzle together?’”

—Margaret Geller, 63, Augusta, GA