She looked at the note in disbelief. Who could’ve written a letter to her 5-year-old son? What did they want? Opening it and reading carefully, she reread the same line, over and over again. Then, she started to cry. Pulling herself together, she snapped a picture of the letter and posted it to Facebook. She wanted everyone to know what this man had done.
Words are powerful. They can heal, soothe, and inspire, but they can just as easily be used to harm and humiliate. The words we utter have a huge impact. It’s why you can never be too careful, especially if you’re a parent. In fact, any mother under these circumstances would have been shocked to find that a stranger wrote a letter to their child. So, getting to the bottom of this was exactly what she did, and you’d do the same in her place. Protecting children from things like bullying, is every parent’s mission objective.
Adam Houssami was 5-years-old and lived with his family in Dearborn, Michigan. One particularly hot summer’s day, he decided to set up a Kool-Aid stall to make some extra cash for the summer holidays. He thought that if he sold each cup of Kool-Aid for 50 cents, he would soon have a moderate amount of pocket money.
It’s wonderful seeing someone so young wanting to embark on their very own business venture. A summer business can teach kids the value of earning and saving money, which is an invaluable life skill. So, Houssami’s Kool Aid stand was a great way to learn about money management and earning a profit. After all, money is what makes the world go ‘round. But it was also important for him to remember to have fun in the process.
Adam’s mother encouraged his entrepreneurial venture and said that he could set up a stall on the pavement outside the house. There were bound to be passersby who would want a cold drink on a day as hot as this. But Krista never expected anything out of the ordinary to happen that day.
Lemonade stands have become the ultimate American summertime business concept for kids. It’s simply amazing to see children coming up with creative ideas to sell more and earn a little extra cash. It’s projects like these that teach kids valuable lessons that can help them succeed later in life. Who knows? Maybe your child could wind up owning their own business someday. But that possible future was still years away. For now, Krista and Adam assumed this was going to be a regular old summer day. But then, something happened that made it quite interesting.
Krista went inside for her sunglasses as she intended to keep watch on her son from the porch. She had no intention of leaving him alone for more than a minute, but when she glanced out the window, she saw that a stranger had appeared out of nowhere and was talking to Adam. Then, she saw the van.
Lemonade stands are a great way to ensure your kid stays out of trouble. But you should only greenlight this project if your neighborhood is safe. Otherwise, you’ll have to keep a close eye on your kids. Don’t let your guard down, not even for a second. It might sound paranoid, but you can never be too careful. Just ask Krista, who noticed the van and the strange man talking to her son, and she panicked!
Rushing outside, Krista just missed the stranger. Krista was sweating. It was so unbelievably hot outside. Relieved, she turned to Adam and asked casually: “Did you sell some Kool-Aid?” Adam replied that no, he hadn’t. “Well, what did the man want then?” Krista asked. What Adam then told her made her heart ache for her young son.
She wanted to know what the strange man had told her son. What were his intentions? Did he say something or did anything to hurt him? Her heart raced. She initially assumed that her son had made his first sale and was looking forward to hearing all about it. But then she got worried when she learned that he hadn’t sold anything. So, what could have possibly transpired between her son and the man?
Adam mumbled a few words and Krista didn’t understand what he was saying, at first. Then he recounted what had happened and she was taken aback. Adam told her that the man was the mailman, and he must be hot from having to walk from house to house to deliver his mail. So, he had asked him if he wanted to buy some Kool-Aid.
Working under the hot summer sun can be exhausting. Just ask any mail carrier in your neighborhood. It might seem like a simple job, but it can turn into a nightmare when the day becomes a real scorcher. Imagine feeling the temperature rising as you do your daily rounds. Your throat dries up and you find yourself parched. A Kool-Aid or lemonade stand would be a blessing. But in this instance, there was a serious problem.
Unfortunately, the mailman had no money on him, so Adam poured him a big, cool glass of Kool-Aid and gave it to him for free. Krista started to grin. What a sweet thing for her boy to do. And then, she thought no more about it. But she never could have imagined what would happen just one week later.
The mailman desperately needed something to drink. Fortunately, the little boy was happy to offer him a nice cup of Kool-Aid. Krista had always known that her son was kind and generous, but she felt all warm and fuzzy every time she saw his empathy in action. She was one proud parent who knew that her little one would grow up to be one amazing human being someday. But she couldn’t have foreseen what was about to happen. Not in a million years!
Adam continued to man his Kool-Aid stall, but even during the heatwave, it hadn’t been very successful. Krista’s heart went out to her young son for trying so hard to make extra money for himself. She kept encouraging him. She even told her friends and everyone she met about Adam’s Kool-Aid stand, hoping that they would come to support him. Then, one morning, something unexpected happened.
Adam’s business concept wasn’t as successful as he would have hoped, but he never gave up, and this made Krista very happy. He had a dream, which was to run a stand, and he stuck with it, despite the fact he didn’t earn a lot of money. But at least he had fun, which is what she wanted for him all along. Then, the outlook of the lemonade stand took a radical turn, which left them both lost for words.
Krista was going about her usual routine one morning when she went outside to check the mailbox. She opened it and saw a letter addressed to Adam. What could this be? she thought as she carefully unfolded it. Who would write a letter to her son? As she read on, it was soon apparent who the letter was from. And then, she started to cry.
Reading someone else’s mail is the ultimate breach of trust, but these were unusual circumstances. Krista respected Adam’s privacy, but she simply couldn’t do that this time. She had to make sure that whatever was in that letter was safe for a 5-year-old to read. But as she read each line, she felt a surge of emotions. The words brought tears to her eyes, and yet, she couldn’t look away until she was done.
The letter read: “Adam. Remember last week when you were selling Kool-Aid on a hot day? I didn’t have any money but you offered me Kool-Aid anyways. Thanks, man! I was really thirsty. Good things happen to good people like you. Stay cool, dude. Mailman.” Krista was touched. But that wasn’t all the letter contained.
Adam had come to his rescue, and the mailman wanted to show how much he appreciated his help. The boy could have simply refused to “gift” him the Kool-Aid, but he didn’t. It might have been a bad business move, but it was the human thing to do. And Krista was overwhelmed with joy by how her son’s generosity had affected the mailman. She was obviously doing everything right when it came to raising him. But there was something else inside the letter that made her and Adam very excited.
Folded into the letter was a $20 bill. Krista couldn’t believe her eyes! this astonishing gesture was a token of the mailman’s appreciation. Adam would be thrilled! he would have had to sell 40 cups of Kool-Aid to make this amount of cash. Krista broke down in tears and then ran inside to show her son.
The mailman had given Adam the same amount of money he would have earned if he had bought 40 cups worth of Kool-Aid. To say that this was an incredibly generous gesture would have been an understatement. She was elated that there were still good people left in the world. As soon as she realized what the kind stranger had done, she was happy about letting Adam in on the amazing news.
In an interview later, Krista said: “It makes me feel really good to know that there are still people in this world that care.” Her faith in humanity had been restored by the mailman’s act of kindness. And she was so impressed that she immediately recounted the whole story on Facebook for everyone to see.
We all enjoy a good story, but feel-good stories have a way of building connections. It allows people from all over the world to share their thoughts. But one thing everyone can always agree on is that we often come out feeling inspired or overwhelmed with happiness when they’re done reading. Plus, you have to admit it’s a lot nicer to read about something positive, rather than all the negativity we read in newspapers or watch on TV. Fortunately, positive posts tend to go viral just as quickly as the negative ones.
“Adam was selling Kool-Aid in the front yard last week and he asked the mailman to buy some. He didn’t have money on him, but Adam said, ‘It’s okay, you can still have some,’ and he poured him a cup. Today the mailman put this in our mail. This seriously brought tears to my eyes. What a kind thing to do.”
There are tons of ways you can spread some love and make someone’s day. You can act generously the way Adam and the mailman did for one another. Of course, you should never expect anything in return when you do something nice. But it’s always so rewarding when someone responds with kindness. A single act of generosity can boost positive emotions. Perhaps, that small gesture made a major impact on a person who was having an awful day, which is why Adam and the mailman’s story was such a hit. People just couldn’t stop talking about it…and they didn’t!
Krista’s post quickly went viral — everyone was touched by the small act of kindness, and the entire community was proud to see people who showed such compassion. Soon, over 500 people had shared Krista’s post, and the positive comments kept flooding in. But netizens weren’t the only ones impressed by the uplifting story.
There’s simply too much negativity in the world and not enough positivity. That’s why feel-good stories end up being the ultimate tools to disarm negativity in our daily lives. They also act like a guide that encourages others to do something nice and give back whenever possible. But Krista and Adam were about to discover that every newspaper and TV station out there was just as interested in a feel-good story as online users.
The story was quickly picked up by news networks, and shortly after, people all around the world had heard about the sweet interaction between the little boy and the mailman. WXYZ news in Detroit released the story on Youtube, and it garnered over 64,000 views!
Adam had no idea that he would become a mini-celebrity over the summer, but that’s exactly what his selfless act had turned him into. His generosity gained the attention and admiration of people from all over the globe. But people weren’t just talking about what he did. Everyone was equally touched by the way the mailman responded too. He might have been penniless the day Adam gave him a cup of Kool-Aid, but as soon as he had some money, he remembered to pay his little pal back.
A commenter on Youtube wrote: “Help your fellow human with compassion and you will be rewarded,” and another added: “Children will save us all.” Eventually the story had gained so much traction that Nebraska’s WOWT 6 News Facebook page featured a segment on Adam, too. And the feedback from the people was astounding.
Most kids feel an enormous amount of pressure when they get this much attention. So, it would have made sense if Adam felt like he couldn’t handle the pressure of his newfound fame. However, he handled the media like a boss. In the process, he learned about being kind to others without expecting anything in return. It’s a lesson he’ll cherish for the rest of his life and will likely pass this on to his kids when he’s older, and his momma agrees.
“We need this kind of news on a daily basis. [I’m] so tired of negative and horrible stuff all the time. Stuff like this warms your heart and brings back faith in humanity. Keep up the good work, kiddo! And thank you to the mailman for what you did as well!” someone commented on the Facebook page.
Social media has united people from all over the world. As these platforms continue to grow, its ability to change the world for the better has increased too. Unfortunately, there are so many people out there who would rather waste their energy ranting, posting nasty comments, and sharing negative things. Imagine how much better the world would be if we all started treating one another with kindness instead of using social media as a mask to be nasty to one another.
Krista was bowled over by the response her post got, and she certainly never expected the story to feature on the news! But there is just one thing she is concerned about: she just hopes that Adam remembers his interaction with the mailman forever. She wants him to see it as a valuable lesson — one we can all learn from.
Some of the lessons that stay with us through life are taught by our parents, others we learn on our own. But most of us are taught to always be kind and respectful of one another. These lessons establish behavioral patterns that ensure that we’ll grow up to become amazing human beings. But staying positive does the body and mind a great deal of good too. Think of these lessons as the foundation for finding the perfect balance, which is exactly what Krista was hoping this would do for Adam…and apparently, it did!
Krista hopes that Adam’s actions in the future are guided by his encounter with the mailman, and she wants him to understand that kindness is rewarded with kindness. “I think that it will show him that, no matter what, you should help people,” she said. Not even Krista expected the small gesture of giving a man a glass of Kool-Aid to have such an enormous outcome.
Sharing allows us to become selfless, When you share, you attract good people into your inner circle and end up making friends for life. This also allows you to find love later down the line because being selfless is a quality most of us find truly attractive. But when children give something, they also learn that they won’t always get something back. This teaches them to never do anything with the intention of getting anything in return, because it doesn’t really matter if someone says “thanks” or if they “pay you back”. What matters is that through that action, you managed to make the world a little better. After all, they say that if you want to change the world, you got to start with yourself first.
“That small gesture was something really big,” Krista added. And the story serves to show that paying it forward — even if it’s a small gesture — can have a huge impact. Adams small gesture of kindness touched the mailman so deeply that he felt compelled to return the favor… it just goes to show that kindness really does make the world go round!
Adam learned that loving your neighbors, or in this case, your mailman, can really make the world a much better place to live in. People are far more positive and willing to cooperate when they live in a circle that’s full of love. But that lesson has to be taught and learned at an early age. Doing so guarantees that the children of today will grow into loving and caring adults in the future, just like Adam will undoubtedly become.