KINDNESS SAVES LIFE
A man was hired to paint a boat. As he worked, he noticed a small hole in the hull. He repaired it.
The next morning, however, the owner returned, holding a check far more generous than what was owed for the painting.
Surprised, the painter asked, “Sir, this is more than what I had asked for.
The owner smiled and said, “This isn’t for the painting. It’s for fixing the hole in the boat.”
The painter, “But that was such a small thing, not worth this amount.”
“My friend, you don’t understand,” the owner began. “When I asked you to paint the boat, I knew about the hole but forgot to tell you.
My children took the boat out on a fishing trip without telling me. I was away, and when I got home, I was horrified to realize they had gone out in a boat with a hole in the hull. I was terrified, thinking they might never return.
But when they came back safely, I rushed to check the boat and found that you had repaired the hole. You saved my children’s lives. That’s something I can never fully repay.”
Sometimes, the smallest gestures have the greatest impact.
We may unknowingly fix many “holes” for others—offering help, mending hearts, or simply being there when needed.
We often don’t realize how much those small actions can mean to someone else.
Our quiet kindness might save a life. Keep helping, keep caring, for the world needs more boat painters.