Sometimes the gloomiest of days are made brighter by someone else’s unexpected kindness. I found this out several times in recent days.

I’m not an enthusiastic shopper, although I miss the Stone and Thomas store’s fabulous night sales. The Market Plaza would be crowded with anxious shoppers heading into the store, as was the Main Street entrance. The crowd was mostly made up of women, and it was an event we ladies talked about and planned days ahead. We would strategize everything from where to park to the best time to arrive.

You can’t get that same excitement for buying sheets and towels when shopping online. It was like a badge of honor for the merchants of downtown Wheeling when shoppers stormed their businesses for special sales. “Wednesday Specials” were also popular for the tried and true shoppers, especially on downtown lunch hours. I miss those days.

Anyway, sorry I digressed. A trip to the Warwood Shopping Plaza recently resulted in one of those unexpected and pleasant acts of kindness bestowed on yours truly. After exiting the dollar store there, I walked to my car and found a lovely message posted on my driver’s side window. It was a round, wooden garden sign with these words: “Plant Seeds of Happiness, Kindness and Love.”

This warm and friendly message carried a note that said it came from the folks at the Warwood Christian Church. What a wonderful way to spread smiles at a time when there is so much darkness in our world. It was just the thing I needed to brighten my day. It even made filling my gas tank a little less miserable. Many thanks to whomever singled me out for this courtesy.

But the goodness didn’t stop there. Later I was told about a kind act that took place at a local grocery store. Apparently there was a mom shopping with her young ones in tow.

It seems the youngsters were trying their mom’s patience as little ones often do.

An older gentleman was at the store, too. He was buying a dozen roses for his wife. When he saw the stressed young mother, he took one of the roses from his dozen and handed it to her, telling her that he knew his wife wouldn’t mind. And that single rose didn’t just bring a smile to the mom’s face. It also showed others who witnessed the event the value of a simple act of kindness. Let’s pass it on.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.