I'm shamelessly cribbing something that a stranger wrote and posted today on social media. It's an ordinary yet sweet story that any one of us could possibly have lived, and it made me realize that there are in fact many good things about the human condition.

One year I went shopping over a week before Valentine's Day and picked up a 2 pound box of See's candy for my husband and then hid it in the pantry where he wouldn't find it. A few days later he was complaining about the bills and said we shouldn't give gifts and just give cards to save the money. I didn't want to admit that I had already spent the money on him and make him feel he had to buy me something as well, so I agreed with what he said wondering what to do with the special hidden box. Then I was a little upset thinking he was just trying to get out of shopping for me. So each day before Valentine's Day I ate a few pieces of the candy. The top layer was soon gone and I worked on the bottom layer. The night before Valentine's Day he presented me with a beautiful box of cologne and dusting powder in my favorite fragrance. I was shocked and started to cry. He thought it was because I was touched by his gift, but it was because I was embarrassed that I had eaten his! I went into the kitchen and dug out the mostly eaten box of candy and took it to him. I was crying as I offered it to him saying,"Here is your gift. Sorry I ate it!" He opened the box to find six pieces at the bottom of the two pound box. He was delighted and sat back to slowly devour them. He made a big issue out of it as I sat with regret. He is in a nursing home these days. The other day he asked about See's candy and asked me to get him a few pieces if I went by a store. He does not know that I had purchased a box for us to share when I visit him and we celebrate our 50th Valentine's Day together!