Ahh, our hearts are full with this nugget of kindness from social media.
Yesterday, Twitter user Celina Calvento (@BiteMe_Celina10) shared a now-viral Twitter thread of how an elderly man subtly helped a guy short on cash in a grocery store in Boni, Mandaluyong City.
On her post, she said that she saw the guy counting his money outside the grocery store. She told Coconuts Manila it happened last night around 7:30pm and that the man was counting a couple of PHP20s (US$0.37) and one PHP50 bill (US$0.92).
She added in the post: “He kept scratching his head. He asked the guard ‘[H]ow much again?’ [The] [g]uard answered him. He didn’t say anything back. Just counted again.”
Tonight, a man outside a grocery store was seated on the pavement counting his money.
He kept scratching his head.
He asked the guard “magkano nga ulit?”
Guard answered him. He didn’t say anything back. Just counted again.
— C (@BiteMe_Celina10) October 8, 2018
Calvento learned that the money was for powdered milk.
She wrote in the thread: “I wanted to give him money, and asked the guard to give it to him. He said, ‘He won’t take it, ma’am. I also tried to give him [money].'”
That’s when an elderly man asked Calvento if he could try giving the money.
Calvento obliged and gave him the PHP400 (US$7.37) she tried handing the man.
I asked what it was, and the guard said powdered milk. I wanted to give him money, and asked the guard to give it to him.
He said “ayaw kunin, maam.” Inabutan ko na din.”
An older man beside us asked me if he can try.
— C (@BiteMe_Celina10) October 8, 2018
She said in another tweet: “He folded the money. Went to the man. Bent down, [t]apped his back and said to him: ‘This fell from you[r pocket]’ while handing him the folded bills.”
The man replied that the money wasn’t his, but the elderly man said: “I saw that this was from you. It fell, but it’s for you.”
He folded the money. Went to the man. Bent down, Tapped his back and said to him:
“Nahulog mo to” while handing him the folded bills.
The man said “Hindi ho sakin.”
The old man said: “nakita ko sayo galing. Nahulog lang yan, pero para sayo.”
— C (@BiteMe_Celina10) October 8, 2018
Finally, the man took the money, said thank you and went inside the grocery store.
“The old man looked at me and smiled. My heart is bursting. The old man understood there should be dignity in helping. And he gave the man that.”
The man said thank you and took it. And hastily went inside.
The old man looked at me and smiled.
My heart is bursting. The old man understood there should be dignity in helping. And he gave the man that.
— C (@BiteMe_Celina10) October 8, 2018
Calvento told Coconuts that she was initially going to give up after trying once.
“I’ll be very honest. Before that, I think it was enough that we have this urge to help. When the guard said he didn’t want help, I was ready to walk away.”
“The old man, on the other hand, had another level of understanding the situation: Dignity in giving or helping,” she added.
“I learned last night what real giving should be,” she ended.
The first tweet had over 19,000 likes and 8,000 retweets as of this article’s posting. Netizens thought the whole incident was heartwarming:
“Im so touched…i cried,” said @dhinz88.
Im so touched…naiyak aq
— JustKeepGoing (@dhinz88) October 8, 2018
@VaEulin said: “Can I cry? Wait. I just did.”
Can I cry? Wait. I just did.
— eu (@VaEulin) October 9, 2018
“[This] [m]ade my day,” said @King_JohnSnow.
Made my day. ❤😊
— Eng’r Snow ❄ (@King_JohnSnow) October 9, 2018
@bantaybayan101 said there are a lot of people who experience situations much worse than this which isn’t seen every day. “Thank you for sharing [the story].”
Sa totoo madami or mas malala pa ganito situation hindi lang nakikita araw araw.Sobra hirap talaga ng buhay. Salamat sa pag share.😍😍
— Ric Cir (@bantaybayan101) October 8, 2018
“This is soo touching. It should make us feel grateful on what we do have as there are sooo many people out there who are really struggling in life. God Bless the hearts of those who are so helpful,” Twitter user @cecile_fajardo wrote.
This is soo touching. It should make us feel grateful on what we do have as there are sooo many people out there who are really struggling in life. God Bless the hearts of those who are so helpful.
— Ces Fajardo (@cecile_fajardo) October 8, 2018
Brb, our tears are about to fall.
