Touching The Lives Of Others With A Small Act Of Compassion

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Sometimes, the people we see every day but don't interact with closely can have a profound impact on our lives. A young couple in Fort Worth, Shaun and Debbie Riddle, found this out firsthand after eating a meal at a local cafe where they are regulars. They had been into the restaurant a few weeks earlier with their new baby girl, but this time, they were eating alone.

Waitress Kayla Lane remembered the couple and their baby, and while serving them asked about her. She was mortified to hear that she had touched on a very sensitive subject — just one month earlier their daughter, Glory, had taken a nap at nine weeks old and never woke up. She apologized for bringing up a painful subject and reminding them of their loss, and was determined to provide the best service she could in the face of their distress.

Kayla went above and beyond just trying to serve the Riddles well, however. When the time came for the couple to receive their bill, they only got a receipt with a note written on it: "Your ticket has been paid for. We are terribly sorry for your loss. God Bless - The West Side Cafe." She even reassured the couple that the restaurant would cover her tip so they did not need to worry about anything but remembering their daughter and remembering that there are still good things happening in the world.

The couple, touched by the kindness they received by the cafe they frequent, posted the story and a photo of their receipt to social media as a way to share their experience and let others know of the kind of service and human connection they could find at their favorite cafe.

"We hear so much negativity on the news and so that is why I felt led to share this story in hope that Kayla and this restaurant will get some good recognition," they said in a post that was liked more than 14,000 times and received over 9,000 shares on Facebook.

The post was shared widely around the area and picked up by local news outlets, where Kayla's kindness was again brought to the forefront. The manager of the cafe shared with the local reporters that it wasn't the restaurant that covered the Riddle's bill, it was Kayla herself.

Kayla, who has worked at the restaurant for four years, connects with those she serves and often likes to pick up the tab for people who are going through a rough time in their life or may be feeling unappreciated, especially teachers, veterans and firefighters. She says that it's amazing to see the strength that many of these people have through adversity and their service to others.

"Knowing that I can do some small thing — it might just be a $15 meal, but to them it's 'Oh my gosh, someone paid for my meal.' I feel like I am putting it out there that society is still OK, the world is OK, there are still plenty of good people out there," she told Yahoo News. While it might seem like it's just a small thing to pick up someone's $15 meal, it can have a huge impact on them, their day and how they view the world and approach others. Small kindnesses can have a great and lasting impact as they ripple outwards.

Kayla likes to be able to help remind her customers and those around her that there are still plenty of good people in the world, no matter what you may hear or see in the media. As this story broke in Fort Worth, many of the restaurant's other regular customers shared their stories of the kindness, generosity and human connections that the small community cafe shares with everyone. For others who have been touched by Kayla's kindness and caring —whether by picking up someone's bill because of their sacrifice for their country or by going the extra mile for a family with very young children — the outward ripples of human kindness from this local cafe and its staff is very real.

Anyone can bring a small act of kindness into an interaction with another, even if it's not someone you know well or see every day — you never know what will make a big difference in someone else's life. How will you reach out to others with human kindness?

This article was written by Gillian Kruse via Examiner.com for CBS Local Media.