Stranger Chases A Woman With A Note After She Smiles At Him
In today's modern world, a lot of people think smiling at a stranger is rather odd. So many of us keep our heads down — buried in a phone or just examining cracks in the tile — that smiling at someone in a place like a grocery store may lead "targets" to believe we're up to no good.
Haline Ly was not most people. She always made an effort to offer a sweet smile to anyone who crossed her path. But when she flashed her signature grin in a bustling grocery store, she never expected to be handed a note that would change the course of her life.
Haline Ly and her partner owned a design business together in Sydney, Australia, but were in the messy process of parting ways. Now fresh off of a seven year relationship that was ending in heartbreak, she felt emotionally closed off and raw.
-375w.jpg)
In the recent upheaval of her life, she found comfort in her Saturday routine. The most important aspect of which was going to her local grocery store to gather her items for the week ahead.
With the creative and sometimes disorganized mind of a professional designer, she went to the store without a shopping list, opting instead to wander the aisles, knowing she would find what she was looking for (no matter how chaotic the store).
After gathering her groceries, she stood in the busy checkout line and nonchalantly reached to divide her groceries from the stranger behind her. In that moment, she offered him her signature greeting. A genuine smile in his direction.
-375w.jpg)
The stranger on the receiving end of Haline's warmth was Richard Wheeldon, a local High School teacher. He, too, did his shopping on Saturday. However, he always had an organized list in hand to ensure he didn't miss a thing.
-375w.jpg)
Richard was the kind of person who saw the world in black and white terms (although the colorful, mismatched socks he loved to wear told a different story). He always had a quirky sense of humor.
As a bachelor, he picked up the bare essentials for the coming days and carried on through his shopping trip in the most average way. Until Haline smiled at him in line.
As the two finished checking out, they ran into each other on the escalator on their way out of the store. Richard chose this moment to do his best 007 impression and smooth talk Haline.
But the conversation was less than riveting, revolving around a produce store Richard attempted to recommend, but embarrassingly forgot the name of. As an awkward silence fell over them, they went their separate ways. Until Richard made a decision.
In his head, Richard replayed the smile from Haline and chose to act. Instead of letting her go, he quickly scribbled a note on his receipt. He then took off into the parking lot to chase down the woman he couldn't forget.
Luckily he caught up to her right before she got in her car. He handed her his note without a word and sheepishly headed the other direction to return to his own vehicle. He wondered to himself as to whether he made the right choice.
Later, Haline read the note, which included Richard's name, number, and the simple phrase "Crazy, I know." She sent Richard a note of her own. In her usual style, she didn't let any time tick off the clock before expressing how she felt.
In her note, Haline responded by saying "That was cute, Richard. I say yes!" She then took a photo and sent it to the number on the receipt paper. She never could've guessed his response.
The two quickly made plans for that very evening! Although Haline already had plans, they arranged to meet afterwards. Past midnight on a beautiful evening they met in the city where they would end up walking and talking for hours.
The date went so well for them that, in the following three weeks, they hardly spent any time apart. There was a meaningful balance of their traits that enchanted both of them. Haline was a source of creativity and imagination for Richard.
It did not take long for the couple to decide that they had something very special. Even Haline, who had never dated someone she knew for less than a year, found herself falling for Richard immediately.
For Richard's 40th birthday, Haline planned a surprise party. She gathered all their friends and family together to celebrate the man she loved. Unbeknownst to her, there would be a lot more to celebrate that day.
See, Richard prepared a surprise of his own for that day, as one of his friends let him in on the secret. He organized his family and wrote another note for Haline. Each person held a different part of the phrase he had written down.
-375w.jpg)
At the party, Richard got up and gave a short speech, in which he explained how much he loved Haline and cherished their relationship. He finished the speech, and his family held up the note he had written. It said four words: "Will you marry me?"
Haline excitedly said yes once again, and the couple enjoyed a fabulous wedding shared with everyone they loved. Now raising a family together, they're living proof that a simple gesture can make a big difference.
-375w.jpg)
Jamie-Lynne Knighten learned this lesson, too. See, she and her husband recently welcomed a new baby into the world, and she had to devote nearly all her time and energy into caring for him. She knew she could really use a guardian angel.
No comments: