Being a shy person in a busy world is difficult most of the time, and I sometimes have trouble communicating to other people. This introspective characteristic is the reason my mom was so surprised when I signed up to fill the bucket at Walmart, for two separate days. I had taken this opportunity for one reason only, to fulfill my Beta Club hours. This is not a very good reason, but  in the end, I am so glad that I decided to break my shyness for a mere four hours. I saw that when I stepped out of my comfort zone, I could learn something. I  learned how compassionate some  people are, and how rude others can be, but I’m not going to focus on the rude people. I want to share the two most touching stories I was told my two complete strangers.

The first day that I had to stand and collect money for Make A Wish was Sunday, March 12. It was nearing the end of my two-hour shift, and I was ready to go home. Then, a frail little lady limped up from the parking lot with her arm entwined with her husband. I asked her if she wanted to donate  to the cause, and she said that she would if she could, but her savings had been drained due to a surgery she is going to have in the near future, but then, something I never expected happened. The little lady looked at her husband with sad eyes and asked for two dollars because she couldn’t just pass by without giving anything. She then told us that she had to bury both of her daughters. One to suicide and  she didn’t say the other cause.  The younger daughter was my age. This little lady taught me that even  though she had barely anything, she still wanted  to do what ever she could so other parents don’t have to feel her pain. I feel as if that was a true selfless act.

The second story happened on my second day, March 19. A woman approached me and asked if I was collecting money for Make A Wish. I told her that I was, and she dropped a twenty dollar bill into my little blue bucket. She was only the second person to drop a bigger bill, and I wasn’t going to ask why she did. It  turns out, I didn’t have to. She told me that her own daughter was a Make A Wish child, who had received her wish two years ago. She talked about how wonderful the trip was and how great of an organization Make A Wish is. This showed me that me collecting money is actually helping someone that could be in my own back yard. This made me more determined to do the most that I could.

At the end of the day, I collected about two hundred dollars in cash, but I made much more than that in memory. I will never think twice about breaking out of my comfort zone  in order to help someone find the comfort that desire. I wish that I can find these two women again and have a full blown, uninterrupted conversation with the both of them. This was truly an unforgettable experience.