How much love is latent in a few bananas, saltines and a few bottles of Gatorade?

Bear Necessities Grill & C-Store is a convenience store for students at Cornell University.

Seth, George, and Harry are men who work there. I have not met them. I have only spoken to them on the phone.

What I found these guys carry in their store is immense amounts of beauty, warmth and kindness to strangers. It will stay with me for the rest of my life.

It floods me with Awe at the tapestry of life where someone takes the time to listen, notice, share, and make choices.

My freshman son was in his dorm room feeling very weak and unwell. He had no energy to go down to the dining hall because he had been up the night before due to food poisoning. His roommate hadn’t yet arrived.

I googled and found the convenience store, Bear Necessities Grill and C-store on campus. I called and got Seth on the phone. I told him about our son being unwell and if I could buy somethings over the phone and if it was possible for someone to drop them off in his dorm.

Seth, heard me out, sincerely said he was so sorry about our son not feeling well, and said he’ll have me speak to his manager, George.

I started to feel better.

George came on the phone, heard me patiently, comforted me saying hope our son feels better and told me he can’t take my credit card details on the phone, but will get his supervisor to see what can be done to arrange some food to get to my son.

Harry, the supervisor, came on the phone. He heard me out, said he was sorry my son was having such a rough start to the semester, and asked me what I wanted to get to my son.

“Bananas, saltine crackers, and gatorade,” I told him.

He said he would arrange to get these items to my son as soon as he can.

My son texted me within 2 hours that the gatorade, bananas and saltine crackers had been delivered.

I was relieved and grateful to know he had nutrition and hydration at his bedside.

I called Harry at Bear Necessities to say a “Big thank you and how do I pay you?"

Harry said, “Don’t worry about it. We got this. Hope your son feels better and stronger.”

I insisted, “No, no how do I pay you?”

Harry replies, “Send us some of that California warmth.”

I am tongue tied.

It is he, George, and Seth, who have sent me warmth that will last me a life time. Along with the nourishment they delivered to our son.

They made sure our son’s first week in Ithaca, New York was warm and sunny, and helped build faith that the Universe is a friendly place.

Our son’s education has begun on a right note - putting him in the way of beauty.

It’s such a simple instruction.

I hope he pauses here and there to put others in the way of beauty just as Harry, George, and Seth did on a cold Monday morning in Ithaca.

Seth, George, and Harry, I want to say Thank You for:

• 1. Nourishing our hearts, minds, and souls.
• 2. Showing kindness to strangers. There is just something special when that happens. I am grateful and inspired by how all of them work with the utmost empathy and generosity. With an attitude of how can I make it better for you.