Love In An Elevator

I love hearing stories about how couples meet. One couple in particular tops the list. For the sake of patient privacy, we’ll refer to them as John and Susan.

Roughly 25 years ago, John’s college buddy convinced him to take a post-graduation trip to New York. As luck would have it, they were stuck on a hotel elevator for almost 30 minutes. Susan was on that same elevator. Despite the situation, they hit it off from the start. Although living in separate cities, they began their road to matrimony. But the real surprise happened on the weekend of their wedding.

As it turns out, 22 years earlier, Susan’s mother had performed the ultimate act of kindness; she was the surrogate mother of John’s college friend (and best man), the same one who convinced John to go to New York. In essence, that act of kindness eventually led to the marriage of Susan and John. This puzzle was put together through conversations during the wedding weekend celebrations.

Who would imagine that giving a friend the gift of life would later lead to your own child’s future happiness? It pays to be nice in both your business and personal life. You may even realize the dividends years later. Of course, virtue is its own reward.