I like chocolate. A lot. In fact, I like chocolate almost as much as I like people who go out of their way to be kind. Maybe that’s why I like this story, sent in by Tina Kraft of Fargo, so much. It’s full of sweetness!
“Nicole, I am a wife and a mother to four wonderful sons and a disabled foster daughter. Besides my love for the Lord and my family, you’d have to say Carol Widman’s chocolates are next. Many years ago I found her candy store and patronized it frequently. I couldn’t resist.
“Six months ago, very suddenly, I became extremely ill. I was diagnosed with idiopathic aplastic anemia. I spent 31 days in the hospital getting treatment in hopes of avoiding a bone marrow and stem cell transplant.
“When I was in the hospital, a family member wanted to lift my spirits by buying me some of my favorite chocolates. From that point on, the generosity started to flow as freely as the chocolate.
“Carol Widman Kennedy and her husband, David Kennedy, the owners of Carol Widman’s Candy Co. found out I was in the hospital. I was just a customer who liked good chocolate. Yet when they heard of my illness, they took it upon themselves to comfort my family with the sweet smell of chocolate throughout my hospital stay. They even made a Christmas delivery.
“As if that weren’t enough, the couple made a generous donation to the Fargo North High School’s Taste of the Season choir show, which was a benefit in my honor. This is truly a story of incredible kindness and generosity.
Living in this community I have found that when you are down, there is always someone who will pick you up.”
Thanks Tina. The only bad thing about that story is that it makes me hungry for Chippers.
I LOVE hearing your stories of kindness. Please, take the time to tell me about someone who did something nice for you or a time you went out of your way to help someone else. It’s not bragging; it’s the first step to spreading the kindness bug.
You can reach me via email at nphillips15@hotmail.com or send me a letter at Kindness is Contagious, c/o Nicole Phillips, The Forum, 101 5th St. N., Box 2020, Fargo, ND 58107. I can’t wait to hear from you.
Nicole Phillips is a former television anchor for Fox News in Fargo. She is the mother of three kids and the wife of Bison Men’s Head Basketball Coach Saul Phillips. Her columns run every Saturday in SheSays.