I spotted the quilt the moment I walked in. It was magnificent – hand-sewn in shades of vibrant purple and green by a local quilting maestro in a pattern known as “the drunkard’s path”.

My husband and I were attending a fundraiser for Nepal, to raise money to rebuild a school that had been struck by the 2015 earthquake. The quilt was up for grabs as part of a raffle. I loved it so much I bought 10 tickets, hoping like hell I’d be the lucky winner.

My husband, Sam, bought 10 tickets as well. But he declared that, if he won, he’d only auction the quilt back off to raise some extra money – that’s the selfless sort of man he is. Sure enough, he won, and true to his word Sam bounced up to the front and immediately began auctioning it.

I sat there thinking to myself, “Put a smile on your face. We are here to raise money for people who have lost everything. Get a grip!” But I was secretly devastated to have missed out on the quilt.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a woman bidding quite furiously. I thought, “Well, that’s nice – good on her, putting money towards an important cause.” She secured the final bid and Sam handed her the quilt.

Then, to my utter surprise, she stood up, walked over to me and said: “I’m giving your wife this quilt.” I just sat there and tried not to cry. She later told some friends of ours that she saw the look on my face when Sam began the auction and wanted me to have it. What a beautiful thing to do.

I was determined to thank her after the shock wore off, because we’ve always raised our kids that it’s incredibly important not to take kindness for granted. I asked around for her address and mailed her a very heartfelt thank you card.

That quilt has had pride of place on our bed ever since and serves as a daily reminder of all the goodness in this world.

What is the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

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