A man frequently encounters a blind girl selling flowers on his way to work, but one day she simply vanishes. The man becomes concerned, believing he will never see her again until she reappears at the same spot in terrible condition.
Jim Fraser was a workaholic who worked tirelessly to propel his organic Brooklyn-based food startup, Zeto, to incredible heights. He never married or dated and just cared about his business. But on the flip side, he was very kind and never hesitated to help someone in need.
On one of his usual workaholic days, Jim was on his way to work when he observed a little girl selling flowers beside a street. She sat by a large green board with the names of the flowers and their prices and a banner that read, "Brighten your day with these flowers, and your help can brighten mine."
Every time Jim crossed that specific street, he noticed that the girl was there. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to her, and she rarely sold anything. Jim felt sorry for her because he knew the place was densely packed with office buildings and that others were too preoccupied to notice her.
He assumed she was late and decided to meet her the next day, but she didn't show up for several days in a row.
Jim always wanted to help her, and one day he got his chance. Mrs. Wilksinson, his office's oldest janitor, was retiring that day. He wanted to get her something, and he thought a bouquet would be a great idea.
He stopped by the little girl that day and requested her to prepare a bouquet for him. "Hello there," he said, smiling, as he approached her. "Could you please make me a fresh bouquet of roses?"
Jim noticed that the girl didn't raise her head and constantly stared at the same spot on the ground. "Thank you for buying flowers from me," she said, tilting her head a little in his direction. "Can you please select the flowers yourself and bring them to me? I will tie them together for you. I'm sorry, I can't see.
Jim's smile faded. "Oh, I had no idea… I'm sorry," he said as he picked up the flowers and handed them to her. The small girl reached for a cellophane sheet and a ribbon beside her, and without looking, she made a lovely bouquet for Jim.
"Here," she said, extending the bouquet. "That'll be $5."
Jim was blown away by the girl's abilities. "Wow! That's lovely. Can you not see anything?" he inquired as he placed the money in the hat beside her.
The girl nodded, lifting her head and showing her cataract-encrusted eyes.
"Oh, dear…" he sighed. "Thank you again for the bouquet. What's your name, by the way?"
"I'm Cassy, and I'm 6 years old," she said brightly, lowering her head again. "I hope you liked the flowers. Please come for more!"
Jim smiled at her innocence. "I love them, Cassy. They're beautiful. Thank you! I'm Jim, by the way. It was nice meeting you!" he said and walked away…
The next day, Jim was on his way to work and he decided to have a quick talk with Cassy before heading in. He was curious as to why a girl like her was selling flowers on the street. He had intended to ask her about it the day before, but he was running late for Mrs. Wilkinson's retirement party, so he left in a hurry.
However, when he walked down the street that morning, he didn't see Cassy in her usual spot. He assumed she was late and decided to meet her the next day, but she didn't show up for several days in a row.
Jim was growing increasingly afraid that something horrible had happened to her. He asked the shops nearby and the homeless people resting in the adjacent allies if they knew anything about Cassy, but regrettably, nothing came of it.
Jim was really concerned. He was secretly praying for Cassy's safety and for the opportunity to meet her soon. Thankfully, his prayers were answered one day on his way to work. Cassy had returned to the spot with her flowers!
Jim couldn't suppress his delight at seeing her and ran up to her. However, when he saw her condition, his smile vanished..
Cassy appeared incredibly skinny and pale, and her clothes were dirty. She looked like she hadn't eaten and washed up in days, if not weeks! He approached her worriedly. "Cassy, what happened to you? Where did you disappear? I'm Jim, do you remember me?"
She gave him a weak smile. "Jim? The one who bought roses?"
"Yes, that's me!"
"I remember you…Very few people buy my flowers, so I never forget them. Would you like to have the roses again?"
"No, Cassy. I was worried about you. You haven't been here in days! Is everything alright? You look weak."
"Well, I guess I'm okay," she said sadly. "Last week, Mommy fell on the floor, and I had to look after her alone. Daddy left mommy and me when I was a baby. Mommy says we don't have anyone, so we must care for each other. I couldn't come here to sell the flowers since I was too tired. And…"
"My mommy is very sick. She needs surgery. That's why I started selling flowers. Before me, mommy used to sell the flowers, but one day, she met with an accident, so she is sick and in bed now. I have to work and earn money for her.
As he listened to Cassy speak, Jim's eyes welled up. He couldn't believe a 6-year-old would be through so much. He knew he had to help her.
"Hey, Cassy," he said. "Did you know you can't work if you don't eat well? Let's go get something. How about some sandwiches and a milkshake? What do you think?"
She frowned. "But what about my flowers? Where do I keep them?"
"You may store them in my car. Will that be okay?"
"Okay, thank you!" she chirped as she followed Jim on her cane.
Jim drove her to a restaurant where the little girl ate like she hadn't had food in ages! Then he drove her back to her home, where he met her mother, Jade, who was in a wheelchair.
Jim noticed the deplorable conditions they were living in and felt he had to do something to help them. So that night, at home, he created a GoFundMe page to assist them. But the page wasn't just about Jade's surgery.
When Jim went to see Jade and Cassy, he discovered that Cassy's eyes needed surgery for her to see again. He also observed a couple of paintings in their home and came to know that Cassy was a brilliant painter despite not being able to see!
So while Jim created the GoFundMe page, he emphasized in the description that they could save two precious lives if people were generous enough to donate. He also shared a couple of photographs of Cassy with her artwork on Facebook for more reach, along with the donation link.
Still, Jim was skeptical if his idea would work. He had set aside a substantial sum to assist them, but the total cost of the surgeries would be much more, and he wasn't sure if he could collect the required amount.
However, when he awoke the next morning to check on the donations, he couldn't believe his eyes! People had fallen in love with Cassy's paintings, and several people suggested she start an Instagram page to promote her work! Moreover, the total donations were way more than what Jade and Cassy would require.
When Jim arrived at Cassy's house with the check, Jade burst into tears. She was beyond grateful to Jim for his help and couldn't stop thanking him.
A week later, both Jade and Cassy's surgeries were scheduled. Jim regularly visited them at the hospital during this time they were admitted, and he and Jade became close.
By the time Cassy and Jade were discharged, Jade and Jim wanted to reveal to Cassy that they wanted to be together as a happy family. And when they did tell Cassy, she was over the moon! She accepted Jim in no time, and one month later, Jim and Jade tied the knot. But that wasn't all.
Jim and Jade opened "Cassy's Flowers," a tiny flower boutique inspired by their story about how flowers and Cassy brought them together.
What can we learn from this story?
People do not come into your life by chance. Jim and Cassy met because they were fated to end up as a beautiful family one day.
If you want something with all your heart, you eventually get it. Cassy did her best to raise money for Jade's surgery, and ultimately, she got help from unexpected places.
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