They first met at the supermarket and now this elderly man and a little girl are best friends
Children always know how to surprise us and sometimes what comes out of their mouths are real pearls of wisdom.
Tara Wood is a 40-year-old mother, housewife, and writer. She and her husband, Garrett, are the parents of seven beautiful children.
Tara recently published a story about one of her daughters, Norah. The little girl was getting ready to celebrate her fourth birthday when, before the big day, she told her mother about her strong connection with elderly people.
via Facebook / Norah and Mr. Dan
"I had just picked her up from kindergarten when she told me that there was an elderly person who was walking very slowly through the parking lot." Tara recalled, the day before her daughter's birthday.
The little girl continued to explain to her mother why she felt such a strong connection with older people by saying: "I love old people because they walk slowly like me and have soft skin like me. They don't have many years left to live, so I want to give them all my love before they leave."
Tara had no idea how seriously her daughter had said those words, but she was still very impressed.
On the day of her daughter's birthday, Tara took Norah to the supermarket to buy a cake and, when she reached the bakery section, a rather unusual event occurred.
Without her mother noticing, Norah turned to an elderly gentleman who was standing right next to her in line and with all the enthusiasm that only a four-year-old girl can demonstrate, shouted: "Hello old man! Do you know that today is my birthday?"'
Her mother, deeply embarrassed, did not even have time to scold her daughter for having called the man, an "old man", although he actually did appear to be quite old and a bit grumpy.
But, the elderly man showed no anger or even irritation due to those words, on the contrary, his appearance immediately softened and he began to talk to Norah: "Hi, young lady! And how old are you?"
Norah and the elderly gentleman chatted for a few minutes and then he said goodbye after wishing her a happy birthday.
In the supermarket, some aisles later, Tara and Norah met the elderly gentleman again and her mother asked him if her daughter could kindly take a picture with him.
"Excuse me, sir, this is my daughter Norah and she would like to take a photograph with you for her birthday."
The expression on the elderly man's face passed quickly from confused to happy: "A photo? With me?" He asked incredulously. "Yes, for my birthday!" Norah answered promptly. And so they took a lovely photo.
After the photo, the man said his name was Dan and it seemed that he and Norah had known each other for a lifetime.
"We were blocking the passage of other people in the supermarket, but we didn't mind. Something very special was happening and we felt it. Norah and Mr. Dan didn't realize they were talking like they were old friends," Tara recalled.
The two thanked Mr. Dan, who said goodbye to them with tears in his eyes: "This was the best day I have had in a long time. You made me very happy today, Miss Norah."
They embraced again and each went their way. Norah looked at him until she lost sight of him.
However, Norah was very sad after meeting Dan, so her mother thought of publishing the story on her Facebook page, hoping to track down Mr. Dan. That same night, a Facebook friend who recognized Dan wrote her a private message informing her that the elderly man had lost his wife Maria in March and had been lonely since she had passed away.
Furthermore, her friend said that she was sure that her little daughter Norah had truly moved him and that he would probably never forget her. So, Tara asked her Facebook friend for Dan's phone number and a couple of days later she called him.
Soon Tara and Norah went to visit Mr. Dan who, with great emotion, had prepared everything for their coming to see him.
"We visited him in his very cozy and tidy house. He showed us all the memories of his wife. He had cut his hair, shaved, and wore elegant trousers and shoes. He looked ten years younger. He had placed some sheets of paper and colored pens and pencils on a table for when Norah would come to visit. We spent almost three hours with him that day. He was very patient and kind, and he talked constantly with my daughter."
Norah asks about Mr. Dan every day and takes care of him by asking if he feels lonely, if he is cold or if his bones are hurting. She wants him to be well and she cares about him a lot. Also, Mr. Dan always thinks of Norah and admits that that chance meeting has changed his life.
"After the last visit, he told us that since his wife had died he hadn't had one uninterrupted night's sleep until he met my daughter." Tara recalled - "Norah healed me," he told me. He left me speechless and with tears in my eyes."
Now Dan has become a member of Tara and Norah's family and they visit him every week, even if there is time just for a quick hug or to bring him a cheese danish (his favorite). They will all spend Thanksgiving Day together, like a real family.
