A widower slipped a note to a waitress after his meal. What she read was achingly beautiful.

Amidst the overwhelming hatred and negativity around us, those who make an effort to show kindness stand out as a refreshing breath of fresh air. The compassion they offer not only returns to them in greater measure but also creates a ripple effect that spreads positivity far and wide.

Sharing her experience on X, one user recounted a heartfelt moment she encountered at work. Megan King, an employee at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in Yankton, South Dakota, was attending to her customers as usual. However, one particular customer, an elderly woman who had recently suffered a devastating loss, found comfort through King’s gentle and caring service.

King, speaking to Tyla, explained, "This older woman came in on a busy Sunday, and about halfway through her meal, it started to slow down. We chatted for a few minutes. Small talk, nothing too deep." The woman then told King that it had been a while since she had last gone out to eat. She also shared that Perkins was an old favorite of hers. "She was very low maintenance, and she left just as quietly as came. When it came time to bus her table, I was surprised that she'd left a note," King went on to say. The lady had left a handwritten note along with a small tip.

Written on the note: "Thank you very much for your kind service. This was my first time eating out alone since my husband passed. I was hoping I could get through it." Cue the waterworks. King was moved by this note as anyone would be. "As soon as I read that she'd lost her husband I lost it. I had to use the restroom to get myself together enough to tend to my other tables even though I really didn't have time to take a rest," she said. She even shared a picture of herself with a big smile as tears were running down her face and captioned it "in pain." She also added: "This is my real smile because I am very happy and that note did not break my heart at all."

Not only did the note break her heart, but also resonated widely commenters on X, many of whom were emotionally touched as well. One person said: Always better to just be a good person to other people because you just don't know what they're going through. You were an angel to that woman. Another user wrote: That's the sweetest thing I've seen. thank you so much for being kind. Another X user commented: Wow my eyes filled up a great example of why customer service is so important. You never know how you can change around someone’s whole day.

King continued: "I would add that she did seem a bit sad. In retrospect. I wish I would've taken her quiet as an invitation. I think that's what she wanted, looking back. She kept looking up at me so I assumed something wasn't right with her meal or that she needed something, but every time I checked, she said everything was great and she didn't need anything." Although she expressed that she should have spent more time with the woman, the handwritten note of gratitude serves as proof that her attentiveness left a huge impression on her. And in turn, the customer made an impact on King as well.

As of this writing, the post has been shared more than 49k times and liked over 822k times. With that much attention, people of differing opinions also asked King if she was crying because she was tipped so badly. But King set the record straight and told Newsweek, "A lot of our customers are older and living on fixed incomes, so they tip what they can. They are always welcome, no matter how much or little they tip." As for the woman who left her the note, King stated that her tip was "more than enough," but she wouldn't have cared if it had been smaller.

This article was originally published on September 9, 2021. It has since been updated.