Katharine Hepburn shared this story from her youth, and it’s stayed with me ever since:
When I was a teenager, my dad and I were standing in line to buy circus tickets. Just ahead of us was a family that I’ll never forget — a mom, a dad, and eight young children, all under the age of 12.
You could tell they didn’t have much, but their clothes were neat and clean. The kids were standing quietly in pairs, holding hands, bubbling with excitement about the show. It was clear they’d never been to the circus before — this night meant everything to them.
Their parents stood proudly at the front. The mother was holding her husband’s hand, looking at him like he was her hero. And he was smiling, taking in the joy of his family.
When they got to the ticket counter, the father said, “I need eight children’s tickets and two adult tickets.” The clerk told him the total.
That’s when things changed. The wife let go of his hand, and the man’s face fell. He quietly asked her to repeat the price. He didn’t have enough money.
You could feel his heartbreak as he realized he might have to turn around and tell his eight excited kids they weren’t going to the circus after all.
My dad saw what was happening. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill, and let it “accidentally” fall to the ground. We weren’t well off ourselves, but he bent down, picked it up, and tapped the man on the shoulder.
“Excuse me, sir,” he said. “This must have fallen out of your pocket.”
The man knew exactly what was going on. He wasn’t being humiliated by charity — he was being helped with dignity. He looked my father in the eyes, took his hand with both of his, and said with trembling lips and a tear down his cheek, “Thank you, sir. This means the world to me and my family.”
My dad and I quietly walked back to the car and drove home. That $20 was meant for our own tickets, but we didn’t feel like we missed out. In fact, we felt something much better.
That night, I learned something I’ve never forgotten: the joy of giving is deeper than any moment of entertainment. The one who gives is greater than the one who receives.
If you want to live a meaningful life, learn to give. Not because you expect anything in return, but because true love is found in giving everything you can. There’s a special kind of joy that only comes when you brighten someone else’s world.