(A) Is it possible that two words can change someone’s day, someone’s life? What if those same two words could change the world? Well, Cheryl Rice is on a quest to find out. This quest accidentally began in November, 2016 in a grocery store. (a) She was standing in the checkout line behind a woman who looked to be in her 60’s. When it was the woman’s turn to pay, the cashier greeted her by name and asked her how she was doing.
* quest: 탐색
(B) As Cheryl walked into the parking lot, she spotted the woman returning her shopping cart, and she remembered something in her purse that could help her. She approached the woman and said, “Excuse me, I couldn’t help overhearing what you said to the cashier. It sounds like you’re going through a really hard time right now. I’m so sorry. I’d like to give you something.” And (b) she handed her a small card.
(C) The woman looked down, shook her head and said, “Not so good. My husband just lost his job. I don’t know how I’m going to get through the holidays.” Then (c) she gave the cashier some food stamps. Cheryl’s heart ached. She wanted to help but didn’t know how. “Should I offer to pay for her groceries, ask for her husband’s resume?” She did nothing — yet. And the woman left the store.
* food stamp: 구호 대상자용 식량 카드
(D) When the woman read the card’s only two words, she began to cry. And through her tears, she said, “You have no idea how much this means to me.” (d) She was a little startled by her reply. Having never done anything like this before, Cheryl hadn’t anticipated the reaction she might receive. All (e) she could think to respond was, “Oh, my. Would it be OK to give you a hug?” After they embraced, she walked back to her car and began to cry too. The words on the card? “You Matter.”