Do you like donuts? Probably about 90% of the people that read this will say yes, including me.I love donuts, they’re my favorite dessert-- I mean who wouldn’t with all that glazed deep-fried goodness, and I’m pretty sure that most of america and anywhere a Krispy Kreme donut shop is located would agree with me when I say that Krispy Kreme is the best place to get donuts. I can still remember my first time biting into one of those world famous circles of joy.

My big sister had bought me four because she knew beforehand that one wasn’t going to be enough for this here donut lover. After buying the donuts we decided to walk across the street to a clothing store there just to kill the boredom.Walking alongside my sister, I ate one of the donuts. As we were about to cross the street I noticed a very frail looking old woman in rag-like clothes sitting on the corner with a sign in her hand that read ‘Please Help, anything will work--even a smile:)’. We made eye contact and she smiled at me and I smiled back at her and me and my sister continued walking.As we were approaching the crosswalk I looked back and saw that out of all the people that were driving and/or walking past this woman (this was a very busy plaza), not one even took the time to glance at her and for some reason this struck a match inside of me. Why are they ignoring her? what is wrong with people these days? Can’t they see she’s suffering--even dying perhaps---- and they’re too selfish to even give her a smile? All of these thoughts and more ran through my head as my sister and I crossed the street and went into the clothing store.

As my sister was shopping, I couldn’t get that woman out of my head and the guilt was eating me alive. When she was finally finished, we walked back out of the store and started walking back to her car. As we were about to pass the old woman again I looked down at the three donuts I had yet to eat and I began to fumble around in my pockets and eventually pulled out the 20 dollars my mom gave me to spend today. I ran ahead of my sister and up to the old woman who was now lying her head on the tree behind her. As I came up to her she lifted her head up in curiosity and I held out the bag with the donuts in it and the 20 dollar bill. She looked at me with eyes wide with happiness and a smile spread on her face as she cautiously took the food and money from my hands as if it were going to break into a million pieces if she grabbed it too hard or tight.

“Thank you, thank you so much” she said gratefully and I felt the sincerity dripping from her words.

I gave her a hug.

“You’re welcome” I say to her once we pull apart and for the first time in my life I actually didn’t feel regret giving something to somebody. Usually you have that little pinch in the back of your mind that wants whatever you gave back but not this time. When I  told her that she was welcome I meant it.

‘Till this day my sister still thinks that I’m crazy for giving that much money away but she doesn’t know how it felt to be able to put a smile on someone's face, to know that you may be the reason that they stay alive for one more day. That fluffy feeling in your heart that goes along with that gesture.It’s better than eating donuts, better than anything else I’ve ever experienced actually.Now I try and give a random act of kindness whenever I have the opportunity, it's become a sort of hobby ; and you know what? It all started out with a Krispy Kreme donut.