Just when you think life is a bowl of cherries, you get nothing but the pits. But then you dig deep down into that bowl, and there's one last cherry sitting there waiting for you. Speaking of sitting and waiting, that's exactly what I was doing last Thursday afternoon in my car parked at the Bryce Jordan Center -- sitting and waiting for my '89 Toyota beater to start. Toyotas run forever, people told me. Apparently the millennium version of forever lasts only 12 years, because this thing is barely making it.

I sat for about 45 minutes trying to get my car to start, feeling very upset, knowing that I had no other way of getting home. Oh, and home is an hour away for me. Suddenly, the greatest Good Samaritan in the world stopped and asked if I could use any help. Well, I just learned a few weeks ago how to pop my hood. Of course I could use some help. After quite a while, this man who had stopped to help me, got my car started. How did he do it? I have no idea. He somehow seemed to have an umbrella that would hold the hood up, a toolbox in his trunk that would fix whatever was wrong with the engine, and the kindness to take time out of his day to stop and help someone in trouble.

I never got his name, but I hope he (or someone he knows) will read this and know how thankful I am for his help. There aren't many people in the world today who would take that much time to help someone they don't even know. So I thank you. You made my day, and made me see the bowl of cherries once again.