I truly believe that everyone comes into your life for a reason. No matter the length of time, there is always a reason they were there.

I don’t really think about this idea often, but there are moments when I see it, plain and clear, and I’m reminded of how serendipitous life can be.

This summer, I met a girl named Brianna who’s grandma lived in my hometown. We met at a friend of a friends party the night before I was leaving L.A. to visit family in Omaha.

She was just one of those people, you know? The kind that had no barriers, nothing stopping her from becoming an instant best friend. I like those kind of people…

As we talked, Nebraska came up and she told me all about her sweet grandma and how she would go to Omaha to visit her as a kid. She began to describe where her grandma lived and, believe it or not, it was 2 blocks away from my high school!

Listening to this girl talk about her grandma with such excitement, made me realize just how special of a person she really was. Not only did she work with a ton of non-profits, go to school, and have an amazing network of friends, she was beyond excited to chat away about how cool her grandma was at a party of a bunch of twenty somethings – in L.A. (Just when I had given up hope on the people of Los Angeles). Then she turns her head, looks right at me and goes… “Wait so you’re going to Omaha tomorrow?? I have a favor to ask!”

She went on to tell me that her Grandma’s birthday was coming up and that she would LOVE it if I could drop a homemade card and flower arrangement by her house as a surprise. Being a fan of random acts of kindness, I gladly accepted.

We exchanged numbers and I got her grandma’s address. She ran into the bedroom and made the most adorable construction paper and crayon birthday card I’ve seen in a while, gave me a wad of cash to pay for the flowers, and we parted ways.

When I got to Omaha, I made the delivery. Her grandma wasn’t home, but I left the flowers and the card on her doorstep.

Later that day, Brianna texted me to tell me her grandma loved them and was SO surprised. I couldn’t help but think how happy I would have been if someone did that for my grandma. We’ve stayed in touch since then, saying hello every now and then.

As I was writing this post, Brianna sent me a message with a link to this video:

Beautiful. Never turn down the chance to give. Whether it’s a very small act like a simple smile or a hug, or a large gesture, like building a home for a family… You won’t regret it, and you may end up changing someone’s day, month, year, or even life in return.