As a parent, you are in a constant state of readiness. You plan for everything. You have backup snacks, extra clothes, first-aid kits, and a solution for almost any problem. But there is one moment that every parent dreads, a moment that defies all planning: the sudden, urgent, out-of-nowhere declaration, “I have to use the bathroom—right now!” This small act of kindness story begins with that exact moment of parental panic.
My daughter Avery and I were in downtown Athens yesterday. I was in that half-focused state all parents are, running errands, when she announced, with that unmistakable urgency in her voice, that it couldn’t wait. My heart jumped. I grabbed her hand and we hurried into the nearest place we could find, a Subway tucked away on the street.
We didn’t pause at the counter, didn’t even look at the menu. We made a beeline straight for the restroom. As a mom, my only focus was getting my child to that door. But before I could open it, an employee called out.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry,” he said, politely but firmly. “The bathrooms are for paying customers only.”
My heart sank. It’s a fair rule, one I completely understand. I instinctively reached for my purse to buy a drink, a bag of chips, anything. And then, the cold, awful, “oh no” feeling hit me. I had run in without my wallet.
I turned back to the employee, my face flushing with embarrassment, a wave of panic rising in my chest. My daughter was starting to dance, her little face scrunched up in discomfort. I apologized to the employee, my mind racing, and told him we would leave. I was bracing to take Avery back outside, defeated, to frantically search for another option.
And that’s when it happened.
A Simple Cookie, a Priceless Lesson
Two young men, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward without a single second of hesitation. They didn’t know me. They didn’t know Avery. They just saw the situation. They saw a mom in a bind and a little girl in distress.
“We’ll get her a cookie,” one of them said with a kind, easy smile. “That way she’s a paying customer.”
They didn’t make a big scene. They didn’t ask me questions or make me feel embarrassed. They just saw the problem and, in an instant, provided the solution.
The relief that washed over me was so profound it almost brought me to tears. I thanked them quickly, and Avery and I dashed into the restroom. The crisis passed, but the kindness of that moment stayed with me, settling deep in my heart.
When we came back out, those two young men were still standing there. I couldn’t just rush past them. I needed to thank them again, properly. And that’s when I learned who they were.
They weren’t just any college kids. They were members of the University of Georgia football team. Their names were Latavious and Jaylen.
These were young men who are local celebrities, young men who likely spend their days in grueling practices and difficult classes, all while working toward a university degree. In a world that often teaches athletes of their caliber to be self-focused, they were the opposite: completely aware of the small, human moments happening around them.
We ended up having a real conversation right there in the Subway. We laughed, we joked about football, and for a few wonderful minutes, what had started as one of the most stressful parenting situations turned into a moment of pure, joyful human connection.
What Love Requires of You
To some, this entire story might seem trivial. It’s just a cookie. It’s just a bathroom. It’s not a grand, sweeping gesture. But to me, in that moment, it meant everything.
We live in a world that can feel incredibly divided and self-focused. It’s so easy to put our heads down, to stare at our phones, to live inside our own bubbles and ignore the small struggles of the strangers around us. We are often taught that a grand gesture, like a huge public donation, is what makes a difference. But this act proved that’s not true.
These two young men, with no children of their own and no obligation to help, stepped up instantly to help a mom and her little girl. They asked for nothing in return. They just acted, simply and kindly.
It reminded me of a message I once heard in a sermon: “What does love require of you?”
I used to think that meant making huge, life-altering sacrifices. But Latavious and Jaylen taught me that sometimes love doesn’t require a grand gesture at all. Sometimes, love simply requires you to pay attention. It requires you to see a person in a moment of need and to donate thirty seconds of your time. Sometimes, love looks like two strangers buying a cookie for a little girl who just really, really needed a bathroom.
That simple cookie was the key to my daughter’s comfort and my emotional recovery from a moment of pure panic. It was a small act that rippled outward, restoring my faith in the goodness of people.
The world needs more of that. It needs more people like Latavious and Jaylen. It needs more of us to be willing to look up, see the person next to us, and offer a simple, uncomplicated solution.
So to those two fine young men: thank you. Thank you for being a bright, shining spot in our day. Thank you for showing my daughter, and me, that goodness and decency are all around us. You gave us more than just a cookie. You gave us hope.
Go Dawgs.
