Never Underestimate People
When my dad was growing up, there was this little old lady across the street without any family. She was from Finland and lost her husband during WWII. She immigrated to the USA and had no one. So my grandparents would knock on her door to chat, take her grocery shopping, etc.
They also made my dad and brother help out around her house and yard. She loved my dad and uncle, treated them like her own kids and she gave them cookies and treats and presents.
When my dad was in Vietnam, she would record him voice messages on tapes and send them to him with letters telling him what life was like in the neighborhood and how she hoped he’d be home safe soon, that she prayed for him, etc.
When he came home, he’d stop by to chat and help out around the house, bring her macaroons, and just sit and talk for a while. One day she passed on, and a lawyer called my grandparents. She had left them a sizable amount of cash and stock, and her (paid off) house to my dad and his brother.
My family had thought she was penniless. Never underestimate how much little, simple things can mean to people. You just might be one of the best things in their life.