Ms. Collins felt a wave of concern. Without hesitation, she pulled the bus over safely to the side of the road.
“Everyone stay seated, please,” she called out calmly.
Stepping away from the driver’s seat, she made her way back to Eni and knelt beside him.
“Hey, buddy,” she said gently. “What’s wrong?”
Eni’s voice trembled as he held out his bare hands.
“I forgot my mittens at home… and my hands are freezing.”
Ms. Collins’ heart ached seeing how cold he was. Thinking quickly, she reached into her bag where she always kept a few emergency supplies—and pulled out a warm pair of knitted gloves.
“Here,” she said, offering them with a smile. “Put these on. They’ll help warm you up.”
Eni’s eyes lit up in gratitude.
“Really? Thank you so much!”
He slipped the gloves on, the color slowly returning to his cheeks along with his smile. The transformation was immediate—his tears dried, and soon he was laughing along with his friends.
Ms. Collins gently reminded him, “It’s important to remember your mittens when it’s this cold. But it’s okay—everyone forgets sometimes.”
The bus continued its route, now filled with laughter and renewed energy. Word of Ms. Collins’ kindness spread among the children, who saw firsthand how a simple, thoughtful act could change someone’s entire day.
From that day on, Eni never forgot his mittens again. But more importantly, he—and the rest of the children—learned a powerful lesson about compassion.
Each morning after that, as the bus approached Eni’s stop, a chorus of cheerful “Good morning, Ms. Collins!” would ring out from the bus, and Eni would wave with his gloved hand—grateful not just for the warmth of his hands, but for the kindness that had warmed his heart.
In one small moment, Ms. Collins had shown them all that caring for one another makes even the coldest days a little brighter.