I DEFENDED A SINGLE MOM FOR STEALING A PEN—25 YEARS LATER,

I defended a single mom, Adina, caught stealing a $4.99 blue pen for her son’s birthday, convincing the judge to release her. Twenty-five years later, running my law firm, I interviewed Milan Roque, whose eyes sparked recognition. His resume was stellar, but his words—“My mom raised me to do the right thing”—triggered a memory. I asked about the blue pen; he confirmed Adina’s story of a lawyer saving her. She’d passed from cancer, leaving him the pen. I hired him instantly.

Months later, Milan brought an eviction case for Zoie Halberd—my estranged niece. He won, reuniting us after years of silence. Later, he returned the pen, now in a lobby case with a plaque: “This pen changed two lives. Maybe it can change more.”

That small act rippled, saving my niece. Every choice matters; kindness echoes. If you doubt its worth, remember this.