I was working at a fast-food restaurant one day when I saw a woman had left her Louis Vuitton purse on a table. When I realized she wouldn’t be returning after twenty minutes of waiting, I made the decision to take the bag to the lost and found. I just put it there and resumed my work without taking a peek inside.

The bag was left unclaimed for a month. Seeing that it was still there, my manager remarked nonchalantly, “Hey, it’s been a month…Would you like that bag? After giving it some thought, I responded “yes.” Curious to see what might be inside, I went to the back to get it. I was shocked to see that it was empty save for one piece of paper when I eventually opened it.

“To the girl who needed a new purse during the holidays” was written in hand on the paper, which was a receipt. Upon careful inspection of the receipt, I discovered that the bag had cost $1,700! It appeared that the woman, whoever she was, had planned this random act of generosity all along and had meant to leave this bag for someone in greater need.

I kept the revelation to myself as I carefully put my items into the suitcase and headed home. That purse turned into more than simply a stylish accessory; it provided me confidence when I needed it most and made me appear more put together during job interviews.

The bag is still with me today. It serves as a treasured memento of my less fortunate days. More significantly, it motivates me to return the favor by helping others whenever I can. In addition to making my holidays happier, the anonymous present from a complete stranger taught me the enormous influence even a small act of kindness can have on someone’s life.