Librarian Finds Envelope with Heartwarming Note & Money Tucked Inside Book
You never know what you might find if you take the time to open a book. Far off worlds, long-lost kingdoms and, for one U.K. woman, a note with a hidden treasure.
Forty-four-year-old Susan Ness is a part-time librarian who works at Kirkcaldy Galleries in Fife. The Galleries serve as home to an art gallery, a museum and, of course, a library.
It was a normal day and Ness was doing a typical, everyday task. While organizing books, the librarian came across a copy of J.K. Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy.”
Though not quite as magical as the world of Harry Potter, the novel did contain something within its pages more precious than gold.
According to a post on Facebook, Ness discovered a handwritten note along with £10 (close to $13 in the U.S.).
“Dear Friend,” the note begins. “I am now in my 60th year and I was given a list of things to do during the year. One of them is to put a note in a library book.”
“I am a Kirkcaldy girl but who now lives in Dunfermline and I must say I have been very lucky in life,” the note goes on. “I have a wonderful family and have just retired from a job I enjoyed.”
“I hope whoever reads this has been as lucky as me. Please do some act of kindness with the money in this envelope and brighten up your day.”
And this is why such a find is worth more than its weight in currency. Because kindness is priceless, and this note and money could not have ended up in better hands.
“I instantly pictured in my mind what this lady was like and thought how sweet it was of her to write the note,” Ness told Fife Today.
Ness also shared with Kirkcaldy Galleries that she planned to put the money toward her fundraising efforts for Water Aid — a charity that works to bring clean water to countries around the world.
The librarian raised £430 (about $555) for Water Aid while participating in a 4-week challenge to drink water and nothing else.
“Thank you Mystery Lady and Susan for your acts of kindness!” Kirkcaldy Galleries wrote. We echo their appreciation wholeheartedly.
It is stories such as this one that remind us we serve a much bigger purpose in life. While everyday tasks may seem commonplace, never forget it’s the little things that usually make the biggest difference of all.
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