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 still unclaimed after a month. In passing, my manager said, “Hey, it’s been a month…Would you like that bag? After giving it some thought, I decided to go to the back and get it. When I eventually made the decision to open it, I was shocked to discover that it was completely empty save for one piece of paper.

“To the girl who needed a new purse during the holidays” was written in hand on the paper, which was a receipt. Upon closer 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 kindness all along and had meant to leave this bag for someone in greater need.

I kept the discovery to myself as I carefully packed my belongings into the bag and headed home. That purse turned into more than just a stylish accessory; it gave me a slightly boost in confidence and made me appear more put together during job interviews.

The bag is still with me today. It serves as a treasured reminder of my less fortunate days. More significantly, it motivates me to return the favor by helping others whenever I can.