"The best thing you can take from this world is the belief that you made a difference."
Inspired by Brandon Stanton's
Humans of New York ,
Humans of Dublin shares emotional, thought provoking and at times funny stories of the everyday person.
The Facebook page's most recent post is one of the most poignant in its existence for many reasons.
Photographed is Glenn, an actor, writer, director and the Ambassador of Dublin Simon Community.
The Simon Community has been tackling the issue of homelessness in Ireland for years now, celebrating their 45
th anniversary in Dublin last year.
Glenn's remarkable story is about the difference a small gesture of kindness can change a life.
"The turning point of my life was a young girl in 1999 walking by with her boyfriend at Christchurch on New Year’s Eve," the post begins.
"It was lashing rain and I was sitting on some concrete steps with my long hair and beard, listening to the bells, wondering where my family were and how they were. Out of nowhere the young girl kneeled down in front of me, and like an angel with her blue eyes,
said 'Hi! What’s your name?’ I had to think. Nobody calls you by your name on the streets".
After asking what would make him 'happy', the girl returned with a few cans of beer and a packet of cigarettes.
"She asked again 'If you could have one wish what would it be?' I told her I wished to be with my family. 'So why don't you go home?' She asked. I said no, that it’d
been too long - three and half years. And she said 'Just go!' Just like that. This girl in her late twenties being the wisest person in the world. Then she gave me a kiss on the cheek and wished me a happy New Year".
"She's out there somewhere not knowing what she did that day. You can make a difference in someone's life that you might never meet again. You have the power. The best thing you can take from this world is the belief that you made a difference. I went home the next day."
The post, uploaded just moments ago, has already garnered 2.6K reactions and 230 shares. We expect to see these triple within the next few hours.
Read the story in full below, and remember, it is the smallest gestures that mean the most.
Lead image via Humans of Dublin 
