Justin’s favorite activity to cherish with his family is hiking. One fine day, while exploring the woods, he stumbled upon a broken-down car with an old, locked box inside. Curiosity sparked, he decided to investigate what lay within.
Justin and the Jones family adored their hiking adventures. They would embark on journeys to the most scenic trails across the nation, be it in the mountains, hills, or forests. One weekend, they set out over a hundred miles away from their city into a forest, set up a temporary camp, and spent their nights under the stars.
While foraging for edible mushrooms, young Justin wandered too far from his family. He called out, “Mom! Dad!” but got no response. As he tried to find his way back, he was startled to discover an abandoned car.
Justin decided to stay by the car until midnight in case a wild animal appeared. After some time, he finally saw his father approaching. Justin yelled, “DAD! Here I am!” and sprinted over to give his dad a heartfelt hug. “I thought I’d have to spend the night alone,” Justin confessed, relieved. Then he showed his father what he had found.
His father was amazed by the vintage car. They decided to peek inside to see if there was anything of value. An old box with an inscription caught their attention: “If you find this box, please take it to the location below. – 5/7/1995. Vincent Davis.”
“That address is just a couple of miles from here,” Justin informed his dad. “Should we take it?” he asked.
His dad agreed to carry the large, heavy box. After carefully opening it, they found numerous surprises inside. There were gold bars, military-themed photographs, several pieces of jewelry, and various service medals.
“This is worth a fortune! I’m amazed no one has found it until now,” Justin’s dad remarked. “Let’s take it back to our campsite,” he said, leading Justin back to their camp where Justin’s mom was eagerly waiting.
Upon reaching the camp, Justin excitedly showed his mom their findings. She asked, “Well, what do you want to do with it?” Without much hesitation, Justin replied, “Of course, we should return it to the address mentioned. Someone might be looking for it.”
His parents smiled with pride. “Well done. We’re proud of you for making the right decision,” his mother said. The next day, after wrapping up their camping trip, they headed to the specified address. When Justin’s father rang the bell, a woman in her fifties answered the door. “How may I help you?” she inquired.
“Hello ma’am, what is your name?” Justin asked.
“My name is Linda Davis,” she replied. Justin’s father showed her the box and after confirming her last name, she cried out in astonishment.
“Oh, dear…” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. “My husband discovered that his grandfather had left him an inheritance about 25 years ago. It was buried in the forest to prevent my husband’s father from taking it. My husband went to retrieve it but never returned. We found his body near the highway, frozen. We searched for the car but only found it now, thanks to you. It’s truly a miracle,” Linda explained, wiping away her tears.
Linda shared that the authorities believed her husband’s car broke down and he went for help but got lost and perished. She had no interest in the riches inside the box, holding the photographs of her husband close as they meant the world to her.
“We never had children, and I have no use for the gold. Please, keep it. I only want his medals, the photographs, and the jewelry – these items are part of my husband’s family,” she said.
“Oh, ma’am, we can’t possibly take the gold, it’s yours,” Justin’s dad said firmly.
“I insist. Please use it for something good,” Linda said, pushing the box towards Justin.
Despite their repeated protests, Linda was adamant. Reluctantly, they left with the chest full of riches.
On their way back, Justin suggested, “Dad, Linda’s house looked very old and almost abandoned. Can we fix it?”
His dad nodded and smiled. “Absolutely. We’ll use the gold to fix her house and donate the rest to charity.”
When Justin’s family revisited Linda’s property with their plan, Linda was astonished and grateful. Though she never thought much of it, she had always hoped to repair her old home one day.
That marked the beginning of a cherished friendship between Linda, Justin, and his parents. Linda even started cooking the delicious meals she hadn’t prepared in ages when her friends visited. They frequently invited her over for holidays, ensuring she never spent them alone.
Justin’s decision to return the box showed us the importance of making wise choices. Instead of keeping the gold for themselves, they used it to renovate Linda’s house and supported charity.
Please share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and brighten their day!
