What’s the nicest thing a stranger has done for you?

“The nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me is to pay it forward. I’ve had that to happen to me several times and it was just unbelievable. It just blew my mind. I don’t know why, and I don’t know who these people are. It’s mostly when I’ve gone to like a fast-food restaurant to order lunch or breakfast or something, somebody pays it forward and it’s like, ‘Oh, wow, thank you.’ When it happens, it seems to be that I’ve had a down part in my life. It has happened quite a few times, I would say at least probably about three or four times this year. It makes me feel really, really good. It’s uplifting. It picks me up and lets me know that God is telling me ‘Hey, hang in there. I got you. You’re going to be OK.’ Now, I try to make it a conscious effort to do it unto other people.” – Janice Owens of Mobile

Owens is from Cuba, Alabama. She migrated to Mobile to attend the University of South Alabama and remained there. She hopes to pass on to her son the same things her parents instilled in her while she was attending school.

“Don’t quit whatever it is that you want to pursue. Just keep pressing your way until you make it.”

Janice Owens wants to instill perseverance in her son. (Tamika Moore / People of Alabama)

She loves the close-knit community of her hometown.

“The best thing about it is everybody is your family. Your neighbors are your family, regardless of if they’re five miles apart or 20 miles apart, they’re still your neighbors and everybody is family.”

These are the faces and stories of people from all walks of life who call Alabama home. People of Alabama is a Red Clay Media and Alabama NewsCenter partnership.