Twenty one-year-old Karyn Vallantyne called her friend on February 11th hoping to get some advice and encouraging words as she complained about her love life.
However, it was not the words of her friend that helped her, but a note from a stranger.
Alone on Valentine’s Day
Karyn, who works at a recruitment agency, chatted with her 23-year-old friend Grace over the phone as Karyn commuted home. Just days before Valentine’s Day, she admitted to her friend that she was going to give up on love after so many failed attempts.
"I was telling Grace about my love life and how I've been treated badly in the past and I'm basically giving up and losing hope,” Karyn said. "I wasn't crying but I was definitely down.”
The idea of spending another Valentine’s Day alone caused Karyn to get emotional on the train.
I was sick of being on my own on Valentine's. It makes you think there's something wrong with you. I have always been a very romance-orientated person. If I'm not in a relationship I think less of myself.
Karyn Vallantyne
Message From Her Guardian Angels
As Karyn talked on her phone, a stranger dropped a note into her lap. At first, Karyn expected the note to tell her to stop complaining. Instead, the message was much kinder.
"I wasn't expecting it, I thought it was going to say 'shut up' or something, I didn't expect it to be remotely kind,” Karyn said.
Written on a torn piece of newspaper were the words “You’re worth more. Move on.”
“I'd been people watching so I'd seen she was doing the crossword, she ripped the corner of the page off to write on it,” Karyn said.
When I read it, I just burst into tears. I looked up to see if I could see her. There were loads of other people looking at me and I got really embarrassed.
Karyn Vallantyne
The note brought Karyn to tears, and she has vowed to track down the writer, who she believes was sent by guardian angels.
”I'm quite spiritual and it made me think a lot about my guardian angels, they knew I needed a sign but they couldn't do it,” Karyn said.
A Jane Doe
Unfortunately, with no name and no other information, Karyn is struggling to identify the stranger.
“I hope I manage to find her, it would be lovely,” Karyn said. “I'd like to send her some flowers or something to let her know I've acknowledged and appreciate what she wrote.”
Though Karyn had sought out the words of her friend, hearing this advice from a stranger was more effective.
"It was like a slap in the face. I should listen to my friend's advice but I have to learn the hard way, it was a massive wake up call,” Karyn said.
You Are Loved
Sometimes, we need a stranger to remind us that whether we are in a relationship or not, we are loved. The passerby on Karyn’s commute overheard someone questioning her worth, and instead of ignoring these worries, the stranger made sure Karyn knew she was deserving.
Even a short, anonymous note can help remind someone of their worth, so make sure to tell the ones you love that you love them and strangers on a train that they are loved, too.
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