;BradMontaguehadalwaysbelievedthatsmallactsofkindnesscouldmakeadifference,buthehadneverimaginedthatthoseactscouldripple(扩散)intosomethingmuchbigger.

ItwasacoldOctobermorning,Bradvisitedalocalhomelesssheltertodropoffsomedonations.Itwasanormaltrip,somethinghehaddonemanytimesbefore.Butthistime,helearnedashockingandheartbreakingtruth—theshelterwasrunningoutofsocks.Unlikecoatsorblankets,socksworeoutquickly,andmostpeopleneverthoughttodonatethem.“Socksareoftenconsideredunimportant,”thedirectorhadexplained.“Butwithoutthem,peopleonthestreetscaneasilycatchacold.”

AutumnhadarrivedinHenderson,Tennessee,bringingdryairandcoolernights.Laterthatevening,asBradsatontheedgeofhisdaughterMatilda’sbed,gazinglovinglyathisdaughtersleepingwithastuffedrabbitinherarms,hecouldn’tshakeoffwhattheshelterdirectorhadsaid.Socks—somethingsosimple,somethingmostpeopletookforgranted—werealifelineforthosesufferingfromcoldnightsonthestreets.LookingatMatilda’stinyfeetkickingoutfromundertheblanket,Bradwasdeterminedtomakeadifference.

Asawriterandartist,Bradwasusedtosolvingproblemswithcreativity.Thenextmorning,hementionedtheissuetohisvolunteerfriendsinthecommunity.Afterhesharedwhathadhappened,onefriendraisedhishand,“Wecouldcollectsocks!”Anotheradded,“Let’smakeitfun.Itcouldbelikeacelebrationorsomething.”Brad’seyeslitup.“AcelebrationinOctober…”Hesmiled.“WhataboutnamingtheactivityasSocktober?”Theroomeruptedwithexcitement.“Socktober!”Theyrepeated,lettingthewordrollofftheirtongues.Itwasperfect.Thepassionhadbeenlit,andnoneofthemrealizedhowbigthislittleideawasabouttobecome.

Withthebrilliantideainmind,theyknewwhattheyshoulddonext.

AsSocktobercontinued,otherpeopleinthecommunit