I don’t know if you’ve read this story before or not, but when I did, my heart claimed Essence Atkins as more than a sister…she was immediately a role model. Her act of kindness, unselfishness, and encouragement echoed in my spirit. Her act pricked my heart to action! In her innocence, she inspired me to love harder on my sisters. Read more about the remarkable act below, courtesy of Huffington Post.
Essence Atkins got down on her knees and washed my friend Allison Pecola Person’s feet today which I believe is a wonderful way to exude a simple act of kindness. #WWJD #TYL
Posted by Michael Adeyeye on Friday, November 13, 2015
Actress Essence Atkins did one of the most humbling things anyone could do for another person — she washed a woman’s feet.
While promoting her new stage play, “Things Your Man Won’t Do,” at an Atlanta radio station, the “Smart Guy” actress kneeled down to a seated stranger, Allison Person, and began rolling her sleeves up. Initially a skit about something one’s significant other wouldn’t do, Atkins turned that moment into a moving gesture.
“This wasn’t planned for me to do this, but sisters, it’s important that we love on each other,” a choked up Atkins said. “I know I just met you today but I know the road that you walk.”
Person became emotional and covered her teary eyes as Atkins continued her heartfelt speech.
“I want you to know that I got you, that I support you and I love you,” Atkins said. “And if we don’t give that to each other y’all we are lost. We will never be what we can be.”
Person posted a response video on Facebook expressing her gratitude and urging others to spread the same love she received from Atkins.
“It was overwhelming, the love that she gave me being that she didn’t know me, still doesn’t know me,” Person said, saying she had been going through a tough emotional time, unbeknownst to Atkins. “I pray that metaphorically you wash the feet of someone else, you do something that pulls you out of your level of comfortability and serve someone else. It’s so much deeper than her washing my feet but it’s simply us serving one another.”
Watch the entire video of this beautiful act of sisterhood above.
