To me, the most impactful moment of this story is not the 30 seconds it took to hand the man the most delicious mochi donuts ever—it was the last-minute opportunity to serve.
Our friends were moving soon, so we planned one of our last dinners together. This was a chance to catch up, laugh too loud, and savor one more meal before goodbyes. The food was great, the conversation even better, and by the time the plates were cleared, we weren’t ready for the night to end.
And let’s be honest, what’s dinner without dessert?
It didn’t take long to land on the answer: donuts.
Enter: The Most Delicious Donut Shop
We were those people who unknowingly walked into a donut store five minutes before closing. Are we the worst people on the planet? Yes. But, those mochi donuts looked too good to apologize and simply walk back out. We still apologized and spent an unholy amount of seconds thinking about how each donut would taste—chocolate, brown sugar, taro—
“So, what do you guys do with the leftover donuts?” My friend cut in.
“Throw them away,” the employee responded while checking the clock.
We were stunned hearing those words, but there was only one correct follow-up to that maddening statement: “Can we take them?”
“Sure.”
The Goose Chase Begins
Next thing we knew, we saved a big box of donuts from execution. Outside the store, we joked about gobbling the entire box, but there were too many to indulge in gluttony. Plus, we couldn’t shake the thought that someone else might need them more than we did.
“Who should we give these to?” We had spent the last 15 minutes frantically checking for nearby shelters, but it was too late—everything was closed.
Not ready to give up, we drove to the next city over where we knew homeless people frequented. Our headlights cut through the quiet night as we scanned the streets, windows down, the sweet scent of rescued donuts filling the car.
Target acquired.
He was a man, a very thin man, with a kind expression on his face, standing by the side of the road.
Nervous, we drove past him once. My friend in the back whispered, “What if he doesn’t like them? What if he doesn’t have a sweet tooth?”
The worst he could do was say no. So, with a collective deep breath, we rolled down the windows and offered him the entire box.
His eyes lit up like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing; a wide smile spread across his face as he took the box. We asked if he could share the donuts with others who might also need a little sweetness, and he nodded enthusiastically.
And just like that, the donuts were gone.
Build Then Bless: The Real Treat
To me, the most impactful moment of this story is not the 30 seconds it took to hand the man the most delicious mochi donuts ever—although it did make us feel really happy to help someone in their time of need. It was the spontaneous decision, the 30-minute journey, to spend time together as friends, chasing some messy, last-minute opportunity to serve.
That’s what Build Then Bless is all about. Not perfect plans. Not big gestures. Just grabbing the opportunities right in front of you, together.
