The Day My Oat Milk Disappeared (and What It Taught Me About Kindness)
It’s easy to feel justified in our frustration when we’ve been wronged, especially in the small, everyday injustices that chip away at our patience. But sometimes, behind those annoyances lies a story we haven’t bothered to learn.
In this story, what began as a petty act of revenge revealed a far deeper truth—not about theft, but about hardship, dignity, and the quiet battles people fight behind closed doors. The real lesson? That a splash of compassion can go much further than a mouthful of vengeance.
This is full story
I’m severely allergic to dairy, so I bring my own oat milk to work. It’s labeled. Still, it kept disappearing, and I had to go without my daily coffee.
So, I got petty and filled a carton with toothpaste and baking soda.
The next day, I heard gagging in the break room. To my horror, it wasn’t some faceless “milk thief” I had pictured—it was Clara, the new hire.
Her face turned crimson as she rushed to the sink, and I immediately felt my stomach drop.
Everyone in the office knew Clara was struggling.
She’d taken on the job to support her younger brother, and whispered rumors floated around about her skipping meals to save money.
I had been so focused on my frustration—on feeling wronged—that I never thought the culprit might be someone desperate rather than careless.
I approached her later, guilt gnawing at me. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I just… I couldn’t afford groceries this week, and I didn’t think it would matter if I used a splash.”
In that moment, the toothpaste prank felt monstrous. My pettiness had been born of inconvenience; her actions were born of survival.
I offered to buy her lunch, and that became a quiet ritual between us. Over sandwiches and coffee, we talked about life, about struggle, and about the quiet masks people wear to hide it.
The oat milk? It never disappeared again—not because I scared off a thief, but because I chose compassion over resentment.
Sometimes the smallest battles we fight reveal something bigger: that kindness feeds us far more than vengeance ever can.
Milk allergy is an atypical immune system response to milk and products containing milk. It’s one of the most common food allergies in children. Cow’s milk is the usual cause of milk allergy, but milk from sheep, goats, buffalo and other mammals also can cause a reaction.
An allergic reaction usually occurs soon after you or your child consumes milk. Signs and symptoms of milk allergy range from mild to severe and can include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Milk allergy can also cause anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction.
Avoiding milk and milk products is the primary treatment for milk allergy. Fortunately, most children outgrow milk allergy. Those who don’t outgrow it may need to continue to avoid milk products.