On a recent weekend evening, my wife Susan and I approached the door of the Dolphin, one of our favorite restaurants, only to find it held open for us by a young man accompanied by a young woman. They were ahead of us and, once inside, stood waiting, like us, for a table.

A few minutes later, when a table was ready, we expected them to take it. But no, as the manager informed us, the couple had ceded their place in line so that we could be seated first. When we realized what had happened Susan and I felt surprised and delighted by the gesture that our age juniors had made.

But that’s not the end of the story.  The next action came from the manager, John, who brought shrimp cocktails to the couple’s table on the house. Again, we felt surprised and gratified. John was honoring a gracious human gesture by making one of his own.

The sensitivity shown by three people much younger than ourselves buoyed up our spirits and transformed an ordinary evening into a notable one. We never did find out the identity of the couple but, in passing, did let them know that we appreciated their kindness.

They had no way of knowing that – – due to arthritis in one knee  – – I find prolonged standing difficult. Of course, they may simply have been motivated by my obvious advanced age.

In the days following this incident I have been quizzing friends about it. What do they think motivated the couple who reached out to us?

Middle-aged friends have suggested other factors that may have led the couple to do what they did. In general, my friends say, young people are no longer taught good manners. Nor do they learn some of the most important things in life.

These young man and woman were exceptions. They saw themselves as “nice people.” And, as such, they want to be nice to everybody. That’s who they are.

One of these two friends, highly experienced in business, believes that most people do not have time to be nice to others. Instead, they feel pressured by work and family responsibilities, and believe that they have no time to reach out to anyone else. In his view, our young benefactors were breaking with prevalent patterns.

For myself, other reasons may have been in play. I suspect that the young couple may have or have had grandparents whom they have loved. Susan and I could have reminded them of those beloved relatives of theirs. I remember the way I felt about my maternal grandmother and about people who reminded me of her.

Or, perhaps they have been studying gerontology and thus have become acquainted with how some people suffer discrimination on the basis of age. Or could they be young doctors who are specializing in geriatrics or social workers who care for elders? If so they would be sensitive to the needs of old people for care and concern.

The couple may have been simply out on a date. If so, you could imagine that one of them wanted to display his or her readiness to reach out to others. Romance can inspire general benevolence – – and a desire to be at one’s best.

I recently heard of a young woman who felt uncertain about the fellow with whom their church pastor was trying to match her up. She continued to regard him with some indifference until, one Sunday, she saw him entering church and helping his ailing mother navigate her entrance by giving her an arm and carefully guiding her to a seat. Her views were transformed, and they are now married.

As time goes on, I may ponder the various reasons that might have motivated our unknown friends. Who knows, we might meet them again in that same restaurant. That, of course would not be an opportunity to quiz them about it – that would ruin the whole thing.

An easier answer could be: none of the above. They might have acted out of simple impulse instead of having a well-thought-out response to us.

In any event, I found it a morale booster.  Not everything is wrong with the world, nor is everyone in the younger generations insensitive to the situation of their elders. Some of our juniors even have enough wisdom to see elders as their future selves.

The late Dr. Robert Butler coined the term “ageism” to describe what happens when old people are mistreated because they have advanced in years. He saw this happening on both the individual and the institutional level. Stereotyping and prejudice are harmful to elders themselves and to our society.

Happily, the incident described here serves as the opposite of ageism, Instead, the event displays a beautiful interplay between the generations that benefits us all.