Being a parent is a hard job, and there are many differing opinions on how to raise a child. Plus, every child is so different that knowing you’re doing the right thing can be challenging. That’s why even the best parent in the world can use a little reassurance from time to time. There’s no better example than a recent story out of Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. J. Mack Slaughter, 41, was having breakfast at Mimi's Cafe with his three young kids and wife. When it came time to pay the bill, the server told him the $85.21 had already been paid by another customer. When they gave him the bill, there was a note on the front: “Thank You For Being A Great Dad," with a hand-drawn smiley face. “We need more men like you.” When Slaughter flipped it over, he found another note on the back: "From a dad to a dad. Thank you for being the dad they need you to be regardless of who’s watching. We need more men like you. Thank you for letting us all see your love for them all. From,A retired Army medic" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr.JMack | ER Doctor (@dr.jmack) “I couldn’t control my tears. There was nobody watching for my reaction—(as) the person was already gone. It was just pure kindness,” Slaughter told SWNS. He had been playing a dot game with his kids while they ate and had no idea he was being observed from afar. “Man, this hit me right in the feels!” he later wrote on Instagram. “Random acts of kindness are SO POWERFUL!!! My entire day is changed, maybe my whole month?? I’m just so awesomely aware of the good that exists in complete strangers.” Every parent could use some reassurance. The kind gesture was also a great example for Slaughter’s children. “Once I composed myself and explained to my kids why I was crying happy tears, my daughter asked me, 'Dad, who should WE bless today?’” Slaughter wrote. The note also reassured Slaughter who, as an ER doctor, he sees a lot of tragedy. “I see some of the most terrible things in the world, but this reminded me that complete strangers can do miraculous, beautiful things when you least expect it,” he told SWNS. The generous veteran probably had no idea, but he offered kindness to someone who knew something about giving back. Slaughter founded a nonprofit called Music Meets Medicine, which raises money to donate instruments and instructional time to children with chronic conditions. The emergency room doctor once had a music career as a member of, Sons of Harmony, as a pop group that opened for big-name acts, including Destiny’s Child and Jessica Simpson. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr.JMack | ER Doctor (@dr.jmack) Sluaghter’s story is a wonderful example of how, even though you may not know it when it’s happening, people out there notice when they see parents going above and beyond. Slaughter could have been looking at his phone, or his children could have been on iPads during breakfast. But instead, he was engaged with his kids, making the most out of their time together, and that is what being a dad is all about. “I guess I’ll never know who did this or be able to thank them in person, but I promise to double down on being the best damn father I can possibly be,” Slaughter wrote on Instagram. “Parents, don’t you dare fake it, but I’m keeping my eye out for my chance to pay this forward.”