Pay it Forward

doing nice things for people whenever I get the chance. I also try to compliment people or express my appreciation when I have something positive to say.

Our muscadine vines are loaded and since I’m not a jelly/jam maker myself and there are only so many muscadines one could consume I called our local retirement village. They think it would be a good activity for their local residents to spend the day making muscadine jelly. So I’m off to the woods with a gathering blanket and I’m about to shake some trees to deliver the bounty which I promised to deliver tommorrow.

I have always enjoyed paying it forward, I used to work in a hotel, and once in a hot summer day, I was walking by and saw this old woman with her children trying to catch a taxi in Paris, I knew it would be hard to find a cab where they were standing, so I took them to my hotel, gave them a place to sit, something to drink and called them a cab.

I try to pay it forward when ever I can, I like to believe that it would make the world a better place.

I have this friend who has really been down on her luck. I’ve tried to give her money but she just won’t accept it. She appears to be losing alot of weight and I’m worried she doesn’t have money for food. So last week I went grocery shopping, filling a huge box full of goodies which I mailed to her. Today she called crying and said that she had been munching happily all day, said she hadn’t been that full in a long time. I think I’m going to do this alot more often for her.

I have the support of my wonderful husband and parents. My parents were always telling me to do something for my kids instead of for them. Even when they had given me really large amounts of help (money, watching kids, etc.)So usually, I did that.

But, about a year ago, I started opening myself up to anyone who needed help. I gave people text books, photocopied stuff, gave pencils, ran to get medicine for people with headaches, etc. My big gift right now is tutoring a fellow nursing student for free. She wanted to know how much to pay me, and I told her that if it really helped her, to do something large for someone else. It made me feel really good. Way better than getting $200.00 for services rendered.

I am so proud of this accomplishment. I have been growing my hair out for awhile. I found a salon that gives to the organization on a regular basis. I went to them for a trim. It’s a bit expensive. They did not charge me for the actual chop. I did give a very generous tip. I am so happy with the cut. It meant so much to me to give and know that a child is going to benefit from my hair donation.

When I’m out traveling and see a person in military uniform (especially of junior rank) at a restaurant or coffee shop, I offer to pay for their meal. It’s such a little thing compared to what they are putting on the line for me and my freedom.

Also, for those friends & acquaintances who’ve been deployed, I make it a point to listen to them, giving them a sounding board they can’t always get at home. I’ve found many spouses don’t want to hear the details of their experiences or they just want to return to ‘life as usual.’ These kids need an outlet, whether they realize it or not.

Yesterday I heard a story from one of my friends, Kristen, that had happened earlier in the day…

She was driving home and while at a stop light noticed and elderly man carrying some bags of belongings while struggling to get across the street to catch the bus. He didn’t look like a “street person”, but he was certainly down on his luck. Well, the gentleman apparently made it to the other side of the street just when the bus was pulling away. Her heart went out to him as she witnessed his surrender to the situation.

Kristen, with another friend in the car, decided to pull over and ask the man if he would like a ride somewhere. He was heading to the bus depot, across town, and he accepted her offer. The man was so full of appreciation for her kindness that he almost cried. He shared that no one had EVER extended such generosity to him. She dropped him off at the bus station with good feelings in her heart.

Such a simple, loving gift she gave to him, and herself. A gentle reminder for me to Pay It Forward more often. Certainly with every act of “evil” there are a million acts of kindness.

and I’ve made it a weekly habit, though now I make 7 sammies, include soft fruit (for the dentally-challenged), and moved it to Sanduiche Sexta (Friday).

Went and dropped off three individual bags of apples to three wonderful housebound women. I had learned through their caregiver that they had been craving fried apple pies which she promised to make them if I would deliver the apples. She was peeling the apples & they were instructing her how they used to make the pies as I left. =)