so tonight on our way home from out of town, we stopped at a subway to eat. it was in a small town, and there was only one little lady in front of us. she had no teeth and stained, white sweatpants, but she looked so sweet, gave us the biggest smile, and complimented my daughter's curls. now spange and i have been doing little random acts of kindness here and there, and tonight i felt was one of those nights. right as the woman was going to ring her up, i interrupted to tell her i wanted to pick up her check. they both were surprised, but the little old lady looked shocked and just kind of stood there with her bag, not really knowing what had just happened. she thanked us and kind of scooted out the door, a little stumped. (i love that part.) it felt SO good, especially since these little things are something that our whole family just LOVES to do...
and it's so easy. and it's contagious. and most of us on here can afford to do something little like that here and there. i'm sure many of you do this kind of stuff anyway. but this is my challenge:
tomorrow, this monday, i challenge whomever reads this to do a random act of kindness. somewhere, somehow...pick up someone's tab for breakfast if you stop for coffee or bagels. give a box of granola bars to a bum. donate to a charity in someone else's honor. give some money to the grocery tab behind you. if you don't have a habit of holding doors for others, do it...for a long line of people. pay the toll for the car behind you. compliment the subway's smile, or her patience. bring an extra coupon to a restaurant and hand it to the people in the booth behind you. put some money on the gas pump for the next person. there are handfuls of opportunities every single day to just be NICE to someone, and it's amazing how many you can grab if your eyes are open to it. i'd love to have one day where we can all come back with one little act we've performed that has put a surprised, appreciative smile on some stranger's face.
when someone thanks us for our little deed, we like to tell them to thank us by paying it forward...maybe this lady will remember the feeling and pass it on to someone else sometime. i know it's a tiny thing, but i wholeheartedly believe if you can do it to someone, that they will too...and so it goes. it's not going to change the world, but a dart of unexpected kindness from a stranger
and please come back to this thread and share your story...what did you do, to whom did you do it to, and how you chose the person you did. i never look for anyone specific...it's just a feeling that happens...and of course i love to help someone who might appear a little less fortunate. however, you never know anyone's circumstances, and surprising a man in a business suit can have the same effect as a toothless lady in grubby sweats.
i'm sure it sounds nutty and sappy, but hey. it's still a challenge for you. and i triple dog dare you to take it on.
and it's so easy. and it's contagious. and most of us on here can afford to do something little like that here and there. i'm sure many of you do this kind of stuff anyway. but this is my challenge:
tomorrow, this monday, i challenge whomever reads this to do a random act of kindness. somewhere, somehow...pick up someone's tab for breakfast if you stop for coffee or bagels. give a box of granola bars to a bum. donate to a charity in someone else's honor. give some money to the grocery tab behind you. if you don't have a habit of holding doors for others, do it...for a long line of people. pay the toll for the car behind you. compliment the subway's smile, or her patience. bring an extra coupon to a restaurant and hand it to the people in the booth behind you. put some money on the gas pump for the next person. there are handfuls of opportunities every single day to just be NICE to someone, and it's amazing how many you can grab if your eyes are open to it. i'd love to have one day where we can all come back with one little act we've performed that has put a surprised, appreciative smile on some stranger's face.
when someone thanks us for our little deed, we like to tell them to thank us by paying it forward...maybe this lady will remember the feeling and pass it on to someone else sometime. i know it's a tiny thing, but i wholeheartedly believe if you can do it to someone, that they will too...and so it goes. it's not going to change the world, but a dart of unexpected kindness from a stranger
and please come back to this thread and share your story...what did you do, to whom did you do it to, and how you chose the person you did. i never look for anyone specific...it's just a feeling that happens...and of course i love to help someone who might appear a little less fortunate. however, you never know anyone's circumstances, and surprising a man in a business suit can have the same effect as a toothless lady in grubby sweats.
i'm sure it sounds nutty and sappy, but hey. it's still a challenge for you. and i triple dog dare you to take it on.
y'all are awesome. i love to hear these stories.
