I’m
sure, like me, you’ve heard of “paying it forward” or “random acts of kindness”.
I had wanted to get involved in these actions somehow but beyond offering
strangers a ride, I was at a loss. I actually prayed to be able to see such a
random, kind act.
Then
this past September while visiting Bonnie, we went to her local warehouse store
together. She’d forgotten to pick up fresh spinach on her last trip and I
wanted to get me some Greek yogurt. Something I eat nearly every day and my
sister doesn’t buy.
We
both took out one of those scooters for handicapped customers. (Bonnie is under
doctor’s orders and I have arthritis in my back.) She led the way through the
store, with me following. Neither one of us got much.
When
we got in line at the cash register, the cashier was ringing up one customer
and another was patiently awaiting her turn. When the cashier got to the
patient customer, I could see the two of them talking but couldn’t hear them. I
don’t think Bonnie was even paying attention to them.
Then
Bonnie got to the cashier. Before Bonnie could attempt to pay, the cashier
swung the card reader around so Bonnie could not access it. She then pulled a
twenty out of her hand and opened the till, using the twenty to pay for Bonnies
stuff, and getting the change. Bonnie’s confused about what is going on as she
accepts her receipt.
Without
turning the card reader back, the cashier rang me up, paid with the money still
in her hand, then handed me my receipt with the remaining change. She told me
the lady in front of us had given the cashier money to cover our purchases and
the change was ours.
So
now I’ve not only seen such a random act of kindness, I’ve been the recipient
of one. I assumed this was the answer to my prayers.
Then
this past Monday I realized I needed to get more dog food and I was already so
low on funds I was counting pennies, plus I hadn’t gotten everything we needed
for our Thanksgiving dinner yet. Before I had the opportunity to check how much
I had left, my daughter pointed out we were also low on laundry soap. I
personally checked the soap hoping we had enough to muddle it until payday. (Mind
you, payday is this Friday.)
We
had less laundry soap than we did dog food and the dog food was not waiting
that long.
I
was on Facebook so before I got off I posted something about being at the tail
end of our money and needing both laundry soap and dog food, which wasn’t going
to wait until Friday.
At
which point I got off Facebook, checked for exactly how much money I had left, and
then went to get both items from the store along with what we needed for
Thanksgiving, praying what I did have would cover everything. It did.
I
then proceeded to relax and didn’t return to Facebook or even remember what I’d
posted though not long after I returned home my husband came in with two store
grocery bags. One had laundry soap in it and the other a small bag of dog food.
(We buy fifty-pound bags because we have six dogs so the no more than ten-pound
bag wasn’t much in comparison.)
We
spent some time trying to figure out why someone would leave that on our porch and
wondering if they dropped it at the wrong house.
Then
Jerry got on Facebook. Eventually, he asked me if I remembered what I’d posted that
morning. I had not, but I quickly got back online and checked. The two people
who’d commented on my post could not have dropped off the packages. One lives in
Idaho and the other doesn’t have a car or any idea where I live, exactly. I’m assuming
one of my local Facebook friends, who does have a car and knows where I live,
dropped them off, but didn’t comment on my post. So second act of kindness.
In
the spirit of kindness and with December upon us, I’d like to invite all our
readers to join in with our churches Light the World campaign again this year.
Find a way to do random acts of kindness throughout the season.
May
you have lots to be thankful for and have a peaceful holiday season. Remember
the reason for the season.
Smile.
Make the day a brighter day.
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