Pay it Forward

Most of us have seen or at least heard of the movie, Pay it Forward but how few of us take this idea further than just enjoying a well-done movie? The story line of this movie is about the effects of changing lives with acts of kindness.   In real life everyday people are compassionate and kind hearted but because life is coming at us 90 miles an hour we don’t often seize the opportunity for even a small gesture of kindness.

I recently read an article about how the residence of the Sandy Hook, Conn. coped one year after the shooting tragedy.  To mark the anniversary of the mass shooting, the relatives of the Sandy Hook victims asked people to perform random acts of kindness throughout the day.  The idea was to find something uplifting to focus on, little things that would bring joy to the receiver as well as the giver.

Shortly after reading this article, I was on a toll road driving home from an appointment and I decided to pay not only my toll but to pay the toll of the car behind me. I smiled as I drove away imagining the surprise and delight of that driver and how he now had a fun story to share for the rest of the day.

Since that experience, I have been on the alert for opportunities to perform random acts of kindness. What a great way to stay focused on gratitude and joy in such a fun way. The key to make this work is to think up a ways in which you can be an increase in someone’s life. Remember to keep it simple… the best place to start is with small acts of kindness.

Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things,

but we can do small things with great heart.”

Here are some simple suggestions:

1. Pay for someone who is eating alone at a restaurant and leave before they realize you did it.

2. Let someone go ahead of you in line (especially if it is a long line).

3. Hold the door open for someone.

4. When in a parking lot and a space opens up, let another person have it.

5. Double your tip when you are out for lunch or coffee.

6. Pay for the coffee, the toll or the bus fare for the person behind you.

7. When you see the line for Santa go up to him and give him a Starbucks gift card.

8. Hand out Lottery tickets to random strangers.

9. Give someone a compliment on their attire.

10. Be an encourager to someone.

11. Give your seat to someone on public transportation or a crowded waiting room.

12. Write a thank you note to a loved one —not in response to a gift but because you appreciate them.

13. Pick up a Santa letter and get a deserving child his or her dream gift.

14. Drop quarters on the sidewalk for people to find.

15. Smile and always say please and thank you.

These are just a few ideas…. simple acts of kindness indeed. Share some of the ideas you come up with.

                    “Carry out a random Act of Kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that someone might do the same for you.”                                – Princess Diana