Planting A Seed
As you may or may not know, the reason for the title of my website, Inspire Those Who Inspire You, is exactly as it says. I want to uplift others, show that there can be a positive message in a negative situation, and show the impact of “passing on kindness”.
An instance of being on the receiver’s end of “paying it forward” or “passing on kindness” happens from time-to-time. And each time I pass on kindness or pay it forward, I think of this example. It was a couple years ago when I was working at a desk, greeting people and checking them in. On this particular day, two of our regulars, a couple, came in, as they normally would. We would chat, they asked how I was doing and I would ask them back. Then, we would discuss other things depending on what events were happening that day.
I believe on this particular day, we were discussing a football game or some sort of sporting event. And at one point, I mentioned how I did not have a television. So, I do not watch TV. And the conversation carried on for a bit longer before they carried on with their day. Well, days before Christmas, they came in and gave me a card. The card that they gave me made instantly put a smile on my face and it made my day. It was a sign of acknowledgment. And it truly meant the world.
Meanwhile, I did not open the card until I got home. And boy was I in for a surprise. Not only did they give me a card with a nice handwritten not but it included monetary value as well. I was in disbelief. I could not believe they gifted me so much. It was evident that the comment I had made previously stuck with them. And so, they decided to pay it forward and pay on kindness.
Days later when I saw them come in again, I told them how grateful I was and how impactful their card was to me. They told me that they had a tradition where each year they would pick someone and surprise them with a card just as they had for me. And it was truly eye-opening. There have been several instances on the news or social media where I have heard of how a stranger will go out of their way to assist someone, donate a big tip in the drive through line at Starbucks, etc. But never in a million years did I think that would be me.
Ever since then, I have started a tradition of my own. All because of them. So, if you have ever thought about paying it forward in a drive through line, through a gift card/gift, bringing food/clothes to those in need, this is your sign to do it. As long as you are in a place that you feel that you are able to, know that you will change someone’s life for the better and make a positive impact. All in all, a little kindness goes a long way.
As a signature of this blog, I like to end each post with a suggestion to “Pass on kindness”. After all, there is no such time as the present to “Inspire Those Who Inspire You”. Passing on kindness, does need to be this big, elaborate ordeal. You could smile at a stranger, compliment something you love about someone’s outfit or personality, tell someone how proud you are of them or that you are thinking of them. Even small acts can have a huge impact on someone.
