Comments on: Unexpected and Anonymous http://tendollarthoughts.com/2012/07/27/unexpected-and-anonymous/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 15 May 2013 22:23:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: BigLittleWolf http://tendollarthoughts.com/2012/07/27/unexpected-and-anonymous/comment-page-1/#comment-48357 BigLittleWolf Sun, 05 Aug 2012 13:44:17 +0000 http://tendollarthoughts.com/?p=3605#comment-48357 Remarkable story. I think those who have been the recipients of kindness never forget. And they do what they can, when they can, any way they can - to pay it forward. Remarkable story. I think those who have been the recipients of kindness never forget. And they do what they can, when they can, any way they can – to pay it forward.

]]> By: Cathy http://tendollarthoughts.com/2012/07/27/unexpected-and-anonymous/comment-page-1/#comment-48052 Cathy Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:17:04 +0000 http://tendollarthoughts.com/?p=3605#comment-48052 I don't have any suggestions for you. I will say that paying it forward is something I try to do regularly, daily even. It can be as small as letting someone in a congested traffic situation or offering up encouragement to a discouraged friend. These are just good, right things to do and it makes me feel like a better person to understand that everyone has challenges, big and small, and I should not be so inwardly focused and ignore others. I don’t have any suggestions for you. I will say that paying it forward is something I try to do regularly, daily even. It can be as small as letting someone in a congested traffic situation or offering up encouragement to a discouraged friend. These are just good, right things to do and it makes me feel like a better person to understand that everyone has challenges, big and small, and I should not be so inwardly focused and ignore others.

]]> By: Lori http://tendollarthoughts.com/2012/07/27/unexpected-and-anonymous/comment-page-1/#comment-47861 Lori Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:11:01 +0000 http://tendollarthoughts.com/?p=3605#comment-47861 I personally believe that acts of kindness are far more "pay it forward" than money. Although money is very nice, it can seem too easy...especially for those people who have a good amount of it. It's the respect as a human being that every individual deserves, and that sadly so many people do not fully receive. I think it can be anything from a smile or holding a door open for someone, to helping an 8-month pregnant woman at the swimming pool by catching her older daughter when she jumps off the diving board. It can be a polite wave through a car window letting some one merge onto the street or greeting the walking mailman at the door to say "hello" and "thank you." Sure, tipping a waitress or someone in the retail field is nice, but it's also taking a moment to really talk to them and make them feel special and not just the trash man... Actually, that reminds me of a gentleman who when my older son was just an infant, the man saw me carrying my boy on my hip to get our trash cans from the street. The next several weeks, he would roll my trash cans back to my garage door for me. I caught him doing that one day and asked him why I got special treatment. :) He simply replied that I had a little guy that needed my time more than hauling trashcans up and down the driveway. I smiled and thanked him and immediately went inside to call our trash service to compliment this man who took his opportunity to pay it forward. I think role modeling these types of things for your kids and involving them in those acts is just as important as the acts themselves. My kids quite often become the friendly greeters of Costco, or Price Chopper, or the mall...wherever we end up walking around. They make eye contact, wave, smile, and ask "how are you today?" to anyone brave enough to look at a 3 1/2 year old and an almost 2 year old! Seeing the smile on peoples' faces is huge and I know that if someone did that for me, it would make my day as well. Great thought for a Friday! Thanks for taking the time to think about this and encourage others around you to do the same. How much happier would this place be if we all just made those around us happier instead of simply complaining and going about our business? I personally believe that acts of kindness are far more “pay it forward” than money. Although money is very nice, it can seem too easy…especially for those people who have a good amount of it. It’s the respect as a human being that every individual deserves, and that sadly so many people do not fully receive.

I think it can be anything from a smile or holding a door open for someone, to helping an 8-month pregnant woman at the swimming pool by catching her older daughter when she jumps off the diving board. It can be a polite wave through a car window letting some one merge onto the street or greeting the walking mailman at the door to say “hello” and “thank you.” Sure, tipping a waitress or someone in the retail field is nice, but it’s also taking a moment to really talk to them and make them feel special and not just the trash man…

Actually, that reminds me of a gentleman who when my older son was just an infant, the man saw me carrying my boy on my hip to get our trash cans from the street. The next several weeks, he would roll my trash cans back to my garage door for me. I caught him doing that one day and asked him why I got special treatment. :) He simply replied that I had a little guy that needed my time more than hauling trashcans up and down the driveway. I smiled and thanked him and immediately went inside to call our trash service to compliment this man who took his opportunity to pay it forward.

I think role modeling these types of things for your kids and involving them in those acts is just as important as the acts themselves. My kids quite often become the friendly greeters of Costco, or Price Chopper, or the mall…wherever we end up walking around. They make eye contact, wave, smile, and ask “how are you today?” to anyone brave enough to look at a 3 1/2 year old and an almost 2 year old! Seeing the smile on peoples’ faces is huge and I know that if someone did that for me, it would make my day as well.

Great thought for a Friday! Thanks for taking the time to think about this and encourage others around you to do the same. How much happier would this place be if we all just made those around us happier instead of simply complaining and going about our business?

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