On The Receiving End – Pay It Forward Comes Back

A simple act of kindness can shift your perspective. [Click to Tweet]

Earlier this week, Leanne and I were out at lunch time as we were dealing with the aftermath of her accident.  As we entered the nearby Subway to grab a quick bite to eat, there was a lady in front of us getting ready place her order.  When we joined the line behind her, she immediately let us go in front of her which initially caught me off guard.  From there, Leanne and I ordered our sandwiches.  Just as we were about to pay for our lunch, the same young lady handed Leanne a coupon for a free sandwich.

She asked for nothing in return.  She simply provided a small piece of generosity that brought a huge shift to my perspective.  You see, we were so focused on the accident and the details related to how it impacted our family.  Honestly, I wasn’t thinking of other people at the time.  But this young lady changed my thinking.  We had an opportunity to thank her as she was getting her drink from the self-service beverage dispenser.  As we briefly exchanged words, we all agreed that the world needed more people who offered this type of simple kindness.

Late in November of last year, I wrote about starting a Pay It Forward Revolution.  I shared that the idea may be utopian, but I’d love to see it work.  The response to the post of okay, but it wasn’t overwhelming.  I suppose I had resolved myself to the fact that this idea was stupid – or just too idealistic.  Maybe I really didn’t believe it could work.  After Monday’s lunch, I changed my mind.  I don’t know if this young lady was part of the Pay It Forward Revolution or not.  I do know that it felt refreshing to be on the receiving end of such simple generosity.  It felt reassuring that it just may work.  Her simple action reminded me that I can do my part through simple Pay It Forward actions every day.  Perhaps, I can make a difference for one person today.

Describe a time when your perspective has been shifted by generosity.  How can you make a difference in someone’s life today through simple kindness?