"It is in giving that we receive." -Prayer of St.
Francis, 13th century saint. "When you give, you begin to live, you get
the world."
When we give we think we are helping others. While that is
true, we are helping ourselves and feeding our soul. The interesting part is
that to give and at the same time receive doesn’t take a lot. It doesn’t have
to cost you monetarily. It wouldn’t have to cost anything more than a kind
word, a smile, or your time.
The effort for many is an unconscious effort of a friendly
gesture to a stranger or a friend that lifts something inside the other person.
A simple act of smiling at a stranger on the street or saying good morning to a
homeless person acknowledges that you see them and that they are human. Not so difficult
is it?
If you know me you know I am a firm believer in paying it
forward. Paying it forward feeds my soul.
Paying it forward turns the focus away from ourselves, gives rather than
receives, and generates joy.
Pay it forward
through random acts of kindness. Here are some examples of random acts:
Smile at the person
walking down the sidewalk in your direction. It’s funny, but where I grew
up we did this. Now, it’s as if everyone is interested in their feet as they
pass you by. Even if the person is staring down, having a conversation with
their feet, say hi and see if they don’t smile.
Put change in an
expired meter. If you see a meter expired and you have change in your
pocket, drop a couple coins in and save the unknown recipient of this kind
gesture from getting a parking ticket.
Let a car cut in
front of you. Now I know many of you think that getting to your destination
is far more important, but that little act of kindness could result in that
person getting to the hospital in time to see a sick one before he/she goes
into surgery. Didn’t consider that, did ya?
Leave a copy of a
good book at your favorite café. I am a HUGE reader and I do this quite a
bit. I’ll be darned if I am going to hoard all those books, so why not share
your favorite author with others and just maybe that person can’t afford to go
buy a book for $8 or more.
Thank the customer
service person who helped you and use their name whenever possible. If you
are like me you are probably a creature of habit. There are certain places that
I frequent and you can bet I know the names of all those people who provide a
service to me. You know what else? They know my name too.
Tip a server…generously.
These folks work hard for those tips. I know! Been there and done that. Even if
you go in for just a cup of coffee, leave more than the cost of the coffee.
Mentor someone. Share
your knowledge and experience with others. Maybe a friend has a computer and
doesn’t know how to use it. Take some time and give him/her some pointers. Help
a teenager with his/her first car change the oil or brakes.
Make a donation. Pick
your favorite charity and donate the extra $20 you have left from your
paycheck. As a runner, I know most race events are for the purposes of raising
money for one charitable organization or another. Make a donation beyond the
entry fee. Or my personal favorite, if there is race day registration pay for
the next person who walks up to the tent.
Compliment a stranger.
If you see a nice haircut or a beautiful scarf on someone then tell them. It
costs nothing and you probably put a smile on their face.
Give a used coat or
shoes away. If you see a homeless person in need of a coat and you have one
that’s been hanging in your closet not used, give it to someone who will
benefit from the warmth of the coat and your generosity. As a runner you
probably have boatloads of shoes you have barely worn or didn’t work for you.
Rather than leave them in the closet clogging your floor, or in my case, my
entryway, donate them.
Volunteer. Such a
simple word, but probably the most difficult for some because it involves time.
But that time you give will make such a difference. Volunteer at a sporting
event or a food pantry.
Thank a soldier. These
are the people who put their lives on the line for all of us and our freedoms.
Thank them for that service and sacrifice. Heck, do what I do. If I park next
to a vehicle that has military veteran plates on the car, leave a note thanking
him/her for their service.
Hold the door open.
It used to be this was second nature for folks but in the last years I have
noticed a trend of everyone in a hurry and never stopping to look behind them.
This is such a simple act. Look over your shoulder and if you see someone
coming take the extra five seconds to hold the door.
Pay the toll.
This happens to be one of my favorites. If you’re going through a toll booth
why not offer up an extra dollar and pay for the vehicle behind you.
Redirect birthday
gifts. If you’re like me, there’s probably not much you REALLY need, but
there are others that do. Tell everyone to make a donation to your favorite
charity.
Spare your loose
change. If you see a person in line at the grocery store a little short on
cash, stick your hand in your pocket and pull out that change or a dollar and
help them out. Even the little kid just trying to buy a candy bar or soda pop. While
in the Chicago airport the woman in front of me card was turned down and she
didn’t have cash. I paid for her caramel popcorn. You’d have thought she won
the lottery. She thanked and hugged me and wished me safe travels. Hey! Who am
I to come between a woman and her popcorn? I can relate!
Donate blood. It’s
a lifesaving act.
Drop off your old
eyeglasses. Check around your house and I bet you will find at least one or
two pair of old eyeglasses you no longer can wear. Take them to LensCrafters or
another eyeglass place and donate them to those who can’t afford them.
Tweet something
positive. Social media has a huge impact on us all so why not use it for
good. Tweet a positive experience with a business or a person and help spread
the word.
Donate food to local
animal shelters. Cats and dogs are people too and they need help.
Offer up your seat.
If you take a train or a bus give up your seat. You probably just made some
tired person’s day.
Buy a lemonade.
When summer hits, and it will with a vengeance after this winter there will be
plenty of kid lemonade stands. Instead of walking or driving by, pause for a
few minutes, have a chat with the kid and buy a cup of his or her lemonade. You
are helping a young entrepreneur.
Donate to a project.
Speaking of young entrepreneurs...donate to a project or Kickstarter and help
an aspiring business get off the ground.
Hug a friend.
Some days all it takes is a hug.
Buy a cup of coffee.
At your local coffee shop and have a few extra dollars in your pocket? Hand
them over to your barista and ask them to buy the next person in line a cup of
coffee. If you’re in the drive thru ask the cashier what the person behind you
ordered and pay for their order. Want to go to a bigger scale? Start a fund at
your local coffee shop so others can donate and help give the gift of caffeine.
Pick up litter.
Yes, this requires you to bend over and to possibly get dirty, but think of how
nice the area where this trash is will look.
Help a sick person
out. Take some soup or a box of Kleenex over to a sick neighbor.
Donate old blankets.
There are plenty of shelters out there that would love to see you walk in with
a pile of lightly worn, clean blankets. And the people who snuggle up under
them will have a warm night.
Send a care package.
Send a care package to a military troop overseas. What a nice gesture and a way to remind them
that there are people at home who care.
Support a friend.
I have many friends that are authors so it’s fun to show support by attending a
book signing. Or maybe your friend’s kid is raising funds for a field trip. Buy
that candy bar or wrapping paper. Every little bit helps.
Got any other ideas?
Share them.
Pay it forward and
while you’re at it feed your soul.
Words cannot express today. Today, on the anniversary of the
tragedy of September 11, 2001 we celebrated and thanked the women and men who
served our country and protected our freedoms; we being three amazing friends
and myself. 
