Recently, I was on a road trip and decided to go to a fast food drive in to get coffee and breakfast.
I ordered at the window and was told the total. I pulled forward to the pick up and pay window and was told that it was no charge. The previous car had taken care of the amount. It was not a fancy vehicle but a work truck from a company.
I was amazed and delighted – that impulsive gesture by a fellow traveler made my day which was just beginning seem brighter & was in a way a renewal of faith in my fellow beings – and I instantly knew that I would at some time in the future do the same thing. For the first time I really appreciated the saying which has become increasingly popular of late which is to “pay it forward”.
This was wonderful to ponder in light of what we study.
In the first place, it’s a nudge to pass on a kindness and consideration. It really didn’t cost that much but it was a powerful statement toward my fellow man—even if I’ve never met them.
Another thing to ponder is that whenever I do something for someone, I’m looking for the thank you. In this case, I’ve relieved of that “should” that others must express their gratitude to me.
And lastly, as I was growing up and someone asked me to dinner, it was not written down anywhere, but I was expected to reciprocate by asking them to a meal at my home.
I think saying thank you is very valuable and is good manners. If I say thank you, the person is more likely to extend more kindnesses.
So as we go through our day, each expression can be looked at individually. I am just delighted to take this momentary event and ponder what it had to teach me.
One of my friends wrote this to me in response:
Hi Marsha,
I really like this. I love you sharing your experiences and giving thoughts for the reader to ponder.
What’s great about someone doing something kind in that situation is that we never know who did that for us. We have no idea what they look like, gender, race, religion, their politics, etc. It’s like what we, as blind people, experience when we interact with the public and when they are helpful or show kindness. We don’t know what they look like, we judge them by the content of their character. Paying it forward seems to be a similar lesson for people with sight.
Thank you for sharing.
Love, Amanda