pay it backward

 

Let me just start by saying I debated about sharing this with you because it's kinda braggy. But then I decided to share it with you as an invitation to a challenge.

Suzanne shared a story with me about a girl we know who was having dinner in restaurant with her husband. When it was time to pay, they were told that someone had already paid for their meal. They don't know who ~ just a random act of kindness.

Inspired by this story, a little later while in the drive-thru, Suzanne paid for the order for the car behind her ~ paying it forward ~ well, I guess it's paying it backward. She was at a drive-thru close to school and it turns out she paid for the order of one of our friends without realizing it. Later she found out whose order she paid for. They had a little laugh about it.

I had been pondering doing that very thing right around the time Suzanne told us this story at lunch. Hearing her story inspired me to ACT. 

Yesterday, I was bringing lunch home. As I paid for our meal in the drive-thru, I looked in my rear view mirror to see if someone was behind me. I told the clerk to run my card again to pay for the car behind me. I don't know who it was. I don't care. They don't need to know who I am. I do sort of wish I could have seen their face, that look of surprised disbelief, when the clerk told them that their lunch was free. But I felt all squishy and warm inside knowing that I'd done something that would made someone else's day. Being "sneaky" about it added to that feeling.

So here's the challenge ~ perform your own random act of kindness. Do it soon. You can pay it backward like Suzanne and I did. Or maybe you can find another way to put joy in someone else's life ~ on the sly. 

Do the unexpected.

Make someone's day.

Feel warm and squishy inside. 

I dare you!