Yesterday, I was at the grocery store buying myself supper. I actually borrowed money from my boss/friend because I was totally broke. On my way out, there was a lady there who looked to be in her thirties with a little girl about nine or ten years old. They had a ridiculous amount of bags filled with empty cans. We get a five cent refund for each can returned. Although they had
a lot of cans, their refund most likely only added up to a few dollars.
Maybe they were just doing some spring cleaning, but when I bring that many cans or bottles for refunds, it's generally because I really need money for something. (Sometimes I'll spend all a lot of time collecting my cans and counting it all out so that I can afford a loaf of bread to eat.)
Seeing the two of them there really struck me. I walked by them, out of the store, and got almost half way home. I couldn't stop wondering about them. I reached into my pocket and confirmed that I had 10 dollars left of the money I had borrowed for my own supper.
So I walked back to the store and was about to give her the $10, but I was really shy. I didn't want to offend her. Maybe she didn't really need it. So I walked back out.
I made it a few steps away from the store, then turned back around and walked back in. As soon as I saw the mother and daughter, I chickened out again. Then I proceeded to repeat this a couple more times. (By this point, I was feeling pretty silly.)
I had given up (again), and was going to go back home, when I noticed one of the cashiers from the grocery store outside getting ready to go home. I asked her to give the lady the money for me.
She thought it was strange and asked me why. I just said that I "needed" to pay it forward to a stranger and that it was hard to explain. She asked me to stay there in case she didn't want to accept it, but I replied, "She has no choice, and I'm leaving right now anyway!"
I watched the cashier go to her, and then I left immediately.
I have no idea what happened-- if it helped or was appreciated-- but, either way, my conscious is clear!
Thank you for reading. And thanks even more for having inspired me so much to want to try small acts like this!
7153 Reads
- Posted by DigitalMind
- Sep 12, 2013
- Comments (17)
Readers Comments
Mish wrote: You are so sweet! Bless you.
FairyBubbles wrote: DigitalMind, you are lovely. (((HUG)))
jsmc10 wrote: thank you for taking the courage to help someone :)
Hopefloats444 wrote: That is a beautiful story of courage and love! Bless you!
4everblooming wrote: That takes a lot of courage. It is not easy to give without offending. I love the pay forward concept. There are times in most of our lives where we can use a helping hand. And times we are in a position to give. Both giving and receiving can be done with grace.
peacehunter wrote: I know exactly how you feel it used to be hard for me to step out of my ego to and risk rejection. But soon i realized , as you will to ,that people are just as eager for the connections as we are :)))) huge hugs for winning your battle with your ego and following thru with your heart xoxoxo ive been that "mom" and i just know you made her day!
moybean wrote: Thank you for helping them. May your courageous generosity be rewarded one hundredfold!
2bkind wrote: I too am cautious about doing random acts of kindness! I made a couple of smile notes to place on cars or something. When i went to distribute them i froze up because i thought someone might see me and ask me to stop. Silly isn't it? Got to let go of the ego!
sandra wrote: That is the type of an act of kindness that i like to read about. And i don't think it was your ego that gave you a problem so much as stepping out of the norm. Most of us mothers have been in a position where we needed that kindness; god will bless you for doing your part.
Valerie wrote: It doesn't matter whether she needed the money or not. Just knowing that someone noticed her, and thought to gift her in some way, probably made her day. I know it would make mine, and i don't need the money. Just knowing there is a kind heart out there, walking among us, would make me think about how i could make someone else's day. Bless you.
