Pay it forward - Random Acts of Kindness thread.

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d2footballJRC
d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
in Chit-Chat
I thought this would be a nice fun thread to start.

I don't believe in Karma persay but I believe that random acts of kindness can have profound effect on people. If people would just randomly do acts of kindness once a week this world would be a much better place.

I would like to share about the last couple weeks since I started this mentality and encourage you all to pay it forward once a week or once a month. The best feeling in the world is seeing someone who is having a hard time get the help to lift them up.

Last week I decided I was going to do some nice things for people I went out and forced it almost. I bought a bunch of food for the food pantry and etc. It was nice but it was so forced. Anyways driving home from the food pantry I saw a lady with a boy on the side of the road by there car. There was a blow out it appeared, it wasn't the nicest car, a bit older. The lady was having a hard time with the tire. I decided to stop. I stopped turned on my emergency flashers and got out. I walked over and noticed she was crying a bit, she had been working on getting that tire off for an hour. I said well let me help, so the tire was rusted onto the axle thingie (yep that is how I describe it) Now if you know me, I'm not the type that likes to get dirty. I went to my car got a hammer and climbed under the car and had to hammer on the back of the tire to break it loose. From there I got the spare tire on and even gave a protein bar to the kid. The mom was like, let me pay you something, and then it hit me, this is the random act of kindness that was put in front of me. I told her, no ma'am the pleasure was mine, and I told her about my goals of doing random acts of kindness. She said she would make sure to help someone out.

This week I was in KC yesterday for business, I decided to stop by Wal-mart to pick up more propel flavored water powder packet thingies. When in line I got behind this guy with a couple cute little kids. They were buying groceries, and at the end the amount was more than this guy apparently had and he was trying to figure out what to get rid of. He took a couple things off the list of stuff he had and something inside told me to help these people. I told the clerk add mine to it and I'd pay for it all. The total bill was $65. Not much at all. The guy didn't want to let me do it at first, but I explained to him it was okay and I'm just trying to pay it forward. Got talking to the guy afterwards before going to my car and the guy has had a hard go at things lately. Explained to him, I had something pull at my heart strings that told me to help him. I said I hope sometime if he gets a chance to help someone he'll make the choice to pay it forward. He said he would, and we exchanged email addresses. He told me he could only check it at work, and I told him that is okay.

The best acts we can do for ourselves is random act of kindness for others. I've not always realized it, but I've had a blessed life. I'm about to turn 30, and I want to change the world, and I think infecting people with the random act of kindness bug is the way to do it. Please become infected and help out others! Best part is it doesn't have take any money to pay it forward just care and compassion for the people around you!
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  • shcarter67
    shcarter67 Posts: 46
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    Awesome. If more people acted this way, the world would be a better place. I will strive to pay it forward at least once a week.
  • _binary_jester_
    _binary_jester_ Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I haven't killed a coworker...yet.
  • rukia30
    rukia30 Posts: 81 Member
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    What an awesome post! We all tend to get caught up in the what I don't have moment instead of realizing what we do have. I will indeed pay it forward. Thank you so much for sharing your stories they are very inspirational.
  • bhalter
    bhalter Posts: 582 Member
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    I love this! You can definitely make someone's entire day or even week with just a smile, a small act of kindness, or some nice words. One of my overall goals for 2012 was just to be happier and kinder. (Not that I'm a heinous beeyotch or anything, but ya know...) I definitely need to be more aware of others when I'm out and about and see how I can help someone else.
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
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    Before I had kids, I made it a point to go out of my way to help others as much as possible. We stopped for every car with trouble, bought lunch for men in service uniform, bummed smokes to anyone that asked :P. But then I had my own children and my own family to look after, and I feel like I've put more generous acts of kindness in the back seat. I still help out any momma that I can, sending along $400 worth of cloth diapers to a new mom that couldn't afford to buy disposables probably being the only one that stands out as worthy. Sure, I still climb up to the top of the play center when a little one gets too scared to come down and the mom doesn't want to climb up, but I need to start focusing on more significant RAOK.
    I'm giving myself one week to see a way that I can help. Hopefully, it will come sooner :)
    Thanks for reminding us to be nice.
  • Mich3ll36
    Mich3ll36 Posts: 96
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    Wow. GREAT POST! A year or so ago, there was something on the news about this kind of thing. It was in my head for a while. I even paid for someones lunch in the car behind me once just to do it but I never really made it a habit. Thanks for the reminder. We need a kick in the pants sometimes to get us going.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    Yes, I saw this in the news a couple years ago and I just laughed/ignored it. Sometimes I wish I had the insight to see blessings when they are smacking me in the face.
  • AggieLu
    AggieLu Posts: 873 Member
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    You are amazing for starting this. I believe if yotu do good things, good things come back to you. I will lead by your example. I have been trying to do random acts of kindness for a while. The one that I use to most is a simple smile. No matter how dark someone's day, a genuine smile can be so uplifting, hope giving, infectious. A smile can turn someone's day around.
  • bestdaysahead
    bestdaysahead Posts: 90 Member
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    I am a firm believer in random acts of kindness and try to teach my children (and husband) to do the same! :flowerforyou:
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    You are amazing for starting this. I believe if yotu do good things, good things come back to you. I will lead by your example. I have been trying to do random acts of kindness for a while. The one that I use to most is a simple smile. No matter how dark someone's day, a genuine smile can be so uplifting, hope giving, infectious. A smile can turn someone's day around.

    Agreed. (to the smile part, re-reading that and how I wrote it made me look really conceded.)
  • JoleneCooper
    JoleneCooper Posts: 74 Member
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    Love this! Thank you!

    It doesn't take one penny to make someone feel like a million bucks!
  • mfiggs
    mfiggs Posts: 155 Member
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    My small random act of kindness is giving away my daughters clothes that she has outgrown. I am blessed to have a mother-in-law that loves to shop and has great fashion sense. She overloads my 5 year old with nice fashionable clothes. I myself also love to shop and my daughter has very nice shoes and jackets. Everything was in super condition! I got together 3 bags of clothes and one bag of shoes that no longer fit my daughter. I mean it was a whole wardrobe, with swimsuits, pajamas, dresses, and jackets, dress shoes, flip flops, etc. I had my mom take it to my daughter's school and give it to her little friend that she walks in with everyday. The little girl wears clothes that are often too small or too big or tattered. I know it isn't much but my daughter and I saw her wearing some of the clothes and it just made us feel good that we helped her, even if it was in such a small way! I hope that I am teaching my daughter to give to others when she can! It can make a world of difference in someone's life or even your own!
  • livnlite
    livnlite Posts: 520
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    Pay it forward .. Random acts of kindness .. Call it what you like .. I call it .. Sharing the globe.

    I admit it .. I am a slave to my conscience. If I see someone in need .. and if I can do something to help .. I do .. In a heartbeat. My hubby is the same way .. and that's one of the reason's I love and respect him as much as I do .. because it's the right thing to do. I am thankful that we have raised 2 kids (now adults) who also live with the same sentiment. They will also pass it onto their children.

    What burns my butt in today's society is that it's not as simple as it used to be...when it comes to helping strangers. Con artists and people who simply live by taking advantage of others are rampant. It's hard to distinguish from those who are geniuine.

    Sometimes, it's takes a leap of faith to just do it anyways .. Sadly, some people end up getting robbed or worse for stopping to help a stranded motorist, for instance ... It's easy to give a few bucks to someone who 'looks' like they need it (and they really don't) .. In reality .. no harm has been done ... but when it comes to stopping to help someone who may be out to harm others ... You may take your life in your hands to offer help to a stranger.

    Can never be too cautious! Just pisses me off that you have to take your life in your own hands just to help someone who may or may not need it!
  • runnercheryl
    runnercheryl Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I do aim to help people out as much as possible, and do a lot for charities and those less fortunate, and love hearing about others that do similar.

    But I'll admit, I never notice those situations where I can help people out in my day to day life. I can think of three potentials and didn't do any.

    1. Cars broken down - well, I barely now how to open the boot of a car never mind maintain it. I've driven past people before, thought 'I should stop' and then realised I'd be absolutely useless.

    2. Woman running for the bus - this was a few weeks ago. The bus was in front of me, and a woman walking saw it and started to run. There was no way she was beating it to the bus stop and I considered stopping, letting her in and driving around, but I weighed it up more and realised the likelihood of having time to stop, explain what I was doing and STILL get her to the station in time was practically nil.

    3. The grocery situation - It has happened to me once that a woman couldn't afford her shopping. She was in front of me and looked a little embarrassed and I was about to tell the attendant to put the few items she'd been choosing to leave behind on to my shop. However, I was in quite a bit of debt at the time and though I was totally happy to do it I looked over her shopping again and realised she'd picked out all the top brands of the groceries she'd bought - she could've gone for much cheaper items. I think she saw me going to pay, then I noticed and stepped back and kept quiet - I know there was an awkward moment when she and the cashier seemed to be waiting for me to say something, and I just looked down at my own shopping and waited.

    As I say, I'm big on charity - particularly child welfare - and on improving the lives of children, but those occasions for Random Acts of Kindness rarely seem to emerge for me.
  • clydethecat
    clydethecat Posts: 1,094 Member
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    i love random acts of kindness! when i commuted to work over the gg bridge i would always pay for at least the person behind me, it always made me feel good.. i got a lot of hand waving and thumbs up for that :) one christmas i was heading over another bridge and paid the guy $50 for the next 25 people after me... he was a bit shocked.. now i work from home so i dont get out very often, but when i go to the grocery store, i always put my cart and at least one other cart into the cart return.. now i will try and find one good deed i can do each week.. :)
  • Miss♥Ivi
    Miss♥Ivi Posts: 461
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    I love this post!

    I am, by nature (thanks mom and dad!), very helpful, all too loving, trusting and all that junk lol If there's even a slight possibility that I can help you, I'm there! Sometimes it's hard to decipher who really deserves it and who doesn't but I'm not one to judge. I do what I can. I am a sucker for animals though. HUGE sucker. I've been late to work/school because I've stopped to pick up an injured animal. I'm such a crybaby too! I will seriously cry if I see an animal on the side of the road dead. Its more of a mad cry though because I always think, the least someone can do is stop and help the animal. Anyways!! I guess what I'm trying to say is I do believe in karma and I do think being kind and helpful will get you places. I understand it's a dog eat dog world but at the end of the day, we're all human and we all like being cared for and treated nicely. I'm the queen of sap today! Jeez!
  • Miss♥Ivi
    Miss♥Ivi Posts: 461
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    Exactly livnlite! I should've just plus + your post before posting mine lol
  • livnlite
    livnlite Posts: 520
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    Exactly livnlite! I should've just plus + your post before posting mine lol

    We sound very much the same in this department. I am an avid animal welfare supporter. Animal shelters are my 'pet' charities. I give as often as I can .. and I too am a sap when it comes to animals. That's why I now have two little boys who are a part of our family. They are rescues. They will never see the inside of a cage again!
  • cneale91
    cneale91 Posts: 91 Member
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    love this! im 20 years old and try to go out of my way to do something like a little good deed everyday, living in london it is usually helping a mother or family come down steps with a buggy, helping old people on and off busses and trains, if someone cant afford their lunch or are short i will help them out and always stop to help someone.

    Because i simply think i would want someone to help me out in that situation or my nan or grandad. Simply treat others as you wish to be treated :) oh and i always help short people who cant reach things in the supermarket haha!
    xx
  • kerriBB37
    kerriBB37 Posts: 967 Member
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    Such a great thread! =) I try to live my life like this on a daily basis. I work with special needs adults and I do any and everything extra I can for them. I try to make it a way of life and to show others what it means to be a good person, even without money or anything.

    Every weekend my fiance and I go to breakfast.. we always pick out a cute old couple and buy their meal. We also tip the waitress the same amount as the tab. Sometimes going through the drive thru I will ask to get the tab from the car behind me (someone did this to me once and I thought it was so nice! :)

    During the holidays I put a big donation in the salvation army pot and we also adopt a family to buy presents for.. this is somethihng my grandparents started. We never got gifts as kids from them, they always told us about the family or two they were helping out. I think I got a lot of my big-heart from them! Growing up my grandpa would tell me stories about growing up during the Great Depression and having a dad that was lucky to be working in the stockyards in Chicago. They would have 20-30 people over for dinner on a daily basis and share anything they had with neighbors.

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