Facebook's Pay It Forward event......

 

On Facebook, an event was posted titled "Pay it Forward"

The description;  The idea is simple. Do three random acts of kindness for people you don't know and expect nothing in return. No matter how "poor" you are or how busy you may feel you can find five minutes to help someone else. Lets see if we can actually start something big.

If they want to repay you just tell them to Pay if Forward

Even small acts, such as paying the bridge toll for the car behind you when you pay for your own, counts. If it makes the world a friendlier place, you succeeded!

So lets do this. Spread the word ♥

Well, if you know our family, you know we LOVE committing random acts of kindness!!!  The biggest decision we had to make was deciding what we would do and who we would do it for.  With Matt at work and the kids at school, Sarah and I headed out to find some strangers who we could "Pay It Forward".

We headed out to our local grocery/garden center and did a little shopping, and then drove over to another shopping center on the opposite end of town.  When we arrived, we saw an elderly couple (in their 80s or so) sitting on a bench together obviously waiting for a ride.

So, our first "Pay it Forward" ---  Sarah and I delivered a gift bag with flowers for them to plant in their garden, or in containers!!!  As we approached the gentleman offered a friendly hello, and Sarah handed them the gift bag and told them to "have a great day".  The look of surprise on their faces was priceless.

Next, Sarah and I did a little shopping for Easter goodies....chocolates, coloring books, and added them to some other treats I'd picked up the previous week.  A gal my husband used to work with now lives out of state, and although we have never met her girls, she at one point...way back when...sent us a package for Sarah's birthday including princess cookie cutters, sugar cookies and all kinds of decorations.  Since we have never met her daughters, I decided that qualified as someone we didn't know.

So, our second "Pay it Forward" was to send a gift package to her girls!!!!  Wish we could see their faces when the butterfly box arrives in the mail at the end of the week!!!!

That left us with one more act of kindness left to do, and I wasn't sure what that was going to be.  After school let out, Tori asked to go to the library to pick up a book that was on hold for her.  While we were waiting in line, a gentleman was ahead of us with his son at the counter.  The librarian told the boy (and father) that due to the outstanding fees, he would not be allowed to check out any thing and they were "blocked" until the fee was paid.  Well, it seemed this "pay it forward" landed in our lap.  

The gentleman walked off with his son and was standing in the lobby, while the father explained that he didn't have the funds, and wasn't sure what they were going to do about getting the books he needed.  While they were in the lobby, I asked the librarian the amount needed and I pulled out all of the cash in my wallet.  I was short $2, but she said that it would definitely be enough to removed the "ban" from the gentleman's account.

So, Pay it Forward #3--- with Tori by my side was to give the gentleman the money, and explain that if he took it to that cashier, he was going to be able to check out books for his son.  He had a look of disbelief on his face and I told him that "I needed to commit a random act of kindness today, and he was my choice."  He stood their shocked for a moment and then walked quickly to the counter to pay off the fee.   

Tori was giggly and had a smile plastered from ear to ear.  She made a comment about how kind an act that was for someone that we didn't even know.  Which was the whole point....finding strangers to commit random acts to, that cannot pay you back!!!  Such a blessing to be able to do those things for others!!!