Tuesday, July 3, 2012

paying it forward


last week i was standing in line at starbucks, when i heard these two 12-year-old boys discussing what they were going to order.  i started laughing, because i found it comical that they were at starbucks getting caffeinated and they were 12!  they asked me what was so funny and before i knew it, i was having a full-blown conversation with them.  their dad was over at sears and they decided to come get a snack and their drink of choice was a caramel frappuccino. so when i got up to the counter, i said that i wanted to buy their drinks.  they looked at their rolled up dollars and then at me and asked "can we get a large?"

i can't describe how happy it made me to do that for them.  in all reality, the $10 to them was a hard-earned allowance, but to me it was just a tiny dint on my starbucks card (of which i am totally out of control, btw).  of course, then i took a picture of them with their drinks and jeff said that was a little creepy. hence, the generic pic above.

it just feels so good to do something for someone who owes you nothing.  i was thinking about a story my sister had told me about when she was volunteering at her church and was helping out a family who had been homeless for quite some time.  she asked the son how long it had been since he had a home and he said four years.  four years.  no kid should have to live like that.  it just breaks my heart.

ever since she told me that i've been trying to make more of an effort in showing thanks for the things i do have and i think sharing that with others is a pretty good way to do so.

so maybe the next time you're out and you see someone, buy them a coffee, open their door, or treat them to a burrito at chipotle.  i promise it will make you feel a little bit better about life.


4 comments:

  1. I love this --- I had someone buy my coffee at a drive through once but never got a chance to thank them as they had already driven off. I did pay it forward though! I can just imagine the smile on those boys' faces as they walked back to Sears.

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  2. Love it, Mar! I once had someone pay my toll for me on the highway. So then next time I did it for the person behind me. Made me so happy.

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  3. There's a homeless guy who's always at my Ralphs. He was in the store once and I asked if I could buy him something to eat. He asked for Skittles and a Snickers bar. I laughed a little inside because of how random and unhealthy that is but you know what...I can totally understand that sometimes you just want some Skittles and a Snickers bar! :)

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  4. Oh, and I totally love that you bought their coffee and had a full on conversation with them. That's so you. :)

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