While I was thinking of what I'd like to write today, I was reminded of a situation I had while at the store a few weeks ago. A family was in front of me in line, and I overheard one of the ladies tell the cashier that she was going to need to put some dinner sausage back, as she didn't have enough money to cover the cost. The cashier asked if she could double check the price, just to make sure, in hopes that somehow something was overlooked that would allow this family to complete their purchase. When the price came up, the woman once again said, unfortunately, she couldn't afford it. It was then she said all she had was $17 dollars, and they were already at the top of that number.
I glanced down at what was in their cart and it was easy to see that they were getting food for their family for that evening, and it wasn't anything that would be considered extravagant. Without really needing to know, I asked the cashier how much the sausage cost. The cost didn't matter, but it was a way to begin the conversation. I responded by telling the cashier that I'd pay for it. The family and the cashier looked back at me, both parties slightly confused. The woman asked me if I was 'sure' about doing that. It was an easy response of yes. I told the cashier to ring it up, put it in their bag, and then start with my groceries. Following, both the family and the cashier thanked me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. The family for it made known that I was helping feed their family that night; the cashier because of a random act of kindness.
The point is this. The sausage, though inexpensive in my world, was a major item to that family. What was easy for me to do was difficult, almost impossible, for that family to accomplish. When we're willing to take ourselves out of our own perception of the world around us, and put ourselves in the shoes of those we encounter, we have the capacity to find a myriad of ways we can help others. We can pay it forward. Random acts of kindness can make an impact far beyond anything we can imagine.
I didn't offer to buy this family's food for the sake of accolades, for getting a pat on the back, or any kind of award. I did it because I could, and in doing so, I affected the lives of all those around me. It’s in these moments when I can see how acting in kindness, generosity, and a sense of giving cause a ripple effect to the world around us. Chances are that I will never see anyone from that family again, or the cashier for that matter, but the impression made that day made all of our lives a little better.
I'll leave this post with this. I challenge you, our readers, to look around you today and in the days to come. If you see a need, an opportunity, some moment that you could affect for the better, be brave enough to simply do it. It can be big, it can be small. So long as your heart is at the center of what you do, there's no end of how big of an impact you can make. Here's to the random!
Justin