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Paying it forward. +

11.11.2010

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What a week! Thank Goodness it's ALMOST Friday! Do you want to know what I was doing about 30 minutes ago?

I was sitting outside of my house.

Why?

Because my husband locked us out of the house.

Grrrrrrrrrrreatness, it was not.

Did you know that it cost $100.00 to unlock your front door? It only takes like three seconds to unlock a door, and it will cost you $100.00!!!!!!!! Really!? I'm in the wrong profession! Ha!
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The good news is the man who came to unlock our door was one of the kindest strangers I have EVER met. When he told us the price, I immediately started crying, and didn't know what to do. My husband had to take me around the house to talk to me because I was crying so hard. We aren't in a place right now where a $100 is JUST a $100. To us, its like a $1000. That $100 is our groceries for the next month. Thankfully, the man had a heart of gold and must of heard me say some things that hit home for him. All I know is that I rarely come across a stranger that isn't rude, in a hurry, or out to make themselves a pretty penny. He ended up only charging us $15...just a service fee. He said he would tell the company that we found a way in and to just make the small check out to him. I gave him the biggest hug and probably left his shirt a little wet on his shoulder from crying so hard. I couldn't help but thank him a million times. I promised him I'd pay it forward, and I will keep that promise. Bless his heart...That man is a good man and I can only hope something awesome happens to or for him.
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I know I'm guilty of using the phrase, "Are there ANY good people out there anymore!?!?" or "WHAT is this world coming to!?" and deep down, I do know there are a lot of good people out there, but it just seems lately, out and about in the 'real world', there aren't very many kind strangers that I've encountered. Think about it. How often does a stranger let you go forward in a grocery line when you have 3 items, and they have 50? This happened to me the other day. I had toilet paper, lettuce, and a tomato. A man who had a cart full of everything in the store met me at the exact same time at a check out line, made eye contact with me, and what did he do? He pushed his basket in front of me as fast as he could.
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One time we walked into a crowded restaurant and we were told that we had a 20 minute wait. So Andrew and I stood patiently next to this other older couple who were sitting down next to us. They were there first. After about 20 minutes, our buzzer went off, and we walked up to the hostess to hand it to her. The couple that was there before us, got up, started SCREAMING to the hostess that they were there first, and that they wanted to be seated IMMEDIATELY! He called this 16 year old hostess horrible names, and you could tell she was about to cry. We kindly told the man he could have our table and he stood there and stared us down and then grabbed his wife and went to sit down at the table. He didn't say Thank you, and he was SO rude. I couldn't help but say, "You're welcome" when we walked by his table headed to ours.
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One day a lady dropped a 20 dollar bill out of her purse, and I kindly yelled after her and gave it back to her. Crazy thing is, two weeks before that I witnessed a similar situation and the person took the money and put it in his pocket.
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And don't even get my started on people in traffic. That could be a whole other post itself.
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I've seen some crazy things, as I'm sure we all have. Thankfully, when I was beginning to lose all hope in good people, this man made me realize that there ARE decent people with kind hearts still out there willing to help a stranger out.
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All I know is I am so very grateful. I know $100 isn't A LOT to some people, but to me it is. Just remember to be kind to strangers. You never know when someone is having a hard time in life. Open a door for someone. Let someone have that up front parking spot. Let that person in your lane when nobody else will. Smile at a stranger. Say "Hello" and "Good Morning" to a stranger. Ask, "How are you?" when the cashier or door greeter asks how you are doing. Acknowledge good customer service at a drive thru and tell them how much you appreciate them being kind rather than mumbling through the intercom and frowning as they hand you your change. Help that old lady or old man open a door or get on/off a curb. Put your grocery cart in the cart holder in the parking lot and not in a parking space. Put the items you decide you don't want BACK where they belong and not on the closest shelf near you. If you see someone having a bad day, hug them. Tell them it will be okay. Smile at a bum rather than ignore them. They are people too...weird and crazy most of the time, but they have hearts just like all of us. Give them a sandwich rather than a dollar. Help someone when you see that they need it. A little kindess can go a long way.
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P.s.) Thank you to all you lovely, kind strangers followers out there. You are all the best! :) Y'all also remind me everyday that there are indeed good people out there in this world! :)
Oh! And don't forget to make a wish tonight at 11:11! :)

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All of these images were found on the world wide web.

post circle 19 comments :

  1. What an insightful post. God bless that man, I understand that $100 is $100 - so nice of him to just charge you guys $15.

    It's always better to be kind, we'll never know when karma will strike.

    ***** Marie *****
    allthingsmarie.com

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  2. How sweet is he!?!

    The kindness of strangers is one of my favorite things in the world. I obsess for days when someone goes out of their way to do something nice. That's why I try to pay it forward.

    Thanks for the reminder that kindness goes a long way :)

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  3. Ahhh this is the sweetest story! I totally know that $100 really = $1000 feeling. Love that you shared your story of HOPE with us!

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  4. Great post! It's nice to be reminded that there are kind people out there!

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  5. It was nice of him not to charge you, but really it's his job, and he doesn't control the cost of opening the door. So I'm not sure how him letting you by with a freebie when everyone else that gets locked out has to pay is really an act of kindness. That probably sounds so mean I don't mean it to be...I think of myself as the old couple in the restaurant I guess....tis true if I was waiting first and others got seated before me I would kinda be mad..First come first serve...regardless of being in the worlds longest check out line with one item or 30. Gotta wait for your turn.....Okay now that I was the debbie downer of all comments I'll zip it....

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  6. amazing post, thank you! thank you for sharing your story as well and what an amazing man to do that for you! i love how there are good people in the world and i love days that encounter them or see a good deed being performed :)
    xoxo, jamie

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  7. @CMae: Haha, you aren't a debbie downer. It wasn't that it wasn't their turn, of course it was. It was just the way he treated the hostess and how he handled the situation. We could have easily taken the table, but we didn't. My husband even told the hostess we weren't next in line. I guess I left that part out...haha. In that situation we probably would have just walked up to the hostess and asked how much longer we had to wait, nicely. That's all. :)

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  8. ahhh I see I see.....Got cha... Whew I thought man I if I write that comment she'll delete my a^S! lol I do agree, that yes there are few people that still open doors and show random acts of kindness anymore...we live in a very ME ME ME world and it sucks!

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  9. I loved this post, I think sometimes we need to be reminded that there are kind people in the world! So often I feel like any kindness I show is only returned by negativity and meanness, so I do understand how wonderful a kind act from a stranger can be!

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  10. I absolutely adore this post and love that you are planning to pay it forward...that is lovely! I recently had a maintenance person in my apt. replacing toilet flushers, since our area is trying to conserve water, and I was just being my normal self, trying to be helpful and smiling, I can't not...hehe...as he left he turned to me and said, "thank you so much for being so nice, no, really, thank you, not many people are like you!" It stuck with me because it made my day just to know that my just being myself was so appreciated by a complete stranger...helping others and being kind to them, especially strangers, is something that makes me smile and happy...so, I think you might have also made the locksmiths day, just as he was making yours, without knowing it! :)

    Liesl ;)

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  11. What a WONDERFUL and inspiring post! Thanks for writing these words that need to be heard! I only wish I was having a TPoTP today over at Windy Poplars (taking a week off), so you could link up, b/c EVERYBODY needs to read this! You've inspired me today. Have a fabulous weekend!

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  12. Thank you thank you for this post! Definitely put a smile on my face after i've had a rough start this Friday morning! Very inspiring!

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  13. this post was simply beautiful !! :)

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  14. this was such a great post to read. what a nice man. and the plato quote you featured is one of my favorite quotes of all time. it is so true.

    this just made my morning and i'm sure it made your day to have it happen to you!!

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  15. what an amazing post! When someone behind me has less than I do in the grocery line, i always let them go ahead of me. I'm never in THAT big of a hurry anyhow =) I loved this post!
    PS: I know the value of $100 too =/ this guy sounds like he needs several hugs =)

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  16. That is so incredible! I think we all need those little reminders once and awhile. That is very kind of him, very beautiful person. I have times when I wonder the same thing about people. But I remember there are good people out there and as long as we try our best to be good ourselves it will come back to us.

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  17. oh girl I could have written this! I actually had a break down the other day because it seems like I am the only person who gives to other people and is nice to strangers and I was like, why can't people be like that in return, haha. But I am glad to see that some people are!!

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  18. I love your insight to this situation :) I love that you hugged him. Maybe he needed a hug :) I think that this world is filled with mean sinful people but there is that God-shaped hole in all of us that wants more and wants to do more for others. Sometimes we just fill that hole with what we can do for us. So glad you had a nice experience... Pay it forward... God laid down his life for us :) we can lay down our own desires to help others!

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  19. I have only read one post, but I know that I already love your blog. :) I linked over from Faithful Days because I thought your user profile photo was adorable. And then I read this post simply because of the title.

    Believe it or not, I have been "looking" for blogs like yours lately...those that are light hearted, fun, but still packed with goodness and substance. So it was a joy to find yours among the thousands out there. :)

    Following you now.

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