It Can be a Charitable World

I'm a big pay it forward person. 

I pay it forward even if no one has paid anything to me. Today, I fed one of our homeless patients that didn't have an appointment. He just wanted out of the rain and was hungry. I gave him my lunch. I donate platelets every chance I get. I do things out of the kindness of my heart and don't even think about why I do it, it's just part of who I am. I'm not perfect by any means, but I would like to think that I can be the one that can make another person have a better day. It's on them to pay it forward.

With that being said...at my part time job this weekend, Clark Howard broadcast his show live and was having a gift/toy drive for Georgia's foster children. Each child had only three items listed that they wanted. I was so impressed with the response. Even though we were busy as heck, the fact that entire families were coming in to support this wonderful act of kindness had me choked up at times.  Spending $100-$300 on one or more kids in need really made me re-evaluate my dismal outlook on the public lately.   

And then on the flipside, you have the rude 'the world owes me' people. The reality is, no one owes you anything. Personally, I don't expect anything from anyone. I appreciate it when someone does something nice (i.e. volunteers to take me to work if I have car trouble, buys my lunch if I forgot mine, etc.). 

Let's make a New Year's resolution to be nice to people in 2012. If you can make a difference in one person's life by doing the smallest of things, do it. Give the person in front of you at the store a few dollars if they are having to put groceries back because they can't afford them. Hold the door for the person behind you. Hug your kids twice as much, even if they pull away.

Teach them that they too can carry the torch of kindness. Maybe they'll even pass it on to another.