About seven or eight years ago I started doing something. I started paying it forward. If you’re not familiar with the term, Wikipedia describes it this way:

Pay it forward is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others instead of to the original benefactor.

In 2000, there was a movie with the same title starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment.

The idea from me was simple: at least once a week I wanted to show kindness to someone I didn’t know. In the beginning, this usually happened in the form of me buying someone’s meal. This usually happened in the drive through. I would get to the window and tell the person I wanted to buy the person’s meal behind me. I would pay, pick up my food and drive off. Had no clue who that person was and I didn’t care. It was never about recognition and never about them knowing who did it.

It graduated to other things as well. I would randomly pick up the tab for some table at a restaurant. Most of the time (by design) I had no clue who the person or persons were at the table. The reason I did it this way was because I wanted them to feel no pressure to do anything in return for me. I wanted them to enjoy a blessing and then in turn hopefully pay it forward to someone else later in life.

I also went to a coffee shop and would give the lady $40 and tell them to use that to pay for as many coffees as it would.

Ok, so why am I saying all of this? Am I bragging? Do I want people to think I’m superior? Not at all. I’m writing this to pay it forward. Look the way I felt years ago hasn’t changed today. Look around you. People are battling with inflation. People are dealing with anxiety and mental health issues. There’s a lot going on and sometimes people just need to see some kindness.

And let me stop you before you say what you’re about to say. This doesn’t always have to be about money. This can be as easily as sending someone a message that says you’re thinking about them. Or telling that person you’re thankful that they are in your life. This could be as simple as picking up trash or mowing a neighbors yard.

We get caught up in monetary but there are so many ways to show people kindness. The idea behind Pay it Forward isn’t about finance. It’s about kindness.

I saw a quote one time and I’ve never forgotten it. It was on a poster that had Morgan Freeman’s picture on it. I’ve read other places that have attributed him with the quote but I do not know for certain if it was him or not.

How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.

Such a powerful, yet very true statement. When people at the drive through or other places ask me if I know the person, I say no. Then they look shocked that someone would pay for someone’s meal like that. I always respond this way.

The world needs to see a little more kindness.

And that’s what paying it forward is all about. Let’s go change the world.