Pay it Forward - what is your experience?

Years ago, I was in a shop where I saw a youngish man looking at an unusual globe for sale - it wasn't very big and it looked as if it was suspended in mid air, between two 'arms'. I think it was held by magnitic force - it looked like magic. Anyway, it was too expensive for him and after a while he wandered away to another part of the shop. On impulse, I said to the assistant - "I'll buy it for him! Here is the money - please make sure he doesn't leave without it!" and I left. I hope he loved it! But I remember it with pleasure myself.

My son was visiting us and had popped into our local minimart. In front of him in the queue an elderly lady had been told the total for her basic groceries, had counted her money and was now debating which items she could do without as she didn’t have enough. DS, looking at the meagre shopping causing her such distress, paid her bill then his own gave her a smile and left the shop.

I once gave away my car to someone whose circumstances meant they needed it more.

When my husband left me destitute with a baby and two young children the people from my church supplied me with food, coats and shoes for the children, and an envelope of cash. I also took delivery of a brand new, state of the art, automatic washing machine from an anonymous donor; mine had broken and it was a real struggle to wash and line dry hand wrung clothes in mid December.

Since then, every December especially, I consciously look for ways of paying forward the kindnesses that kept me going through a very dark time.

Two primary aged children ( about 10 or 11) were waiting to board the bus but were a bit short of the right money. It was getting dark and although they said their Mum would pay the rest at the other end the driver refused to let them on. I paid their fare and sure enough their Mum was there to pick them up. They were quite upset but at least they weren't left in the dark at a bus stop in town.

When my late dad had what turned out to be a TIA (his first and only), while in the car park of a village (Long Buckby) that he and mum were only visiting briefly on a house-hunting expedition, a couple of locals, seeing my mum's distress, couldn't have done more to help.

As it turned out, their driving him to the local doctor's surgery was all that was needed, with everything else being arranged from there, but they were prepared to do so much more if necessary.

If by chance it was anyone on Gransnet, then a huge belated thank you. Your kindness was very much appreciated by the whole family, and my dad made a full recovery from the TIA.

You are all making me cry!

Just before Christmas my husband and I were looking for an address to pick up a birthday cake for my Grandson that my Daughter had ordered from a friends sister.We were driving backwards and forwards looking for this house asking various people along the way,no one could help us.
We then asked a young couple out walking their dog(by this time it was pouring with rain)and he kindly looked on his phone and told us how to get there.

In Italy last summer we were trying to work out where to park our car at the train station for a trip to Rome the following day. After trying out our lousy Italian, my husband found someone who spoke English in a nearby shop. They kindly rounded up an old chap among their customers, who put us in his car and not only drove us 2 miles to the car park and walked us to the station to show us the way, but then drove us back again to our car, refusing our offers of fuel money and thanks

We could not communicate, but managed, with gestures to have a wonderful 'chat'. He left us with a handshake for DH and a hug and a kiss on the cheek for me.

Best posts ever. Tears in my eyes. Gillyknits, hope the good Karma comes back to you soon.

I have posted on GN about this incident before, but I think it bears repeating.

I was once walking down Kingsway in Holborn, London in very heavy rain. I could see a homeless woman sleeping in a doorway, who was obviously getting soaked by the rain, which was streaming into the doorway.

A well dressed ‘city type’ man was walking ahead of me, carrying a large umbrella. He ducked into the doorway and propped the umbrella up to shield the homeless woman from the rain.

He then carried on his way, umbrella-less, in the downpour.
What a hero!

As I was rushing down the platform, struggling with 2 suitcases, to board my train, a lovely young man asked me which carriage I was in ( the same as him, luckily). He took both of my cases, lifted them onto the train, placed them both into the luggage rack and made sure I had everything I needed for my journey before sitting down in his own seat. When I got to my destination he took my cases down and onto the platform before retaking his seat for the rest of his journey. I hope that my son would be as kind to a panicking old lady as this young man was. It made my day, and my journey much easier.

A taxi driver in Malta refused payment for taking us to visit my great uncle's war grave. He also bought us some flowers to lay.

Such a wonderful thread

In Prague..tired and struggling with suitcases. I was crying as there was so much snow. Our team had to stop due to snow and we were told to catch the local train
There were so many stairs to go down to the train . My husband said we will cope.
This amazing young man just came up picked up our suitcases and gestured down the stairs
He didn't speak English to converse with him
We were so grateful. He put them down and on he went

Many years ago we used to take in homeless people and catered for huge numbers every meal time, with Sundays being particularly busy as we often invited singletons from church to join us too. One summer Sunday we were on holiday in Norway and just before we left to go to church my husband prayed that, for once, I would be on the receiving end of someone else’s hospitality. He was so sure that it would happen that he was quite disappointed as we left the church and no-one had really engaged with us.

A few minutes later we were waiting to cross the road and the couple next to us mentioned they’d seen us in church and asked our plans. When we said we would visit the sculpture park and picnic there he insisted that we must go home with him and his wife for lunch instead. When a homeless man also turned up for lunch with them we realised that we had a lot in common, and after feeding us our lovely host drove us to the park. It was truly a blessing for me.

Typo - check-in man. There must be an official name but I cant remember it!
In those days there were no mobile phones!! I even got a coffee!
I'm new on here! :-))

Many years ago on holiday with friends, I was flying home earlier than my friends. Having spent the last of my travellers cheques (remember them!!) I spent the last of my lira on dinner. I wouldn't be needing any cash as being dropped of at the airport then flying home. Went to check in and the airline had gone bust, I didn't speak italian, and the check man was not helpful. I had that awful moment of being utterly lost. I got my wallet out, thinking to myself - I don't know why I am doing this as I know it is empty..... but it wasn't!! There was a 50 Lira there, I couldn't believe my eyes. I remembered that during dinner my friend asked to see my wallet, she was admiring it, and must have popped the money inside as she knew I'd spent all mine. I was able to call the travel agent who got me on a plane. I will never forget that amazing act of kindness that saved me in a time of great need.

I was returning to my car the other day whilst out shopping when I heard an old lady call across the car park asking if she could be cheeky. I looked up and said yes, she asked which direction I was going and when I said, she looked crestfallen so I told her that I could go the other way if she would like a lift. She cheered up immediately and l helped her and her stick into my car and relieved her of 2 heavy bags of shopping, then drove her home. I then helped her into her house carrying in the shopping, where she was met by her elderly husband. They were both so grateful and it gave me a lovely warm fuzzy feeling inside. It felt like a win win situation as she got home safely with little effort and I was left feeling good that I had done a nice thing for somebody.

Someone lucky enough to have a second home which was on a house swap website, offered a free week at their home to someone from the other side of the world and asked them to pay it forward to someone else - which they did, with the 'pay it forward please' message. How far and long will that go ahead? Kindness does seem to be catching!

I was in a queue for the car wash, realized I didn't have any cash (cash only) but I couldn't get out of the queue. A kind motorist paid my fee, I've never forgotten it.

A total stanger once spotted my flat tyre and came across instantly to offer to change my car wheel for me in a supermarket car park

A stranger in Newcastle saw OH, DS2 and me struggling to find the correct change for the metro and handed us some change. (In the end, we didn't need it, and she was most surprised when we went to give it back to her!)

Several customers in a supermarket recently came racing out of the shop after me to return the debit card that I had unknowingly left in the machine at the check-out..

When I had broken down in the car two weeks ago, on a country lane and with 18 mth old dgd in tow, two passing cars stopped to see if they could help (or rather the drivers did, not the cars themselves, obviously!!!)

I could go on, as there have been many other occasions too.

Such random acts of kindness have made me very keen to 'pass it on' when I see help is needed, if I possibly can .

A few years ago our family (which is quite large)was celebrating a birthday at a local pizza restraint, we were out in a courtyard at a huge table. A man came in and was sitting alone at the only other table in the courtyard so my daughter asked if he would like to join us. He did and we included him in the celebration. When the birthday cake was done he thanked us for letting him join us and left. About 10 minutes later the owner of the restraint came to our table and told us that the man had paid for all our dinners.

Years ago I parked outside the cleaners and there was an elderly lady with her basket on the footpath looking distressed. When I asked if she was ok she said she was not feeling well so I suggested she sat in passenger seat of my car and I’d take her home but just had to run in for my uniform for work later. When I came out I glanced across at her in the car and she was sitting there as right as rain stuffing sweets out of her basket! I took her home but she never even offered me a sweet, I bet she did that every week lol.
Another occasion there was a thin cold young man begging at the shopping mall. I felt uncomfortable when giving them cash in case I was encouraging any drug use so I went along to Greggs and told the lady on the counter I had a silly question. She was so matter of fact when she answered they did do gift vouchers so I got one and took it back to the homeless man, offering him to go get some hot food. The pure smile on his face and his thankyous made my day ?

Last year, while I was spending part of winter down in Florida, I received the terrible news that my three year old grandson was seriously ill in hospital.I had to get back to Canada very fast. I took a flight to Toronto then had to get a connecting flight to my home town. Before landing the pilot announced that all connecting flights were cancelled due to a bad winter storm. The passenger beside me who knew my story offered to drive me from Toronto to my destination three hours away even though it took him miles out if his way and on treacherous snow covered highways. He dropped me right at the door of the hospital where my daughter met me.. I will never ever forget this mans totally unselfish act of kindness. I’m happy to report that my little grandson made a full recovery.

Years ago I was taking four Bosnian war orphans to Canada for a respite program on Air Canada. When we got seated the air steward said gosh you have 4 children and only one looks like you! I explained who they were and how brave they were! An hour later he came back loaded with gifts from AC for them and from First Class for me! They had sweatshirts, model aircraft , sweets, toys, iPods, etc . Such a lovely man and the children were so grateful he ended up flooded with tears !