Paying it Forward

Today I finally got a chance to watch the last three episodes of the Oprah Show...love my PVR!  I have always loved Oprah Winfrey and what she stands for.  My husband used to kid me about how I feel she is "amazing", but really I secretly know that he respects what she has done too.

What I found fascinating about her 2nd to last show was how many people she had touched.  One thing that stood out to me was her contribution to educating people.  When you put it down in #'s she had helped over 63,000 people go to school (whether college/university or just plain school, as in Africa with her girls' school she built a few years back). 

You see, she believes in paying it forward.  I love this idea.

If you are wondering what "paying it forward" means Wikipedia describes it as "the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead."  LOVE THIS!!!

Really, sometimes the rush you get from giving something to someone who maybe you don't know, and is not expecting it, is amazing.  Try it.

We were in a restaurant a few years back in the U.S. and we watched a group of 10 military guys come in and sit down in their uniforms.  They all ordered and then proceeded to chat away to one another in a very animated fashion about where they were headed.  The rest of the restaurant sat around them quietly and I believe we were all thinking the same thing...we are going home, while God knows where these guys were headed...most likely somewhere in the Middle East.  Yikes!  Not my next vacation spot (at least for now anyway).  We got up to leave and I went with the kids to the bathroom and when I came out the woman behind the cash register said to me "you have an amazing man there!"  I didn't know what she was talking about at the time as the only man with me was my 8 year old son.  I said "thank you" and left as hubby was waiting in the car.  Then it hit me...he must have paid for all those guys...and he did.  I can tell you, he did not tell me he did it.  As we drove away I asked him and all he did was smile and nod.  He then continued to smile all the way home (a 3 hour drive).

Why did he do it?  Good question, as we did not know those guys, nor did we live in their country!  I really think that he did it, because he could.  I also believe that he felt that their sacrifice was far greater than his own and he appreciated that.

What a man!  Hence why I love him so dearly, but really he didn't do it for me or any other kudos.  Heck, they probably didn't even know he had did it until they went to pay themselves and we were already gone!

So really what I am getting at is, think about others daily.  Smile at a stranger, hold a door for someone, pay for a coffee for the guy behind you...whatever floats your boat.  You will find that the high you experience from being the "angel of the moment" is quite simply...amazing!

I intend to give back in my own way...smiling, blogging, general kindness...they really don't cost $$ at all.
  
Thanks Oprah for my "a-ha moment" today.  I will miss you - my afternoon friend.

Liz