The other morning, I woke up late, exhausted, and promptly decided it was going to be a coffee-kind-of-day, and pulled into the Starbucks drive through, not expecting anything out of the ordinary. When I got to the window to pay the cashier informed me, "Your coffee is free! The car ahead of you gave us a gift card and asked us to pay for everyone behind her until it ran out." I immediately thought wow, that is so generous! Something as simple as a stranger's generosity truly put me in a great mood for the rest of the day. Now I have the urge to do something similar, and pass the random acts of kindness along to others. Have you ever done something like that? Or had someone do a random act of kindness for you? image/maryruffle
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Random Acts of Kindness
The other morning, I woke up late, exhausted, and promptly decided it was going to be a coffee-kind-of-day, and pulled into the Starbucks drive through, not expecting anything out of the ordinary. When I got to the window to pay the cashier informed me, "Your coffee is free! The car ahead of you gave us a gift card and asked us to pay for everyone behind her until it ran out." I immediately thought wow, that is so generous! Something as simple as a stranger's generosity truly put me in a great mood for the rest of the day. Now I have the urge to do something similar, and pass the random acts of kindness along to others. Have you ever done something like that? Or had someone do a random act of kindness for you? image/maryruffle
That story just gave me goose bumps. How refreshing to see that people really are good at heart. Makes me all gooey inside.
ReplyDeleteI might just have to try that Starbucks gift card idea. love it.
I love this! You know, not too long ago Paulie told me about a town that was doing all sorts of acts like this. Someone at a drive-thru said he was paying for the person behind him, and the kindness trickled back all through the line. It happened at grocery stores, drycleaners, everywhere in the town. I think it's a great idea and we could all practice a little more of it.
ReplyDeleteGlad it brightened your day, too:)
i've done that before when i could tell the little old lady behind me in the drive through was furiously looking in her purse for change. i decided that if that was my grandmother i would want someone to help her so i paid for her order. it is nice to see people doing stuff like this when money is tight for everyone and a starbucks gift card would go a long way for one person. thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletethis is a really lovely gesture. it would be really lovely if something like this happened in my town.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's so wonderful! What a way to start the day, huh? It's so nice to know that in the midst of all this craziness, people still care for one another and are willing to do something so kind for a stranger.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful story! Moreover when everyone seems to be so grumpy lately...
ReplyDeleteYou made my day!
xoxo
How cool! Back in December, on Christmas Eve morning, we woke to our doorbell ringing at 7am. I walked out to find that someone had lefta bag full of change on our doorstep totalling over $120 and just a note that read Merry Christmas. Still don't know who left it!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesomely eye opening experience :) I wish they'd put stories like this on the local news. These are the things worth telling!
ReplyDeleteI love it. I have been the recipient of random acts of kindness. One day I was having a rough time getting around good ol NYC, and I remember a lot of nice people who held doors for me.
ReplyDeleteI was in a hurry to get to an after-work-school meeting & I was getting on the subway. I swiped my metrocard but it didn't work, then it said "just used." Well in NY terms that means I have to wait for 18 minutes to try again or I have to get into a long line to buy another card. Also I'm already late so I'm not happy.
Anyway a nice guy saw this and said here, swiped his card for me, and let me go. I guess he's been there and knows the pain that an 18 minute wait can cause a New Yorker in a hurry.
This random act stuck with me and even though I couldn't pick "Mr. Nice Guy" out of a lineup, he made an impression.
what a great way to start your day. i love this. i read a story about this recently.
ReplyDeleteI love sweet little stories like this. Next time I'm in line, maybe I'll pay for the person behind me. Unless it happens to be a guy who would then think I was hitting on him!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea too! When my boy and I celebrated our first anniversary, we went to a really nice expensive restaurant even though we were poor college students. He'd been saving to take us out someplace nice. Since it was a Sunday night, the restaurant was totally dead except for one little old couple on the other side of the room. They left while we were still finishing our entrees. When the waiter brought the bill, it only had one cocktail and our dessert on it - the other couple had paid for everything of ours that we'd ordered until they left. It totally made our night! We've been wanting to do the same for an older couple. We should really get on that.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is such a cool story. Things like that definitely inspire me to make an effort of kindness towards strangers.
ReplyDeleteThat is the best thing ever. It's like an Oprah moment. You should dance for people on the street as your little gift. It would make me happy.
ReplyDeletethat's so cool! i've paid for the tolld for the car behind me at the bridge but i like this even more.
ReplyDeletepassing it on is so important
what a great day that turn out for you:)
ReplyDeleteI live in chicago and when it gets cold here it gets freezing cold.... well, it was wet and freezing cold out and I had stopped at starbucks, I was bundled up in my big warm coat, gloves and mittens. When I walked in I noticed a homeless man sitting at a table by the door, just trying to get warm in his thin jacket with a real small cup of coffee. When I ordered my coffee I bought a gift card and on my way out I walked up to the man and gave it to him, he looked at me a bit confused and I said, "for future days when it is cold out, you can come in and order food and something hot to drink during these winter months"
a huge smile went across his face, seeing his smile was the biggest gift to me ever!
Soo nice!! I was at starbucks about 2 weeks ago and this woman infront if me stepped out of line to look at the mugs, so naturally when she walked back, I let her have her place in line. Well I guess she never saw that before and bought me my morning coffee! She was soo sweet. It made my day too and I told her I would make sure to pay it forward that day.
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! Pass it on =)
ReplyDeleteI love random acts of kindness like this--what a great way to start out your morning!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful thing to do! This reminds me of a commercial that I've seen a lot lately-I don't remember what company it's for but it shows a domino effect of little acts of kindness, such as a man picking up a toy that a boy in a stroller dropped on a busy city street. very cute and thoughtful!
ReplyDeleteawesome this is such a cool pay it forward idea
ReplyDeleteI have heard of this before, but never done it myself. The Christian Radio Station in the city my daughter lives in designates certain days for people to take part in this sort of event.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful project.
What a great story! I love things like this. I always try to help people out, like paying their busfare if they can't find their money etc, but it's never occured to me to do something like it just to be nice!
ReplyDelete