Monday, July 28, 2008

Pay It Forward

Yesterday, in between storms, me and the little man ventured out. We had to make a stop at JoAnns, the craft store, to pick up supplies for a wedding gift I'm making. After I bought what I needed we stepped outside into the pouring rain. I just stood there with the cart underneath the overhang for a moment deciding the best way to go about getting everything and everyone to the car.

I noticed that there was no cart return area in the parking lot so I didn't want to drag the cart out there. I hate when people do that. My car is always the car that gets hit. I knew without the cart, though, I would have a lot to carry. Mind you, I have had fuller hands before. I would have only been carrying my purse, 2 bags, and Gage. Right before I decided my course of action a very nice older lady(Everyone's older than me.She really wasn't that old) offered to walk us to my car under her umbrella. Not only did she offer to walk us under her umbrella but she said she would return my cart but in the end I decided to ditch the cart.

I did for a brief second think about how she could kidnap us and eat us for dinner all week.

However, I have a lot of faith in people. I think people are generally good. Some people think this is a bad quality to have. I'm just not overly paranoid about things like this. After I decided that she wasn't a psycho, she walked us to our car. She even stood there while I found my keys in the Black Hole AKA my purse. While I was strapping Gage into his carseat, I looked back and saw that she was parked 2 lanes over way in the back of the lot. She went completely out of her way to shelter us from the rain.

I ran into an Angel in the parking lot of JoAnns. What a freaking nice lady. I'm telling you I haven't been this touched in a long time. I felt very inspired by it all and now its my mission to pay it forward. I don't know who and I don't know how but I'm going to. So watch out!

*I'm also going to start carrying an umbrella in my car.
**I'm also going to organize the Black Hole.

12 comments:

Bee said...

There are more good people out there than we realize, it's just the bad is what we tend to remember.

Thanks for the encouragement. I am with you, I don't know what is up with people not wanting to participate. My gut tells me it's fear. Sad.

And God has a way of sending us angels when we need them. He's good like that:)

Anonymous said...

That is such a lovely and selfless thing to do. What a nice woman. And I have no doubt you will pay it forward when the opportunity presents itself.

Megan said...

That is really nice! :) I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it, especially because it was a woman. I always carry an umbrella on days it doesn't rain...the days it does, i'm a wet rat by the time I walk home.

MereinSC said...

ha... my purse is also a black hole!! it should be the focus of some research study.

Liz Harrell said...

That is so sweet! I love it when unexpected things like that happen!

Pleasant Living said...

So glad to know that there are still decent people out there. We should all be more like you and assume that people are good rather than bad. Hey, maybe even the bad ones would rise to the occasion.

Teachinfourth said...

Only one? Aren't you supposed to do it now for three people?

Thanks, Meg. Your post was uplifting and made me smile. It makes me want to be on the lookout for those I can be of assistance to.

BTW, the "I did for a brief second think about how she could kidnap us and eat us for dinner all week." Made me bust out laughing.

Badass Geek said...

Let me know if you succeed in organizing your purse. If you do, please show my wife what you did. I hate digging around in her purse for her car keys when I need to move her car in the driveway.

Unknown said...

what a great story! i enjoyed reading it! sometimes i choose not to do something like that, in fear of "talking to strangers". i've allowed the scary news stories to overcome me with fear, rather than have faith in the Lord to protect me!

thanks for posting that story!

Dirty White boy said...

There is a lot of selfless people in this world..not many in Los Angeles, but in the world, yes.
However, perhaps she was once in the rain with her baby and there was a long story to that?

Dirty White boy said...

p.s
Dont you women have pockets for those keys????

Liz said...

So I have to smile... I love the movie and the idea of... "Paying it Forward". So I read your BLOG and loved it. Awww... yes, most people are good natured but there are a few freaks out there that might eat you! haha!

Seriously though, thank you for the kind thought about my son and our fight not to get a million worthless toys!

Liz (411mommy)