As the holidays approach I am reminded of something that happened a few years ago. I was just arriving at the local mall with my fifteen year old son. It was a few weeks before Christmas. We parked the car and noticed several people standing around and gawking. Nosey as I am I went to check it out. There was a little girl kicking and screaming while a man was trying to get her into the car. I told my son to go to the front of the mall and wait for me. I boldly walked over and asked the man what’s going on, not sure myself what I was getting myself into. He said the girl was his daughter, she was having a tantrum and he could not calm her down. At this point he had totally lost control over her and she was on the ground. I asked the father if I could help and he said yes, please. I picked the child up, held her tight and whispered in her ear it was alright. Her father told me how he and his friend were on the way to the mall. As they drove into the parking lot his four year old daughter decided she didn’t want to go. She did go into the mall with her father and friend and it was there that she let loose crying and screaming. Her dad picked her up and took her outside and back to the car. There was one problem it was his friends car and his friend had the keys. The poor man was stuck outside the car with an out of control child and shoppers all around. As I held the little girl tight and talked to the dad she began to calm down. She was beautiful with fire red hair and deep blue eyes. As she began to calm down and I felt her starting to hold on to me rather than me trying to hold her. She was still mad refusing to talk to her dad and even her mom when called on the cell phone. After about a half hour she was fine. I put her down and as soon as her feet hit the ground she raised her arms back up for me to hold her some more. My heart melted. That day I felt like a made a difference in someones life. I helped people I didn’t even know by stepping out of my comfort zone and taking a chance. That experience moved me so much and will always be embedded in my memory. I can’t remember the little girls name but I know I will never forget her.
Nov 23
December 25th, 2009 at 3:05 am
As I read that my heart is touched and I wish you could come to my house and hold my husband when he is having a temper tantrum and maybe it would calm him.
I believe in helping people and I have always tried to go out of my way to do so. I work in the healthcare system and helping is always there to do. I know it is hard sometimes when we are tired and grumpy and just want to get home or we are with our kids and they aren’t behaving etc. Just remember this:
One day I was at the ” farmer’s market” with my kids and I had my last $100 with me for the month for groceries. I did realize that my pocket on my purse was opened and the money fell out. I went in with the kids and filled my basket full with fruit and veggies. We got to the counter and I went to pay and couldn’t find my money. I panicked. I apologized to the people behind me moved my cart and asked the lady to hold my stuff I would be right back. I went out looked in my car and it wasn’t there. I tore my purse and apart and it wasn’t there. I started to cry and my kids were not little…little but little enough that to see me cry worried them. It was my last $100 dollars. My daughter bless her heart told me “mommy it will be alright.”. She started to look around and low and behold she found some of the money. My son and I joined in the search and we found about $60.00 dollars of the $100.00. As we were looking a woman came out and asked if I needed help. I told her we were fine but thank you for asking. Kids as we know will be kids and my son said, ” my mommy lost her last $100 dollars and we can’t find it.” The lady to my amazement said to me,” Oh my goodness is there anything I can do to help.” Of course being the proud person I am I said no and thanked her for taking the time to care. This is a true story so sit down for this…..This angel, this wonderful person said to me, ” Wait right here I will be right back.” She disappeared for about 10 minutes while we contined to look for the rest of the money without finding anything. The woman comes back and grabs my hand and places her hand in mine and says, ” Just remember to pay it forward when you get the opportunity.”. I looked at her with tears in my eyes and said, ” there is no need for you to do this we will be fine.”. She said, ” I was once in your shoes and someone helped me so I must pay it forward.” She hugged me and simply walked to her car and drove away. I looked down and the woman had placed in my hand $ 140.00 dollars with a note that I have to this day with a smiley face on it saying only this….” Pay it forward someday when you have the opportunity because you never know when it is going to come back to you. You were my opportunity to pay it forward thank you for that.”
I will never forget this woman and the kindness that she showed me that day. A desperate, upset, and most assuredly not all together mom with two smallish kids.
Pay it forward is now my motto……just thought I would share.