http://www2.oprah.com/presents/2006/pay/challenge/challenge_201.jhtml After watching the Oprah show last night (DVR'd it from this week) I was so moved by what her audience members did with their $1000 that I thought, that we, the 4042 comminuty, could do the same. If anyone saw the movie you KNOW you don't need $1000 to be nice and do a good deed for someone. So my challenge for you, the 4042ers, is to do something nice for someone you don't know (or that you do know) and post it here. There are so many of us who have been down on our luck at least once and could have used a helping hand. My example was last year my car died on 40 between Durham and the Airport and no one even stopped to see if I needed help or was even alive in my car. If someone would have stopped and tried to help that would have made me less freaked out! So, what random act of kindness are you going to do today? Maybe it's help an old lady with her groceries? Maybe help a stranded motorist? Volunteer at a soup kitchen? Help out a neighbor or friend who is in need? I know it's early in the morning and you may not have done anything nice yet :lol: but try.
It is a great idea to do something thoughtful each and every day however I am a firm believer that if you need public gratitude for doing a good deed, it lessens the good. Do good for you not so that you can tell all about it.
Yeah sweetie, I agree we dont need to blab about how awesome we are in helping people just the thought of doing it!
I had a pay it forward about a year and a half ago. After my divorce I was in a car accident, followed by a hospital stay with no insurance. I was struggling to get back on my feet. I was working full time and bartending on weekends. One night I was getting ready to leave my bartending job and one of my couple customers had given my boss a check to help me out. They just told me to pay it forward. They never asked for the money back. I never forgot this kind jesture. I try to do nice things now for people...I don't have a lot of money but I do simple things. It's always remembered. Your smile simply can change a persons day.
Exactly my sentiments and reinforcement of my total belief that "what goes around does come around". i have known people that will do a little volunteer this or that or donate once in a blue moon only for the purpose of free publicity or acclaim for their name and that just burns me to no end :evil: If it is not given from the heart for the joy of giving, it is not a true gift.
I know this isn't much but I have done it on 2 occasions when I had the time to stop. You know those people who sit on the side of the road and ask for money and say they are hungry or they say 'will work for food'... well it has struck me so hard that I would go through the drive thru and get them a meal and a big drink and take it back to them. The first time I did it, the guy almost broke down in tears and thanked me over and over as he scarfed down the food. The woman I did that for was tickled to pieces that she had a drink with ice in it. You could tell she was so thankful. Another thing to think about is the elderly in the nursing homes. You would NOT believe the looks on their faces when you go in there and show them that you care by just reading them a book or taking them a basket with lotions and different personal care items. I haven't done that in a while... guess I just need to slow down and take the time.
Many times I help older people in my work and not charge them for it. I do a lot of PC work in addition to other things but, when I find some older people who don't have any idea how to make their PC work with the new service I will configure it in a way that anyone could understand it and I won't bill them for it.
What was the old saying? Something about, you give a person a fish and they eat once, you teach them to fish and they eat for a lifetime. Good words of wisdom, that is for sure.
I thought it was... “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you will not have to listen to his incessant whining about how hungry he is.”—Author unknown or “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you can sell him fishing equipment.”—Author unknown or “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to use the Net and he won't bother you for weeks.”—Author unknown or “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he will sit in the boat and drink beer all day.”—OldFox or “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to sell fish and he eats steak.”—Author unknown or “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Unless he doesn't like sushi—then you also have to teach him to cook.”—Auren Hoffman, Herald Philosopher
