With Love, Thelms

You ever watch a movie that just stays with you?! In a way that impacts your life forever? It’s like no matter the time or place you may be in life, that movie always has a way of staying relevant. For me that movie is called “Pay It Forward” and it’s the basis behind today’s Sunday Chat.

SO.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the movie, here’s a quick background on it. The movie tells the wonderful story of a young boy who gets a class assignment from his teacher on choosing a way to change the world in some facet. The young boy chooses the concept of paying it forward. Doing so, with acts of kindness to follow the previous act of kindness witnessed or experienced. His choice to do so impacts the lives of many along his journey. It also teaches viewers the importance of paying it forward.

Well yesterday, I experienced the beauty of kindness and the importance of taking that kindness and paying it forward. I mean, I told you “that movie” whatever it may be for you, will never lose its ability to be relevant and meaningful in some shape or form. My movie is no different.

Long story short. I was out to eat with a friend when a sweet lady approached us. She had two Bellinis she purchased all on her own, with the intent to “cheer us up” and brighten our day. She didn’t know us or anything, but was thoughtful enough to consider how such a kind act might bring smiles to our faces. A small gesture made grand by her genuine desire to bring out joy within us. If that’s not an act of kindness experienced, what is?

It’s that action that made me consider — how better off our world would be, if only we took kind acts experienced and paid it forward.

A lot of times today’s world is too focused on the idea of give and take. Meaning, many have no desire to give if the opportunity to take isn’t on the table.

What happened to initiating acts of kindness with no expectation to receive anything in return? What happened to being nice just because?

The concept seems to be lost on our society. Which was why that sweet woman’s act was so much more than her giving us free drinks. It was the unsolicited kindness in her action that made it so special. It’s also why experiencing her kind act makes paying it forward in some way to another person, so dang important to me. After all, to show gratitude for what she did would be to give someone else the same opportunity she provided me. The opportunity to smile and experience a sense of warmth. A sense of warmth that can only come from experiencing kindness from a total stranger that doesn’t owe you a thing.

So babes I challenge you. Whether experienced or not. Won’t you start the chain of kindness or keep it going by paying it forward?

Let’s do our part whether big or small. Contributing to make our world a place of kindness and peace, rewarding one kind gesture with another.

To you accepting the challenge and paying it forward, one kind act at a time,

Thelms