A loved one
called and shared this story with me.
He went to a
McDonald’s drive through to grab some coffee and a breakfast sandwich. To his
surprise, when he arrived at the payment window, he was told his order was
already paid for by the driver in front of him.
Apparently, this had been going on all morning. One customer decided to gift the car behind
him, and from there, every driver chose to pay-it-forward. So, he too decided ,
that although his meal would have only been a few dollars, and the bill for the
car behind him was closer to $10, he would keep the kindness flowing and pay
their tab. This experience warmed his heart so much that he called me to share because,
he said, he knew that I “loved to hear about beautiful things like that.”
McDonalds
recently launched an ad campaign and contest , “Pay with Lovin", where selected
customers who performed a loving act would receive a free meal. It’s not clear
whether or not the events of that morning began as a result of this campaign. What is clear, however,
is that the kindness had a ripple effect, because after the
first person, no one else was required to participate, contest or not.
It had an effect on the cashier at the window as well, he
said. “She was as giddy as a teenager. It was like she couldn’t wait to tell me
about it and see if I would keep it going.”
So, of course he was correct. I do LOVE to hear AND share about
“beautiful things” like that—for several reasons:
- · They remind me that good-hearted people do exist, even though we rarely hear of them in the mass media. This jolts me out of the ‘matrix’. There is beauty constantly flowing through humanity, whether some deem it sexy enough to publicize or not.
- · They inspire me to open my heart and make the bold move of extending kindness to others. When I do this, I am more in alignment with my true nature sans defense mechanisms.
- · They bring me greater awareness and help me to cultivate mindfulness. I step out of my busy-ness and really “see” those around me.
- · And finally- They give me a sense of hope and allow me to catch a glimpse of what’s possible. I may never know who that first person was who paid for that first meal, but he or she inspired countless others that day, both directly and indirectly.
What loving act will you initiate
this week that may spark an avalanche of positive energy and hope to all who
experience it—directly or indirectly?
#JustAReminder #ShineYourLight
