Obligatory Corny Pay it Forward Blog Post

One of my unpublished resolutions is to be a more positive human being.  I have a slight tendency to be...well...negative, pessimistic, and down right bitchy.  I frequently yell at my fellow drivers, scowl at the other idiots in the grocery store who always manage to stop in the middle of the aisle with out warning to get their Metamucil, and basically cast judgement way too much.

So, it is my mission to find more good in humanity and spread as much good karma as I can as well.  Yes, I have rainbows shooting out of my belly a la the Care Bears.  I have recently donated all of the Yeti's too small clothes to good will in addition to all of ours.  I also donated several packages of unopened, too small diapers to our local women's shelter.

I have noticed that I am having a much easier time doing good than seeing good.  It seems in our age of instant everything, that we have no time for common courtesy or even taking a few minutes to go out of our way to help someone who needs it.

Story time:
Earlier this week, I was leaving the grocery store and trying to get the Yeti into the car after someone parked waaay too close and manage to get my 3 bags of groceries packed in.  Reminder: it is winter in New England and slightly chilly.  Former Insomniac Mom would have wailed my door into theirs out of spite and pure pissed offedness.  Of course, the second I took the Yeti out, the cart started to roll away.  WTF moment.  Much to my surprise, a very nice gentleman stopped the cart, put my groceries in the back of my car while I wrestled with the car seat, and offered to put my cart away.  The skeptic in me assumed that he was an axe murderer/serial rapist and would duct tape my hands, throw me in his van, and lock me in his dungeon for all eternity.  However, I was touched.  I thanked him profusely.  He offered a simple 'Your welcome' and continued on his way.  This one act restored my faith in humanity.  All is not lost.  I vowed to pay it forward.

Today while in the grocery store, an elderly man was rifling through his purse bag and dropped his inhaler while we were strolling by on a massive couponing mission (which, I must brag, I got over $200 of groceries for $66).  Seeing that the inhaler was precisely what he was looking for, I asked if he needed help.  He looked at me quizzically.  I only asked because my OCD would ban anyone from touching my inhaler that would touch my lips, however the fact that it was now on the floor of a grocery store would have rendered it unusable even in a severe asthma attach.  He didn't answer, other than to continue to stare at me, so I bent down, picked it up, and placed it on top of his bag.  I bid him good day and continued on my way.  He continued his wordless stare.  My minuscule act of kindness brightened my day.

I am writing this post to encourage everyone to do the same.  No act is too small.  You don't have to volunteer 40 hours a week to make a difference in someone's day.  So, in addition to all my other 101 goals, I am aiming to take any opportunity to be a better person.  I will be more generous with pleases, thank yous,  compliments, and praises.  I hope that this will rub off on my Yeti someday and that this attitude will multiply rather than dwindle as it seems to be in this age of impatience, ego, and selfishness.