Random Acts of Kindness and Paying it Forward

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We went on a family vacation! It's the first time we've had the chance to really get away for a full week all together in six years. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that the last couple of years have been hard for my family. But we put some money aside and were able to rent a beach house in the Virginia Beach area for a week of R&R and sunshine. It was really needed. It was wonderful.

One night on our trip we went out to a little crab shack for dinner. We ordered food for our crew of six and dug into a delicious repast. The kids were (happily) well behaved and even sang a little bit together, just having fun. The restaurant was a social atmosphere- not quiet or fancy. When we finished, we asked the server for our check. Evan, my husband, went to the bathroom. Before he came back, the server came back to our table and informed me and the kids that the gentleman at the table behind us had paid for our meal. Surprised, I turned around. He was sitting with his back to our table. He had not spoken to us or acknowledged us in any way during the meal.

I said to him, "Excuse me, but did you just pay for my family's dinner?" He replied, "Yes." Shocked, I said, "Wow. Thank you so much! That was incredibly nice of you!" He said, "Ok." My kids asked him, "Why did you pay for our dinner?" He shrugged and replied, "I don't know." So I just responded that we were on vacation and this was a super wonderful thing for him to do and thanked him again.

Evan came out of the bathroom and we left. I told him what had happened and he was surprised and taken aback also. It was a wonderful lesson for our kids (and us) about random acts of kindness.

I've been looking for an opportunity to pay it forward. An opportunity has recently presented itself and I'm requesting the help of anyone who would like to participate with me. I know that I can be exponentially more powerful if I have support. Here's what I'm asking:

I have a good friend who I know from Twitter and Facebook. She just (6/10/11) had her first baby. (A little boy). She and her partner have been struggling very hard financially and she has decided she needs to go back to work as soon as she can - planning on two weeks or less - despite the healing she really needs to do instead, and the time she needs with her newborn son.


I see my friend now, who is really in need of making ends meet until she is well enough to start work again. They can barely make rent and food, let alone utilities. And I know she might be embarrassed if I put her name here, or if money started flowing to her from a lot of different people.

So I'm looking for a way to "pay it forward."

Here's my idea.

I've created a special paypal button.

If you feel like doing a similar random act of kindness for someone you don't know, click and put in whatever amount, however small, even $1, that you want.

In three days, (on 6/17), I'll send the full amount to my friend, include my own contribution, and tell her that it is a gift from her friends on Twitter.

I'll let you be anonymous like the guy in the restaurant. And we'll all feel great knowing that this generous act of his was paid forward.

Also, I'll send each person who donates an amount $10 or more a gift certificate for a full Distance Healing session, to use or pay forward to someone else. Just my way of expressing thanks to you for your support in this.

Thanks so much. Blessings and love, Alice

Donation to help a mom in need. Any amount is welcome.

Thank you for helping me pay a gift forward.