Your order has been paid for!

This morning I was dropping my 6 month old daughter at my sisters house to be looked after so that I could go to the hairdressers for the first time in 2 years. Yes that’s right, it had been 2 whole years since a professional had touched my unruly tresses…lucky her!

As a thank you for my sister I decided to buy her a McDonald’s breakfast on the way and the nicest thing happened in the drive thru. The car in front of me paid for my order! It was the loveliest thing to happen to me by the hands of a stranger in such a long time.

Kindness really does melt the heart. It’s like a direct line to your inner self that sparks so much joy that sometimes even tears form in your eyes! That’s what happened to me, I quite literally cried as the cashier at the window stood sharing in my joy and excitement at a strangers kind act - she was just as thrilled as I was!

He was a young guy too, I would say early to mid twenties just by himself. My order was $25 which is a lot to pay for a stranger! I truly was so grateful but the thing that stood out for me was that he wouldn’t look at me through his rearview mirror. I was trying desperately to get his attention by waving and mouthing ‘thank you’ but he wouldn’t look. It was like he wasn’t even interested in the ‘glory’ of performing this kind act, he simply just did it, without explanation and drove away, making my day - and the cashiers- much happier!

I think perhaps he did it as he watched me through his rearview mirror, getting out of the drivers seat in a panic in the middle of the drive thru and rush around to my baby’s door to check on her as she was making a strange whimpering noise that I had never heard her make before. I was running late also because the line was huge and I can only imagine the look on my panicked face as I darted back to my door after sorting my daughter out and then driving forward. I was feeling stressed to say the least!

Or perhaps, he just felt like being generous and kind that morning. Who knows!

It really hit home though and left me thinking of ways that I can pay it forward. I can’t wait to actually! I am toying with the idea of withdrawing $100 and hiding each $20 with a little happy note on the shelves around the supermarket. Imagine someone’s surprise when they go to pick up a can of beans and get a little bonus ‘just because’!

There are other ways too, of course I could do what the young guy did for me and pay for someone’s order behind me, which I would’ve done that day if there had been a car behind me. I’ve paid for someone’s coffee once which was a small gesture but appreciated. The truth is there are so many ways to perform spontaneous acts of kindness throughout our day and they don’t have to include money or paying for something. Giving genuine compliments, holding the door for someone behind you, making a delicious meal for your other half, offering to do someone’s grocery shopping when they’re not feeling well. So many things!

I love that this act of kindness has inspired me to think of ways to do the same for someone else. What a lovely concept to embrace.

In the words of the fine establishment’s drive thru that it happened in this morning - I’m lovin’ it! (Sorry I had to!)