Follow up Friday

Follow Up Friday: Revisiting No. 47 ...Pay for someone else's coffee, meal, toll


O my, this was so much fun.

Throughout the month of December I bought drinks, meals, whatever for the people behind me in the drive-through lines.  (Original post here)  As long as it wasn't over $5.00 or so, I paid.   Overall I probably spent maybe $40.00 during the month.   Apparently there are lots of people like me who drive through for just a drink.

The responses were great. Lights flashing. Horns honking. Waves and grins. Restaurant staff saying "I wish someone would do that for me." And it gave me a good smile.  I was definitely rewarded.
  

And then I saw this article:

Canadians are known for their love of hockey, maple syrup and friendliness, but the last trait was most in evidence in the days before Christmas when one drive-through customer generously offered to foot the coffee bill for the one behind him in line. That customer set off a chain of events that soon made headlines on both sides of the border.

On Dec. 21, a Tim Hortons donut shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was in the midst of a full-scale domino effect, with the second customer paying for the coffee and donuts of the third and so on. The chain of generosity continued for three hours and a total of 228 orders, enough to inspire patrons who were ordering inside to start their own pay-it-forward chain. 

photo: www.flickr.com/photos/alanchan

...The chain reaction finally ended when one Grinch refused to pay for the three coffees that were ordered by the person behind him, even though his order of four coffees was taken up by the car before him.

..."We don't know who started it, but that's the beauty of this act of generosity," she added. "It was the start of something wonderful." 

The unexpected generosity came in the midst of the Random Cups of Kindness week, a promotional event in which Tim Hortons would give random customers their order for free until Dec. 22. More than 3,000 locations participated.                                             (by Jeff Stone | January 03 2013 4:30 PM)

Isn't that amazing? Two hundred and twenty eight people in a row picking up the tab for someone else.

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I also received a blog comment from Pam at Simple Details with a wonderful idea.  

We all have gift cards this time of year and frequently there is the tiniest amount left on them after your big purchase. I've been carrying one around for over a year from Williams and Sonoma that has $1.42on it. I can never remember to use the dang thing. Pam came up with the perfect solution.

"My idea of fun! The other day at Starbucks the lady in front of me gave me the remainder on her card. Only .66 but that wasn't the point, so after using her .66 and my card I passed the remainder $1.57 onto the next person in line, everyone was smiling and I couldn't help but wonder how far it kept going!"  

So next time you end up with .57 on a gift card, hand it to the person behind you in the checkout line.(Pam has an amazing design and style blog. Check it out here.)

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Next "10 Ideas That Will Help Set You Free"  by Ann Mehl showed up in my inbox.  

Ann is a life coach and she came up with ten ideas to improve your life. Her No. 6  fits here.

6. Give it away to get it back:

Whatever you want to attract more of in your life, give it away. Want more love and affection in your life? You have to give more love. Want more respect from your peers, then you have to give more respect to those around you. Want to feel inspired? You have to inspire those around you. Whatever it is that you feel you are lacking, give it away. Freely and often. You’ll get it back in spades.


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And a few quotes on this concept:

From Proverbs 11:24-25:

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 

From Deepak Chopra:

"The more you give, the more you will receive, because you will keep the abundance of the universe circulating in your life. In fact, anything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given. That which doesn't multiply through giving is neither worth giving nor worth receiving".

And last but not least, from the Beatles:

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

So there. 

Pay it forward. Pass it on. 

Not a paid advertisement for any of these places, people, things.